Litter decomposition of six tree species on indigenous agroforestry farms in south-eastern Ethiopia in relation to litterfall carbon inputs and modelled soil respiration

dc.contributor.authorNegash, Mesele
dc.contributor.authorStarr, Mike
dc.date.accessioned2023-02-14T04:13:43Z
dc.date.available2023-02-14T04:13:43Z
dc.date.issued2021-04-04
dc.description© The Author(s) 2021. This article is published with open access at Springerlink.com and is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ . The Version of Scholarly Record of this Article is published in Agroforestry Systems, 2021, available online at: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10457-021-00630-w . Keywords: litterbags; litterfall; partial least squares regression; soil respiration; tropics; Africa; Ethiopia.
dc.description.abstractThe indigenous agroforestry systems practised by smallholders in south-eastern Ethiopia have high biodiversity and productivity. However, little is known about their carbon (C) inputs and outputs. We carried out a 1-year litterbag study to determine leaf litter decomposition k constants for six woody species common to these agroforestry systems. The k values were then used to calculate the decomposition C losses from measured litterfall C fluxes and the results compared to modelled soil respiration (Rs) C losses. Litterbag weight loss at the end of the year was 100% or nearly so, k values 2.582–6.108 (yr−1) and half-life 41–112 days. k values were significantly (p = 0.023) correlated with litter N contents, nearly so with C/N ratios (p = 0.053), but not with other nutrients (Ca, Mg and K), and negatively correlated with temperature (p = 0.080). Using species, farm elevation, temperature and litter quality as predictors, partial least squares regression explained 48% of the variation in k. Depending on species, estimated decomposition C losses from litterfall were 18 to 58% lower than annual litterfall C inputs. Using a heterotrophic respiration (Rh) to Rs ratio of 0.5, modelled Rh C losses were 89 to 238% of litterfall decomposition C losses estimated using k values. However, using an Rh/Rs ratio of 0.27, which is appropriate for tropical humid forests, Rh C losses were 11 to 138% of estimated litterfall decomposition C losses. Our decomposition and soil respiration estimates indicate that litterfall is sufficient to maintain soil organic C contents and thereby the soil fertility of these unique agroforestry systems.
dc.description.sponsorshipWe acknowledge the financial support for the first author from International Foundation for Science (IFS Grt. No. D/4836-2), the Finnish Cultural Foundation, and the Finnish Society of Forest Science. The Viikki Tropical Resource Institute (VITRI), Department of Forest Sciences, University of Helsinki, and the Wondo Genet College of Forestry and Natural Resources, Hawassa University, Ethiopia are also acknowledged for arranging logistics and laboratory facilities for the study. We are also indebted to the farmers in Gedeo for allowing us to visit and carry out this study on their farms and for providing marvellous experiences.
dc.identifier.citationNegash, M., & Starr, M. Litter decomposition of six tree species on indigenous agroforestry farms in south-eastern Ethiopia in relation to litterfall carbon inputs and modelled soil respiration. Agroforest Syst 95, 755–766 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10457-021-00630-w
dc.identifier.otherhttps://doi.org/10.1007/s10457-021-00630-w
dc.identifier.urihttps://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14096/259
dc.language.isoen
dc.publisherSpringer Nature
dc.titleLitter decomposition of six tree species on indigenous agroforestry farms in south-eastern Ethiopia in relation to litterfall carbon inputs and modelled soil respiration
dc.typeArticle

Files

Original bundle
Now showing 1 - 1 of 1
Loading...
Thumbnail Image
Name:
s10457-021-00630-w.pdf
Size:
1.02 MB
Format:
Adobe Portable Document Format
Description:

Collections