Stem decomposition of temperate tree species is determined by stem traits and fungal community composition during early stem decay

作者：Shanshan Yang, Lourens Poorter, Frank J. Sterck, Johannes H. C. Cornelissen, Richard S. P. van Logtestijn, Eiko E. Kuramae, George A. Kowalchuk, Mariet M. Hefting, Leo Goudzwaard, Chenhui Chang, Ute Sass‐Klaassen · 发表于：Journal of Ecology · 年份：2024 · DOI：10.1111/1365-2745.14295 · 被引用次数：12 · 研究领域：Forest Ecology and Biodiversity Studies、Mycorrhizal Fungi and Plant Interactions、Forest Insect Ecology and Management

Abstract Dead trees are vital structural elements in forests playing key roles in the carbon and nutrient cycle. Stem traits and fungal community composition are both important drivers of stem decay, and thereby affect ecosystem functioning, but their relative importance for stem decomposition over time remains unclear. To address this issue, we used a common garden decomposition experiment in a Dutch larch forest hosting fresh logs from 13 common temperate tree species. In total, 25 fresh wood and bark traits were measured as indicators of wood accessibility for decomposers, nutritional quality and chemical or physical defence mechanisms. After 1 and 4 years of decay, we assessed the richness and composition of wood‐inhabiting fungi using amplicon sequencing and determined the proportional wood density loss. Average proportional wood density loss for the first year was 18.5%, with further decomposition occurring at a rate of 4.3% year −1 for the subsequent 3 years across tree species. Proportional wood density loss varied widely across tree species in the first year (8.7–24.8% year −1 ) and subsequent years (0–11.3% year −1 ). The variation was directly driven by initial wood traits during the first decay year, then later directly driven by bark traits and fungal community composition. Moreover, bark traits affected the composition of wood‐inhabiting fungi and thereby indirectly affected decomposition rates. Specifically, traits promoting resource acquisition of the living t...