Browsing by Author "Salamanca, Eric F."

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    Mixed leaf litter effects on decomposition rates and soil microarthropod communities in an oak-pine stand in Japan
    (Ecological Research, 1999) Kaneko, Nobuhiro; Salamanca, Eric F.
    Rates of decomposition, and soil faunal abundance and diversity associated with single‐species and mixed‐species litters were studied in a litter bag experiment in an oak–pine forest. We used two canopy species of leaf litter, pine and oak, and one shrub species, Sasa , and compared decomposition rates, and soil microarthropod abundance and community structure of oribatid mites in the litter bags. Mass loss of single species decreased in the order: oak > pine > Sasa . While the total mass loss rates of mixed litter were intermediate between those of the constituent species, enhancement of mass loss from the three‐species mixture and from mixed slow‐decomposing litters (pine and Sasa ) was observed. Faunal abundance in litter bags was higher in mixed‐species litter than in those with single‐species litter, and species richness of oribatid mites was also higher in the three‐species mixed litter. Faunal abundance in single‐species litter bags was not correlated with mass loss, although enhancement of mass loss in mixed litter bags corresponded with higher microarthropod abundance. Habitat heterogeneity in mixed litter bags seemed to be responsible for the more abundant soil microarthropod community.
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    Rainfall manipulation effects on litter decomposition and the microbial biomass of the forest floor
    (Applied Soil Ecology, 2003) Salamanca, Eric F.; Kaneko, Nobuhiro; Katagiri, Shigeo
    Simple structures aimed at regulating the amount of rain water dropping into the forest floor were installed to determine the impact of rainfall on leaf litter mass loss, respiration rates, microbial biomass C (Cmic) and metabolic quotient (qCO2). The rainfall manipulation treatments were (I) fully covered (100% reduction); (II) partially covered (50% reduction) and (III) control (fully exposed). Using the litterbag technique, the mass losses of covered Quercus serrata, Quercus acutissima, Acer rufinerve and Pinus densiflora leaf litter were reduced (P < 0.01) by 19–26% compared to fully exposed litter. A positive linear relationship (r = 0.90; P < 0.0001) between litter Cmic and mass loss was noted across all litter types and covering regimes. The mass losses in fully exposed litter were attributed to the leaching effect of rainfall coupled with the synergistic actions of microbes and soil fauna, as suggested by their respiration and microbial biomass. In the covered litter, Cmic was generally reduced (P < 0.01) while fully and partially exposed litter were comparable (P > 0.05). On the other hand, respiration rates and qCO2 were variable and showed no consistent treatment effect except for respiration rates at 3 months. Similarly, soil respiration rates and Cmic were not consistently affected by cover treatments. Evidently, the zero-rainfall condition negatively affected some biological processes in the litter layer but sporadically affected soil processes. The absence of rainfall, even if the soil moisture content was maintained, could affect organic matter turnover in the forest floor.