Newly fallen beech Fagus silvatica L. leaves from three forests of contrasting vegetation type in southern Sweden were incubated in pots on an identical soil under laboratory conditions. During a 26-wk period at + 12'C weight loss rates were initially somewhat higher for leaves from the most fertile site, but by 18 wk the rates had become similar. There was an absolute accumulation of nitrogen in the leaf litter, which was accelerated by supplying the element in organic or inorganic form to the soil. Nitrogen in protein added under the litter layer, and both nitrogen and phosphorus of wild raspberry leaves mixed with it, was transferred into the decomposing litter, but gave no or only a slight increase in weight loss rate. The different responses suggested that the nitrogen availability to decomposer microbes in the litter, in combination with a low lignin content, resulted in increased decomposition rate. The initial nitrogen concentration seemed to influence weight loss only during the initial period of decomposition. Phosphorus was also transferred into litter, but was retained less efficiently than nitrogen, suggesting a non-limiting availability for decomposer activity. No accumulation in litter from nitrogen deposition in simulated rain could be noted, but a certain unexplained increased weight loss. Finally, the different factors which might regulate the turn-over rate of organic matter and plant nutrients in soils of different beech forest type are discussed.
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Staaf et al. (1980) studied this question.