Effects of Thinning on Litterfall Production and Leaf Litter Decomposition Rates of Karacabey Forested Wetlands, Bursa, Turkiye

Authors : Temel SARIYILDIZ, Salih PARLAK, Oktay GÖNÜLTAŞ, Gamze SAVACI

Pages : 26-33

Doi:10.33904/ejfe.1317805

View : 37 | Download : 45

Publication Date : 2023-06-30

Article Type : Research Paper

Abstract :The contribution of litterfall insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(dead leaves, twigs, etc., fallen to the ground); and forest floor insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(organic residues such as leaves, twigs, etc., in various stages of decomposition, on the top of the mineral soil); is fundamental in both forest ecosystem sustainability and soil greenhouse gases insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(GHG); exchange system with the atmosphere. A focus on forested wetlands is particularly important, as these systems account for a disproportionate amount of global carbon flux relative to their spatial coverage, and the decomposition of leaf litter is a major contributor. In this study, we aimed to investigate the effects of two different thinning treatments insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(low thinning-canopy closure 41-70% and intense thinning-canopy closure 10-40%); on litterfall, forest floor litter and leaf litter decomposition rates of alder insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(Alnus glutinosa); stands in Karacabey forested wetlands. The litterfall was monthly collected using open litterfall traps for 2 years from 2021 to 2022. The forest floor litter was also sampled 50 x 50 cm2 quadrates of 5 points in research plots of 20×20 m. The differences in leaf litter decomposition rates between the low and intense thinning stands were investigated using the litterbag method in the field for 18 months. The results indicated that the intense thinning significantly reduced the total litterfall production insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(7.24 ± 0.384 Mg ha-1); and the forest floor litter insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(2.78 ± 0.41 Mg ha-1); compared to the low thinning stand insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(10.8 ± 0.527 Mg ha-1 and insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(4.38 ± 0.82 Mg ha-1 respectively);. Lower leaf litter decomposition rates were also seen in the intense thinning stands than in the lower thinning stands. At the end of the 18 months, the leaf litter mass loss was 83.6% in the intense thinning stands compared to the lower thinning stands insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(88.3%);.
Keywords : Forested wetlands, Thinning, Litterfall, Decomposition, Turkiye