Plant Soil Environ., 2013, 59(2):74-79 | DOI: 10.17221/598/2012-PSE

Changes of tannin and nutrients during decomposition of branchlets of Casuarina equisetifolia plantation in subtropical coastal areas of ChinaOriginal Paper

L.H. Zhang1, S.J. Zhang2, G.F. Ye3, H.B. Shao1,4, G.H. Lin2, M. Brestic1,5
1 Key Laboratory of Coastal Bioresources and Utilization, Yantai Institute of Coastal Zone Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shandong Province, Yantai, P.R. China
2 Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Education for Coastal and Wetland Ecosystems, School of Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Fujian Province, Xiamen, P.R. China
3 Fujian Academy of Forestry, Fujian Province, Fuzhou, P.R. China
4 Institute for Life Sciences, Qingdao University of Science and Technology, Qingdao,
5 Department of Plant Physiology, Slovak University of Agriculture in Nitra, Nitra, Slovak Republic

A litterbag experiment was conducted to investigate the changes of tannins and nutrients in branchlets at different decomposition stages of Casuarina equisetifolia in southern subtropical coastal zone, China, using the colorimetric assays. The time required for the loss of half of the initial dry weight (t50) was 9.13 months. Total phenolics (TP), extractable condensed tannins (ECT), protein-bound condensed tannins (PBCT), total condensed tannins (TCT) and protein precipitation capacity (PPC) of branchlets litter decreased rapidly, while fibre-bound condensed tannins (FBCT) increased during decomposition. Nitrogen and phosphorus concentration of the branchlet litter both increased gradually during decay. Negative correlations between TP and nitrogen or phosphorus, as well as TCT and nitrogen or phosphorus were found. These chemical changes enhanced the current knowledge on the potential ecological role of nutrient transformation in tannins in C. equisetifolia plantations.

Keywords: total phenolics; condensed tannin; protein precipitation capacity; nitrogen; phosphorus; litter decomposition

Published: February 28, 2013  Show citation

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Zhang LH, Zhang SJ, Ye GF, Shao HB, Lin GH, Brestic M. Changes of tannin and nutrients during decomposition of branchlets of Casuarina equisetifolia plantation in subtropical coastal areas of China. Plant Soil Environ. 2013;59(2):74-79. doi: 10.17221/598/2012-PSE.
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