Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology (한국환경생태학회지)

Korean Society of Environment and Ecology (한국환경생태학회)
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Decomposition and Nutrient Dynamics of Leaf Litter of Camellia japonica L. in Korea

동백나무(Camellia japonica L.) 낙엽의 분해와 영양원소의 동태

  • Received : 2015.09.25
  • Accepted : 2015.12.15
  • Published : 2016.02.29
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Abstract

Litter fall is a source of nutrients and carbon transfer in terrestrial ecosystems. Litter decomposition provides nutrients needed for plant growth, sustains soil fertility, and supplies $CO_2$ to the atmosphere. We collected the leaf litter of evergreen broadleaf tree, Camellia japonica L., and carried out a decomposition experiment using the litterbag method in Ju-do, Wando-gun, Korea for 731 days from Dec 25, 2011 to Dec 25, 2013. The leaf litter of C. japonica remained 42.6% of the initial litter mass after experiment. The decay constant (k) of C. japonica leaf litter was $0.427yr^{-1}$. The carbon content of C. japonica leaf litter was 44.6%, and the remaining carbon content during the decomposition tended to coincide with the changes in litter mass. The initial nitrogen and phosphorus content was 0.47% and 324.7 mg/g, respectively. The remaining N in decaying litter increased 1.66-fold in the early decomposition stage, then gradually decreased to 1.18-fold after 731 days. The content of P showed the highest value (1.64-fold of initial content) after 456 days, which then fell to a 1.15-fold after 731 days. The remaining Ca, K, Mg and Na content in C. japonica leaf litter tended to decrease during decomposition. The remaining K showed a remaining mass of 8.9% as a result of rapid reduction. The initial C/N and C/P ratio of C. japonica leaf litter was 94.87 and 1368.5, respectively. However, it tended to decrease as decomposition progressed because of the immobilization of N and P (2.78 and 2.68-fold of initial content, respectively) during the leaf litter decaying. The study results showed that N and P was immobilized and other nutrients was mineralized in C. japonica leaf litter during experimental period.

낙엽은 육상 생태계에서 영양원소의 주요 원천이며, 낙엽의 분해는 토양의 비옥도를 유지하고, 식물의 생장을 위한 영양원소의 방출 뿐 아니라 이산화탄소의 배출을 조절하는 생물계에서 가장 중요한 과정 중 하나이다. 본 연구는 지구온난화로 인해 그 분포역의 확대가 예상되는 상록활엽수인 동백나무를 대상으로 낙엽의 분해율 및 분해과정에 따른 영양원소의 함량 변화를 파악하기 위해 진행되었다. 실험은 전라남도 완도군 주도 상록활엽수림에서 2011년 12월부터 2013년 12월까지 731일간에 걸쳐 수행되었다. 동백나무 낙엽은 기타 상록활엽수 낙엽에 비해 작고 두꺼우며 단단한 재질을 가지고 있고, 비교적 높은 수용성물질과 셀룰로즈, 리그닌의 함량을 나타내었다. 분해 시작 후, 731일 경과 된 동백나무 낙엽의 잔존율은 42.6%이고 분해상수(k)는 0.427으로 나타났다. 동백나무 낙엽의 탄소 함량은 44.6%를 나타내었고, 분해과정에 따른 탄소의 잔존량은 낙엽 잔존량의 변화와 거의 일치하는 경향을 나타내었다. 질소와 인의 초기 함량은 각각 0.47%와 324.7mg/g을 나타내었다. 질소의 잔존량은 분해 초기 증가하여 최고 1.66배까지 증가하였지만, 점차 감소하여 731일 후 초기양의 1.18배를 나타내었다. 인의 경우 최고 1.64배까지 증가하였고 731일 후 1.15배를 나타내었다. 동백나무 낙엽의 칼슘, 칼륨, 마그네슘, 나트륨 잔존량은 분해과정에 따라 감소하는 경향을 나타내었다. 칼륨의 경우 빠르게 감소하여 8.9%의 잔존율을 보였다. C/N, C/P 초기 비율은 각각 94.87과 1368.5로 나타났지만, 분해가 진행됨에 따라 현저하게 낮아지는 경향을 나타내었다. 이는 질소와 인의 함량이 초기 함량에 비해 최대 2.78배와 2.68배까지 증가하였기 때문이다. 본 연구의 결과 동백나무의 낙엽은 조사기간 동안에 질소와 인에서는 부동화가, 나머지 원소에서는 무기화가 진행되는 것을 확인하였다.

Keywords

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