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Oecologia

ISSN: 0029-8549 (printed version)
ISSN: 1432-1939 (electronic version)

Abstract Volume 127 Issue 2 (2001) pp 153-165
DOI 10.1007/s004420000615

Elevated CO2, litter chemistry, and decomposition: a synthesis

Richard J. Norby (1), M. Francesca Cotrufo (2), Philip Ineson (3), Elizabeth G. O'Neill (1), Josep G. Canadell (4)

(1) Environmental Sciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Bldg. 1059, PO Box 2008, Oak Ridge, TN 37831-6422 USA E-mail:
rjn@ornl.gov Phone: +1-865-5765261 Fax: +1-865-5769939
(2) Facoltá di Scienze Ambientali, II Universitá di Napoli, via Arena 22, 81100 Caserta, Italy
(3) Department of Biology, University of York, PO Box 373, York, YO10 5YW UK
(4) GCTE International Project Office, CSIRO Wildlife and Ecology, PO Box 284, Canberra ACT, 2601, Australia

Received: 28 December 1999 / Accepted: 21 November 2000 / Published online: 2 February 2001

Abstract. The results of published and unpublished experiments investigating the impacts of elevated [CO2] on the chemistry of leaf litter and decomposition of plant tissues are summarized. The data do not support the hypothesis that changes in leaf litter chemistry often associated with growing plants under elevated [CO2] have an impact on decomposition processes. A meta-analysis of data from naturally senesced leaves in field experiments showed that the nitrogen (N) concentration in leaf litter was 7.1% lower in elevated [CO2] compared to that in ambient [CO2]. This statistically significant difference was: (1) usually not significant in individual experiments, (2) much less than that often observed in green leaves, and (3) less in leaves with an N concentration indicative of complete N resorption. Under ideal conditions, the efficiency with which N is resorbed during leaf senescence was found not to be altered by CO2 enrichment, but other environmental influences on resorption inevitably increase the variability in litter N concentration. Nevertheless, the small but consistent decline in leaf litter N concentration in many experiments, coupled with a 6.5% increase in lignin concentration, would be predicted to result in a slower decomposition rate in CO2-enriched litter. However, across the assembled data base, neither mass loss nor respiration rates from litter produced in elevated [CO2] showed any consistent pattern or differences from litter grown in ambient [CO2]. The effects of [CO2] on litter chemistry or decomposition were usually smallest under experimental conditions similar to natural field conditions, including open-field exposure, plants free-rooted in the ground, and complete senescence. It is concluded that any changes in decomposition rates resulting from exposure of plants to elevated [CO2] are small when compared to other potential impacts of elevated [CO2] on carbon and N cycling. Reasons for experimental differences are considered, and recommendations for the design and execution of decomposition experiments using materials from CO2-enrichment experiments are outlined.

Keywords. Decomposition · Elevated atmospheric CO2 · Lignin · Litter quality · Meta-analysis · Nitrogen


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       Online publication: April 10, 2001
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