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amino acids and phenolic groups in lignin or partly degraded lignin (Nömmik and Vahtras,
1982; Stevenson, 1982).
Table 3. Mass loss and nitrogen content of different litters in Mediterranean area
Mass
loss
(% of the
initial)
N %
Study area
Altitude
(m a.s.l.)
Authors
Quercus
rotundifolia
60
1.12
Near Salamanca (Spain)
820-880
Escudero et al.
1987
Quercus pyrenaica
75
1.01
Near Salamanca (Spain)
850
“
Quercus
lanuginosa
38
n.d.
Causse Mejean (France)
1000
Martin et al. 1994
Quercus pyrenaica
36
n.d.
Fuenteguinaldo, Sierra de Gata
(Spain)
870
“
Quercus pyrenaica
38
n.d.
Navasfrias, Sierra de Gata (Spain)
1000
“
Quercus
rotundifolia
46
0.92
Tierra de Campos (Spain)
688
Hernandez et al.
1995
Pinus pinaster
35
0.76
Tierra de Campos (Spain)
688
“
Pinus pinea
41
0.98
Tierra de Campos (Spain)
688
“
Arbutus unedo
37
0.72
Stavros (Northern Greece)
20
Arianoutson 1993
Quercus coccifera
33
0.73
Stavros (Northern Greece)
20
“
Castanea sativa
25
0.88
Sierra de Bejar (Spain)
1150
Gallardo et al.
1995
Quercus pyrenaica
28
1.00
Sierra de Bejar (Spain)
1350
“
Pinus sylvestris
21
0.60
Sierra de Bejar (Spain)
1550
“
Pinus sylvestris
17
n.d.
Pirenees (Spain)
1540
Pausas 1997
Pinus sylvestris
43
1.25
Sierra de la Demanda (Spain)
1250
Santa Regina and
Tarazova 2001
Castanea sativa
28
n.d.
Anduze, Cevennes (France)
380
Cortez 1998
Castanea sativa
42
n.d.
Le Vernet, Cevennes (France)
520
“
Castanea sativa
42
n.d.
Salidès, Cevennes (France)
860
“
Quercus petraea
18
n.d.
Anduze, Cevennes (France)
380
“
Quercus petraea
33
n.d.
Le Vernet, Cevennes (France)
520
“
Quercus petraea
30
n.d.
Salidès, Cevennes (France)
860
“
Quercus ilex
17
n.d.
Anduze, Cevennes (France)
380
“
Quercus ilex
25
n.d.
Le Vernet, Cevennes (France)
520
“
Quercus ilex
20
n.d.
Salidès, Cevennes (France)
860
“
Fagus sylvatica
11
n.d.
Anduze, Cevennes (France)
380
“
Fagus sylvatica
32
n.d.
Le Vernet, Cevennes (France)
520
“
Fagus sylvatica
24
n.d.
Salidès, Cevennes (France)
860
“
Lignin degradation is also affected by climate. The comparison of the lignin decay of a
standard
Pinus sylvestris
litter within a large range of climatic conditions evidenced that it
was more quickly degraded under a cold and dry climate than under a wet and warm one
(McTiernan et al., 2003; Saiya Cork et al., 2002).
In our studies most of litters showed a lignin decay in the early stage of decomposition.
In particular, lignin degradation, even if at different rates, began earlier in
F. sylvatica
,
A.
alba
(Rutigliano et al., 1996) and
C. incanus
(Fioretto et al., 2005 a) litters with a lignin
content higher than 30% (Table 4). Such value has been considered a threshold over which
the decay of lignin in the early stage of decomposition occurs in boreal and temperate forests
(Mc Claugherty and Berg, 1987). After three years of litter exposure, about 70%, 47% and
