Skip to main content
Dryad

Data from: Faster than expected: Release of nitrogen and phosphorus from decomposing woody litter

Data files

Dec 06, 2024 version files 166.82 KB

Abstract

Deadwood represents globally important carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus pools. Current wood nutrient dynamics models are extensions of those developed for leaf litter decomposition. However, tissue structure and dominant decomposers differ between leaf and woody litter, and recent evidence suggests that decomposer stoichiometry in combination with litter quality may affect nutrient release.

We quantified decomposition and release of carbon and nutrients from woody litter for two stem sizes of 22 tree species in a phosphorus-limited temperate forest near Sydney, Australia and compared these to estimates from leaf litter literature.

Following theory, nitrogen and phosphorus accumulated during early decomposition, but began to decline earlier than expected based on work in leaves. Woody litter converged on higher carbon:nitrogen (50) and nitrogen:phosphorus (80) ratios than in leaf litter studies. Carbon:nitrogen at which nitrogen was released was higher in larger stems (~135) than smaller stems (~95); both being higher than in leaf litter.

Drawing from the literature, these differences in nitrogen and phosphorus dynamics may be due to the identity of wood decomposers. Carbon:nitrogen of wood decomposers is higher than mean carbon:nitrogen of leaf litter decomposers, and this difference in stoichiometry may have important flow-on effects for nutrient cycles in forests.