Investigating Water Storage Dynamics in the Litter Layer: The Impact of Mixing and Decay of Pine Needles and Oak Leaves

cris.virtual.author-orcid0000-0003-3787-0432
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cris.virtual.author-orcid#PLACEHOLDER_PARENT_METADATA_VALUE#
cris.virtual.author-orcid0000-0003-3908-3424
cris.virtual.author-orcid0000-0003-3028-5134
cris.virtualsource.author-orcid867df9cd-6a3b-49c7-90e6-16c00daa7016
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cris.virtualsource.author-orcid02b5497c-49d6-4b9f-a849-a5ef0d9ea41a
cris.virtualsource.author-orcid0e9d858b-df05-406c-b66c-8c6566bab2d1
dc.abstract.enLittle is known about how the degree of mixing various forest-forming species affects forest floor hydrology. We evaluated the water storage capacity of the resulting litter layer by mixing the litterfall of Scots pine and sessile oak and studying their decomposition time. We prepared 90 artificial samples containing pure pine litter, pure oak litter, and mixed pine–oak litter with varying shares of pine needles. These samples were subjected to 15 months of decomposition in soil. After every three months of decay, some samples were removed from the soil, and their water storage capacity, bulk density, and C:N ratio were evaluated. Our findings indicate that samples with the greatest water storage capacity had a low C:N ratio and a predominant share of oak leaves. Conversely, samples with a high C:N ratio and a predominant share of pine needles had the lowest water storage capacity. After 12 and 15 months of decomposition, the water storage capacity increased by more than 52% compared to the initial water capacity of the samples. The highest increase in water storage capacity (>40%) was observed in samples with a predominant share of oak leaves, while the lowest (approximately 28%) was recorded in samples with 80 and 100% of pine needles. Our findings suggest that introducing mixed-species stands, with deciduous species as the predominant component, can yield several ecological benefits, such as an increased ability to store water in forest floor.
dc.affiliationWydział Leśny i Technologii Drewna
dc.affiliation.instituteKatedra Botaniki i Siedliskoznawstwa Leśnego
dc.affiliation.instituteKatedra Inżynierii Leśnej
dc.affiliation.instituteKatedra Chemicznej Technologii Drewna
dc.article.number350
dc.contributor.authorIlek, Anna
dc.contributor.authorBłońska, Ewa
dc.contributor.authorMiszewski, Kamil
dc.contributor.authorKasztelan, Adrian
dc.contributor.authorZborowska, Magdalena
dc.date.access2024-08-07
dc.date.accessioned2024-08-07T08:45:57Z
dc.date.available2024-08-07T08:45:57Z
dc.date.copyright2024-02-11
dc.date.issued2024
dc.description.abstract<jats:p>Little is known about how the degree of mixing various forest-forming species affects forest floor hydrology. We evaluated the water storage capacity of the resulting litter layer by mixing the litterfall of Scots pine and sessile oak and studying their decomposition time. We prepared 90 artificial samples containing pure pine litter, pure oak litter, and mixed pine–oak litter with varying shares of pine needles. These samples were subjected to 15 months of decomposition in soil. After every three months of decay, some samples were removed from the soil, and their water storage capacity, bulk density, and C:N ratio were evaluated. Our findings indicate that samples with the greatest water storage capacity had a low C:N ratio and a predominant share of oak leaves. Conversely, samples with a high C:N ratio and a predominant share of pine needles had the lowest water storage capacity. After 12 and 15 months of decomposition, the water storage capacity increased by more than 52% compared to the initial water capacity of the samples. The highest increase in water storage capacity (&gt;40%) was observed in samples with a predominant share of oak leaves, while the lowest (approximately 28%) was recorded in samples with 80 and 100% of pine needles. Our findings suggest that introducing mixed-species stands, with deciduous species as the predominant component, can yield several ecological benefits, such as an increased ability to store water in forest floor.</jats:p>
dc.description.accesstimeat_publication
dc.description.bibliographyil., bibliogr.
dc.description.financepublication_nocost
dc.description.financecost0,00
dc.description.if2,4
dc.description.number2
dc.description.points100
dc.description.reviewreview
dc.description.versionfinal_published
dc.description.volume15
dc.identifier.doi10.3390/f15020350
dc.identifier.issn1999-4907
dc.identifier.urihttps://sciencerep.up.poznan.pl/handle/item/1612
dc.identifier.weblinkhttp://www.mdpi.com/1999-4907/15/2/350
dc.languageen
dc.relation.ispartofForests
dc.rightsCC-BY
dc.sciencecloudnosend
dc.share.typeOPEN_JOURNAL
dc.subject.enforest hydrology
dc.subject.enforest floor
dc.subject.enpine–oak mixed forest
dc.subject.enwater properties
dc.subject.enC:N ratio
dc.titleInvestigating Water Storage Dynamics in the Litter Layer: The Impact of Mixing and Decay of Pine Needles and Oak Leaves
dc.typeJournalArticle
dspace.entity.typePublication
oaire.citation.issue2
oaire.citation.volume15
project.funder.nameb.d.