Dissertation Research: Effect of Leaf Traits on the Decomposibility of Leaf Litter

论文研究：叶片性状对凋落物分解的影响

• 批准号: 0408157
• 负责人: Peter Vitousek
• 金额: $ 1.03万
• 依托单位: Stanford University
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2004
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2004-06-01 至 2006-05-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=0408157&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Dissertation; Research; Effect; Leaf; Traits

When plants discards their leaves the resulting litter decomposes in the soil litter layer. Because different decomposition rates can change the amount of organic matter that is stored in the soil as well as the speed of nutrient cycling, understanding the controls on decomposition rate is an important goal. One important factor affecting decomposition is the physical and chemical traits of the leaves. In different environmental conditions plants (both within a species and between different species) have different leaf physical and chemical characteristics. That is, some leaves are thick and nutrient-poor while others are thin and nutrient-rich, and these different leaf types are often matched to the environment in a way that is advantageous to the plant. This project seeks to connect the leaf characteristics found in certain environmental conditions to the decomposability of different leaf litters. Specifically, it will test the effect of leaf traits found on fertile and infertile soils at both high and low precipitation. The effects of leaf traits on decomposition will be studied in two systems-in Hawaii within a species, and in Australia across species. The resulting data will allow a new test for the interactive effects of precipitation and soil nutrients on the decomposability of leaf litter.

当植物丢弃叶子时，产生的垃圾会在土壤垃圾层中分解。由于不同的分解速率会改变土壤中储存的有机物的量以及养分循环的速度，因此了解分解速率的控制是一个重要目标。影响分解的重要因素之一是叶片的物理和化学特性。在不同的环境条件下，植物（物种内和不同物种之间）具有不同的叶子物理和化学特性。也就是说，有些叶子厚且营养贫乏，而另一些叶子薄但营养丰富，这些不同的叶子类型通常以对植物有利的方式与环境相匹配。该项目旨在将某些环境条件下的叶子特征与不同落叶层的可分解性联系起来。具体来说，它将测试在高降水量和低降水量下，肥沃和贫瘠土壤上发现的叶子性状的影响。叶子性状对分解的影响将在两个系统中进行研究——在夏威夷的一个物种内，以及在澳大利亚的跨物种。由此产生的数据将允许对降水和土壤养分对落叶层分解性的相互作用影响进行新的测试。