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Shifts in Key Leaf Litter Traits Can Predict Effects of Plant Diversity Loss on Decomposition in Streams

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Abstract

Plant biodiversity loss in riparian forests is known to alter key stream ecosystem processes such as leaf litter decomposition. One potential mechanism mediating this biodiversity–decomposition relationship is the increased variability of plant functional traits at higher levels of biodiversity, providing more varied resources for decomposers and thus improving their function. We explored this in a field experiment exposing litter from different assemblages with low or high trait variability (measured through phylogenetic distance, PD) to microbial decomposers and invertebrate detritivores within litterbags in a low-order stream. Litter assemblages generally lost less mass but more phosphorus (P) than expected from monocultures, and nitrogen (N) tended to increase in the absence of detritivores and decrease in their presence, with little effect of PD. In contrast, there were strong influences of mean values and variability of specific traits (mostly N, P and condensed tannins) on decomposition and on net diversity effects. The negative diversity effect on litter mass loss was mainly driven by negative complementarity (that is, physical or chemical interference among species or traits), although there was positive selection (that is, particular species or traits with large effects on decomposition) in high-PD assemblages with detritivores. High-PD assemblages tended to have more invertebrates and attracted more typical litter-consuming detritivores. Our study suggests that decomposition of litter assemblages is mainly driven by concentration and variability of several key litter traits, rather than overall trait heterogeneity (measured through PD). However, differences in invertebrates colonizing high-PD and low-PD assemblages pointed to potential long-term effects of PD on decomposition.

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Acknowledgements

This experiment was part of the DecoDiv global-scale study conducted by the GLoBE network (www.globenetwork.es). We thank Richard Pearson for helping with the study design; Eric Chauvet, Andrea Encalada, Manuel Graça, Brendan McKie, Charles M’Erimba, Alonso Ramírez and Christopher Swan for collecting and providing leaf litter; Jesús Casas for the analysis of litter micronutrients, cellulose, hemicellulose and lignin; and Manuel Graça for analysis of condensed tannins. The study was funded by Basque Government funds (IT951-16) to the Stream Ecology Group (UPV/EHU), led by J. Pozo.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Plant Biology and Ecology, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), 48940, Leioa, Spain

    Naiara López-Rojo, Javier Pérez, Jesús Pozo, Ana Basaguren, Unai Apodaka-Etxebarria & Luz Boyero

  2. Unidad de Cambio Climático y Medio Ambiente, Instituto de Estudios del Hábitat, Facultad de Arquitectura y Construcción, Universidad Autónoma de Chile, Temuco, Chile

    Francisco Correa-Araneda

  3. IKERBASQUE, Basque Foundation for Science, Bilbao, Spain

    Luz Boyero

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  1. Naiara López-Rojo
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  2. Javier Pérez
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  4. Ana Basaguren
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  6. Francisco Correa-Araneda
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  7. Luz Boyero
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Correspondence to Naiara López-Rojo.

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LB designed the study with feedback from JPe and NLR; all authors conducted fieldwork; NLR, JPe and UAE analysed the samples in the laboratory; NLR analysed the data with substantial contributions from JPe and LB and feedback from all other authors; NLR and LB wrote the manuscript with substantial contributions from JPe and feedback from all other authors.

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López-Rojo, N., Pérez, J., Pozo, J. et al. Shifts in Key Leaf Litter Traits Can Predict Effects of Plant Diversity Loss on Decomposition in Streams. Ecosystems 24, 185–196 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10021-020-00511-w

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