Hostname: page-component-669899f699-cf6xr Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2025-04-26T12:06:16.864Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Importance of litter dynamics of economically important trees for sustainable land management in dry tropics

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  14 March 2025

Fahami Zaya ,
Priyanka Soni ,
Amrita Kumari ,
Rahul Kumar ,
Riya Gupta ,
Nidhi Singh  and
Nandita Ghoshal Open the ORCID record for Nandita Ghoshal [Opens in a new window]
Fahami Zaya
Affiliation:
Department of Botany, Institute of Science, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, 221005, India
Priyanka Soni
Affiliation:
Department of Botany, Institute of Science, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, 221005, India
Amrita Kumari
Affiliation:
Department of Botany, Institute of Science, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, 221005, India
Rahul Kumar
Affiliation:
Department of Botany, Institute of Science, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, 221005, India
Riya Gupta
Affiliation:
Department of Botany, Institute of Science, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, 221005, India
Nidhi Singh
Affiliation:
Department of Botany, Institute of Science, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, 221005, India
Nandita Ghoshal*
Affiliation:
Department of Botany, Institute of Science, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, 221005, India
*
Corresponding author: Nandita Ghoshal; Email: nghoshal@bhu.ac.in
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

This study elucidates the litter dynamics including decomposition rate both in-situ and ex-situ, the initial acquisition traits (LATs), morphological traits (LMTs) and production rate of leaf litter of four economically important tree species viz. Terminalia arjuna (TA), Tectona grandis (TG), Eucalyptus citriodora (EC) and Psidium guajava (PG) with the major objective of restoration of degraded urban ecosystems in dry tropics. Annual litterfall production rates were observed as: TG > TA > EC > PG. LMTs, that is, specific leaf area followed the trend: TG > TA > PG > EC, whereas leaf mass per area followed the reverse trend. In TA, LATs involving carbon (C), nitrogen (N) and cellulose were highest but C/N and lignin/N ratios were lowest, whereas lignin, polyphenol, C/N and lignin/N ratios were highest in PG. In the leaf litter bag experiment, the decomposition rate followed the trend: TA > TG > EC > PG. In-situ and ex-situ rates of decomposition of all the four leaf litters were found to be similar. LATs especially lignin/N, N and C/N ratios rather than LMTs were found to be a better predictor of the litter decomposition rate. TA plantation having a higher litter decomposition rate, may be recommended for inclusion in the restoration strategies of degraded urban land.

Keywords

Dry tropicsleaf acquisition traitsleaf morphological traitslitter decomposition ratelitter productionsoil restoration
Type
Research Article
Information
Journal of Tropical Ecology , Volume 41 , 2025 , e3
Check for updates
Copyright
© The Author(s), 2025. Published by Cambridge University Press

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

Article purchase

Temporarily unavailable

References

Anderson, JM and Ingram, JS (1994) Tropical Soil Biology and Fertility: A Handbook of Methods. Oxford: CAB International.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Austin, AT, Vivanco, L, González-Arzac, A and Pérez, LI (2014) There’s no place like home? An exploration of the mechanisms behind plant litter–decomposer affinity in terrestrial ecosystems. New Phytologist 204, 307–314.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Ayres, E, Steltzer, H, Simmons, BL, Simpson, RT, Steinweg, JM, Wallenstein, MD, Mellor, N, Parton, WJ, Moore, JC and Wall, DH (2009) Home-field advantage accelerates leaf litter decomposition in forests. Soil Biology and Biochemistry 41, 606–610.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bocock, KL and Gilbert, OJ (1957) The disappearance of leaf litter under different woodland conditions. Plant and Soil 9, 179–185.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Buchanan, SW, Sauvadet, M and Isaac, ME (2024) Decomposition of litter mixtures induces non-additive effects on soil priming across a riparian land use gradient. Soil Biology and Biochemistry 190, 109285.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Chomel, M, Guittonny-Larchevêque, M, DesRochers, A and Baldy, V (2015) Home field advantage of litter decomposition in pure and mixed plantations under boreal climate. Ecosystems 18, 1014–1028.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Çömez, A, Güner, ŞT and Tolunay, D (2021) The effect of stand structure on litter decomposition in Pinus sylvestris L. stands in Turkey. Annals of Forest Science 78, 1–13.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Cornwell, WK, Cornelissen, JH, Amatangelo, K, Dorrepaal, E, Eviner, VT, Godoy, O, Hobbie, SE, Hoorens, B, Kurokawa, H, Pérez-Harguindeguy, N and Quested, HM (2008) Plant species traits are the predominant control on litter decomposition rates within biomes worldwide. Ecology Letters 11, 1065–1071.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Corrigan, C and Oelbermann, M (2013) Mass and nutrient loss of leaf litter collecting in litter traps: an in situ and ex situ study. Forest Science 59, 484–493.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
de Alencar, MI, Belo, AY, Silva, JL, Asato, AE, Gomes, EF, de Oliveira, VS, Teixeira, JD, Monte, OD, Mota, AS, Pereira, VM and Dantas, SS (2022) Hard to predict! No clear effects of home-field advantage on leaf litter decomposition in tropical heath vegetation. Journal of Tropical Ecology 38, 462–471.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Duan, H, Wang, L, Zhang, Y, Fu, X, Tsang, Y, Wu, J and Le, Y (2018) Variable decomposition of two plant litters and their effects on the carbon sequestration ability of wetland soil in the Yangtze River estuary. Geoderma 319, 230–238.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Effland, MJ (1977) Modified procedure to determine acid-insoluble lignin in wood and pulp. Tappi, United States 60, 143–144.Google Scholar
Ho, A, Di Lonardo, DP, and Bodelier, PL (2017) Revisiting life strategy concepts in environmental microbial ecology. FEMS Microbiology Ecology 93, 1–14.Google ScholarPubMed
Hunt, H, Ingham, E, Coleman, D, Elliott, E and Reid, C (1988) Nitrogen limitation of production and decomposition in prairie, mountain meadow, and pine forest. Ecology 69, 1009–1016.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Isaac, S R and Nair, M A (2005) Biodegradation of leaf litter in the warm humid tropics of Kerala, India. Soil Biology and Biochemistry 37, 1656–1664.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Jackson, ML (1973) Soil Chemical Analysis. New Delhi: Prentice Hall of India Limited.Google Scholar
Keerthika, A, Parthiban, KT, Chavan, SB, Shukla, AK, Gupta, DK and Venkatesh, V (2024) Leaf litter decomposition in different tree species of multifunctional agroforestry: decay constant and initial litter chemistry. Environment Development Sustainability 2, 1–23.Google Scholar
Kong, J, Lin, Y, Huang, F, Liu, W, He, Q, Su, Y, Li, J, Wang, G and Qiu, Q (2022) Effects of fertilization and dry-season irrigation on litterfall dynamics and decomposition processes in subtropical eucalyptus plantations. Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution 26, 919571.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Kumar, M and Garkoti, SC (2021) Functional traits, growth patterns, and litter dynamics of invasive alien and co-occurring native shrub species of chir pine forest in the central Himalaya, India. Plant Ecology 222, 723–735.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Liu, G, Wang, L, Jiang, L, Pan, X, Huang, Z, Dong, M and Cornelissen, JH (2018) Specific leaf area predicts dryland litter decomposition via two mechanisms. Journal of Ecology 106, 218–229.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Loranger, G, Ponge, JF, Imbert, D and Lavelle, P (2002) Leaf decomposition in two semi-evergreen tropical forests: influence of litter quality. Biology and Fertility of Soils 35, 247–252.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
McBrayer, JF and Cromack, KJ (1981) Effect of snowpack on oak litter breakdown and nutrient release in a Minnesota forest. Pedobiologia 20, 47–54.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Morffi-Mestre, H, Ángeles-Pérez, G, Powers, JS, Andrade, JL, Feldman, RE, May-Pat, F, Chi-May, F and Dupuy-Rada, JM (2023) Leaf litter decomposition rates: influence of successional age, topography and microenvironment on six dominant tree species in a tropical dry forest. Frontiers in Forest and Global Change 6, 1082233.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Murphy, JA and Riley, JP (1962) A modified single solution method for the determination of phosphate in natural waters. Analytica Chimica Acta 27, 31–36.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Musvoto, C, Campbell, BM and Kirchmann, H (2000) Decomposition and nutrient release from mango and miombo woodland litter in Zimbabwe. Soil Biology and Biochemistry 32, 1111–1119.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Naik, SK, Maurya, S, Mukherjee, D, Singh, AK and Bhatt, BP (2018) Rates of decomposition and nutrient mineralization of leaf litter from different orchards under hot and dry sub-humid climate. Archives of Agronomy and Soil Science 64, 560–573.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Olson, JS (1963) Energy storage and the balance of producers and decomposers in ecological systems. Ecology 44, 322–331.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Pataki, DE, Alberti, M, Cadenasso, ML, Felson, AJ, McDonnell, MJ, Pincetl, S, Pouyat, RV, Setälä, H and Whitlow, TH (2021) The benefits and limits of urban tree planting for environmental and human health. Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution 9, 603757.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Patil, M, Kumar, A, Kumar, P and Singh, A (2020) Litter decomposability traits and their linkage with the cycling of nutrients in the forest ecosystems under the lens of climate change: a conceptual overview. Advances in Zoology and Botany 8, 269–277.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Peña-Peña, K and Irmler, U (2016) Moisture seasonality, soil fauna, litter quality and land use as drivers of decomposition in Cerrado soils in SE-Mato Grosso, Brazil. Applied Soil Ecology 1, 124–133.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Petraglia, A, Cacciatori, C, Chelli, S, Fenu, G, Calderisi, G, Gargano, D, Abeli, T, Orsenigo, S and Carbognani, M (2019) Litter decomposition: effects of temperature driven by soil moisture and vegetation type. Plant and Soil 15, 187–200.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Pitman, RM (2013) Litterfall—biomass, chemistry, leaf area, and links with wider ecosystem functioning. Developments in Environmental Science 12, 251–264.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Pugnaire, FI, Aares, KH, Alifriqui, M, Bråthen, KA, Kindler, C, Schöb, C and Manrique, E (2023) Home-field advantage effects in litter decomposition is largely linked to litter quality. Soil Biology and Biochemistry 184, 109069.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Purahong, W, Kapturska, D, Pecyna, MJ, Schulz, E, Schloter, M, Buscot, F, Hofrichter, M and Krüger, D (2014) Influence of different forest system management practices on leaf litter decomposition rates, nutrient dynamics and the activity of ligninolytic enzymes: a case study from Central European forests. PloS One 9, e93700.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Purwanto, RH and Tokuchi, N (2005) Production and seasonal patterns of leaf litter in moist deciduous forests in eastern Java, Indonesia. Tropics 14, 371–376.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Rahman, MM and Tsukamoto, J (2013) Leaf traits, litter decomposability and forest floor dynamics in an evergreen-and a deciduous-broadleaved forest in warm temperate Japan. Forestry 86, 441–451.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Rahman, MM, Tsukamoto, J, Rahman, MM, Yoneyama, A and Mostafa, KM (2013) Lignin and its effects on litter decomposition in forest ecosystems. Chemistry and Ecology 2, 540–553.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Rai, A, Singh, AK, Ghosal, N and Singh, N (2016) Understanding the effectiveness of litter from tropical dry forests for the restoration of degraded lands. Ecological Engineering 1, 76–81.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Singh, KP, Singh, PK and Tripathi, SK (1999) Litterfall, litter decomposition and nutrient release patterns in four native tree species raised on coal mine spoil at Singrauli, India. Biology and Fertility of Soils 29, 371–378.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Solly, EF, Schöning, I, Boch, S, Kandeler, E, Marhan, S, Michalzik, B, Müller, J, Zscheischler, J, Trumbore, SE and Schrumpf, M (2014) Factors controlling decomposition rates of fine root litter in temperate forests and grasslands. Plant and Soil 382, 203–218.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Sun, F, Song, C, Wang, M, Lai, DY, Tariq, A, Zeng, F, Zhong, Q, Wang, F, Li, Z and Peng, C (2020) Long-term increase in rainfall decreases soil organic phosphorus decomposition in tropical forests. Soil Biology and Biochemistry 151, 108056.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Thakur, S, Chandrashekharaiah, M, Rathore, MS, Lingappa, M, Singh, RK, Sinha, RB and Sahay, A (2019) Status of Soil Arthropod in the Natural and Block Plantation Ecosystem of Terminalia arjuna in Bilaspur. International Journal of Current Microbiology Applied Science 8, 2131–2138.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Valentini, CM, Sanches, L, de Paula, SR, Vourlitis, GL, de Souza Nogueira, J, Pinto, OB Jr and de Almeida Lobo, F (2008) Soil respiration and aboveground litter dynamics of a tropical transitional forest in northwest Mato Grosso, Brazil. Journal of Geophysical Research: Biogeosciences 113, 1–11.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Van den Brink, L, Canessa, R, Neidhardt, H, Knüver, T, Rios, RS, Saldaña, A and Tielbörger, K (2023) No home-field advantage in litter decomposition from the desert to temperate forest. Functional Ecology 37, 1315–1327.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Wolf, DD, Carson, EW and Brown, RH (1972) Leaf area index and specific leaf area determinations. Journal of Agronomic Education 1, 24–27.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Zhang, H, Yuan, W, Dong, W and Liu, S (2014) Seasonal patterns of litterfall in forest ecosystem worldwide. Ecological Complexity 20, 240–247.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Zhao, YY, Li, ZT, Xu, T and Lou, AR (2022) Leaf litter decomposition characteristics and controlling factors across two contrasting forest types. Journal of Plant Ecology 15, 1285–1301.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Zhao, Y, Lin, J, Quan, W and Li, C (2023) Distribution of six phenolic acids and soil nutrient relationships during litter decomposition in Rhododendron forests. Frontiers in Forests and Global Change 6, 1142510.CrossRefGoogle Scholar