LEAF LITTER DECOMPOSITION DYNAMICS IN MEDITERRANEAN AREA - Soil Ecology Research Developments - page 41

60% of the initial lignin amount were lost in F. sylvatica , A. alba and C. incanus , respectively
(Table 5). In P. agustifolia , with an initial lignin concentration lower than such threshold, the
lignin decay started early but at a slow rate (De Marco et al., 2004). On the contrary, in M.
communis , this process was delayed in the time (its degradation began after about eight
months) but subsequently rapidly decomposed (Fioretto et al., 2005 a).

160

140

120

100

80

60

C.incanus
Q.ilex
A.alba

P.laricio
F.sylvatica

40

P.pinea

20

M.communis

0

0 100 200 300 400 500 600 700 800 900

Decomposition time (days)

Figure 3. Nitrogen dynamics during leaf litter decomposition of Myrtus communis , Cistus incanus ,
Quercus ilex , Fagus sylvatica , Abies alba , Pinus laricio and Pinus pinea in their native sites in South
Italy. Standard deviation was around 10%. Data from Fioretto et al., 2000; Papa, 2000; Virzo De Santo
et al., 1998; Fioretto et al. 1998.

Table 4. Litter quality of Quercus ilex, Myrtus communis, Cistus incanus, Pinus laricio,
Pinus pinea, Phillyrea angustifolia, Fagus sylvatica and Abies alba in their native stands
A.alba Q. ilex M.

communis

C.
incanus

P.
laricio

P.
pinea

P.
angustifolia

F.
sylvatica

13.2 N content

(mg g -1 d.wt.)

11.1 7.8 10.1 5.96 6.24 6.9 16.8

37 C/N 46 38,26 38.33 86 78 - 25

48 Lignin (%IOM) 15 18 34 27 37 27 41

- Cellulose

(%IOM)

39 37 36 - - - -

36 Lignin/N 13 23 31 45 59 40 24
60 Mn (µg g -1 d.w.) 40 50 70 490 53 16 50
- Zn (µg g -1 d.w.) 30 20 80 10 16 - -
4.7 K (mg g -1 d.w.) 3.12 3.18 4.98 3.5 3.3 0.16 1.2
1.03 Mg (mg g -1 d.w.) 0.89 3.05 1.56 1.28 2.09 0.17 1.86
- Na (mg g -1 d.w.) 0.33 1.72 3.05 - - 0.07 -
Data from: Papa et al., 2007; Fioretto et al. 2003; Fioretto el al. 1997; De Marco et al., 2004; Rutigliano
et al. 1996; Berg et al. 2003

After about three years the 78% of the initial lignin litter was degraded (Table 5). In Q.
ilex litter, lignin had the lowest concentration and was not significantly degraded during the
whole study period similarly to P. laricio . Unfortunately, no data are available for P. pinea in
Terzigno site.