DECOMPOSITION OF PINUS-SYLVESTRIS LITTER IN LITTER BAGS - INFLUENCE OF UNDERLYING NATIVE LITTER LAYER

Pinus sylvestris (L.) litter confined in l-mm mesh litter bags was inc ubated on layers of either P. sylvestris or Picea abies (Dietra.) litt er of different origins (native litters) under standard conditions in the laboratory. The decomposition rate of the confined litter was meas ured both as evolution of CO2 and as mass loss. The native litter play ed an important part in governing the rate of decomposition of the con fined litter, with the native litters richest in N and Ca resulting in greater decomposition rates (up to 15% more) of the confined litter t han the nutrient poor native litters. Both inter-and intra-species eff ects were observed and these are discussed in terms of chemical and ph ysical interactions between the confined and native litters. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science Ltd.