Determinants of litter mixing effects in a Swedish boreal forest

When the litter of a given species decomposes, it will often break down in the proximity of litters from other species. We investigated the effects of litters of 10 different species in a boreal forest of northern Sweden on each others' decomposition and N release rates; this was done through the use of litterbags containing two compartments separated by single mesh partition. Different litters could be placed on opposite sides of this mesh so that they were in contact with each other. Treatments consisted of all the possible pairwise combinations of the 10 species, with members of each pair placed in different compartments of the same litterbag. Litterbags were harvested after 1, 2 and 4 years in the field. Species differed significantly in their effects on decomposition and N loss rates of associated litters. Generally, litters from feather mosses and lichens showed the greatest promotion of decomposition on associated litters, while some vascular plant species, notably Empetrum hermaphroditum, showed the least. At year four, feather mosses also had the greatest positive effects on N loss from the litters of associated species. There were several instances in which litter of a given species decomposed at different rate when litter from its own species, rather than that of a different species, was placed in the adjacent litterbag compartment. This was particularly apparent in the second year, when across the entire data set, litters decomposed fastest when associated with their own litters. Generally, slowly decomposing litters had the greatest positive effects on decomposition of associated litters. It is proposed that in boreal forests slow decomposing litters (particularly those of feather mosses) may contribute to enhancing moisture attention in the litter layer, which in turn promotes the decomposition and N release of associated litters. Further, while litter mixing effects were clearly demonstrated in our study, they were also shown to be of secondary importance to the effects of species identity on decomposition.