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Deer slow down litter decomposition by reducing litter quality in a temperate forest
Ecology ( IF 4.8 ) Pub Date : 2020-11-30 , DOI: 10.1002/ecy.3235
Simon Chollet 1 , Morgane Maillard 2, 3 , Juliane Schörghuber 4 , Sue J. Grayston 3 , Jean‐Louis Martin 2
Affiliation  

Litter decomposition is a key process that allows the recycling of nutrients within ecosystems. In temperate forests the role of large herbivores in litter decomposition remains a subject of debate. To address this question, we used two litterbag experiments in a quasi-experimental situation resulting from the introduction of Sitka black-tailed deer Odocoileus hemionus sitkensis on forested islands of Haida Gwaii (Canada). We investigated the two main pathways by which deer could modify litter decomposition: change in litter quality and modification of decomposer communities. We found that deer presence significantly reduced litter mass loss after one year, mainly through a reduction in litter quality. This mass loss reflected a 30 and 28 % lower loss of carbon (C) and nitrogen (N), respectively. The presence of deer also reduced the ability of decomposers to breakdown carbon, but not nitrogen. Indeed, litter placed on an island with deer lost 5% less carbon after one year of decomposition than did litter decomposing on an island without deer. This loss in ability to decompose litter in presence of deer was outweighed by the differences in mass loss associated with the effect of deer on litter quality. Additional effects of feces deposition by deer on the decomposition process were also significant but minor. These results suggest that the effects continental-scale dramatic increases in deer populations may have on broad-scale patterns of C and N cycling deserve closer attention.

中文翻译:

鹿通过降低温带森林的凋落物质量来减缓凋落物分解

凋落物分解是生态系统内养分循环利用的关键过程。在温带森林中,大型食草动物在凋落物分解中的作用仍然是一个有争议的话题。为了解决这个问题,我们在一个准实验情况下使用了两个垃圾袋实验,这是由于在海达瓜伊(加拿大)的森林岛屿上引入了锡特卡黑尾鹿 Odocoileus hemionus sitkensis。我们研究了鹿可以改变凋落物分解的两种主要途径:凋落物质量的变化和分解者群落的改变。我们发现一年后鹿的存在显着减少了垫料质量损失,主要是通过降低垫料质量。这种质量损失反映了碳 (C) 和氮 (N) 的损失分别降低了 30% 和 28%。鹿的存在也降低了分解者分解碳的能力,但不会降低氮的分解能力。事实上,与没有鹿的岛屿上的垃圾相比,放置在有鹿的岛上的垃圾在分解一年后减少了 5% 的碳。与鹿对垫料质量的影响相关的质量损失差异超过了在鹿存在时分解垫料能力​​的损失。鹿粪便沉积对分解过程的其他影响也很显着,但影响很小。这些结果表明,大陆尺度上鹿种群的急剧增加可能对 C 和 N 循环的广泛模式产生的影响值得密切关注。放置在有鹿的岛上的垃圾在分解一年后比在没有鹿的岛上分解的垃圾少 5%。与鹿对垫料质量的影响相关的质量损失差异超过了在鹿存在时分解垫料能力​​的损失。鹿粪便沉积对分解过程的其他影响也很显着,但影响很小。这些结果表明,大陆尺度上鹿种群的急剧增加可能对 C 和 N 循环的广泛模式产生的影响值得密切关注。放置在有鹿的岛上的垃圾在分解一年后比在没有鹿的岛上分解的垃圾少 5%。与鹿对垫料质量的影响相关的质量损失差异超过了在鹿存在时分解垫料能力​​的损失。鹿粪便沉积对分解过程的其他影响也很显着,但影响很小。这些结果表明,大陆尺度上鹿种群的急剧增加可能对 C 和 N 循环的广泛模式产生的影响值得密切关注。鹿粪便沉积对分解过程的其他影响也很显着,但影响很小。这些结果表明,大陆尺度上鹿种群的急剧增加可能对 C 和 N 循环的广泛模式产生的影响值得密切关注。鹿粪便沉积对分解过程的其他影响也很显着,但影响很小。这些结果表明,大陆尺度上鹿种群的急剧增加可能对 C 和 N 循环的广泛模式产生的影响值得密切关注。
更新日期:2020-11-30
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