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Salamander loss alters litter decomposition dynamics

Alexandra Laking, Zhimin Li, Evy Goossens (UGent) , Marta Miñarro, Wouter Beukema, Luc Lens (UGent) , Dries Bonte (UGent) , Kris Verheyen (UGent) , Frank Pasmans (UGent) and An Martel (UGent)
(2021) SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT. 776.
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Abstract
Biodiversity loss affects ecosystem functioning. Top down effects of amphibian declines on the trophic food web of the forest floor are poorly understood. Here we quantify and explain the effects of disease-driven loss of salamanders on the dynamics of forest leaf litter. Using paired mesocosms, within a Belgian forest, we tested the effect of fire salamander (Salamandra salamandra) presence on the trophic cascade that results in the decomposition rate of good quality (maple -Acer pseudoplatanus) and poorer quality (oak -Quercus robur) leaf litter, over an 18 month period. The presence of salamanders reduced decomposition rate of Quercus litter up to 20%. This was associated with a significantly higher predation rate on detritivores, which altered the functional composition of the invertebrate community. Functional composition analysis of the litter microbiome showed less bacteria associated with leaf litter degradation on the Quercus litter in the presence of salamanders. Salamanders thus influence ecosystem functions through trophic cascades and promote the retention of the leaf litter fraction in poorer quality litter.
Keywords
Environmental Engineering, Waste Management and Disposal, Pollution, Environmental Chemistry, LEAF-LITTER, FOOD WEBS, FOREST, CARBON, INVERTEBRATES, BALANCE, COMMUNITIES, STORAGE, SEARCH, Amphibians, Batrachochytrium salamandrivorans, Biodiversity loss, Trophic cascades, Leaf litter decomposition

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MLA
Laking, Alexandra, et al. “Salamander Loss Alters Litter Decomposition Dynamics.” SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT, vol. 776, 2021, doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.145994.
APA
Laking, A., Li, Z., Goossens, E., Miñarro, M., Beukema, W., Lens, L., … Martel, A. (2021). Salamander loss alters litter decomposition dynamics. SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT, 776. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.145994
Chicago author-date
Laking, Alexandra, Zhimin Li, Evy Goossens, Marta Miñarro, Wouter Beukema, Luc Lens, Dries Bonte, Kris Verheyen, Frank Pasmans, and An Martel. 2021. “Salamander Loss Alters Litter Decomposition Dynamics.” SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 776. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.145994.
Chicago author-date (all authors)
Laking, Alexandra, Zhimin Li, Evy Goossens, Marta Miñarro, Wouter Beukema, Luc Lens, Dries Bonte, Kris Verheyen, Frank Pasmans, and An Martel. 2021. “Salamander Loss Alters Litter Decomposition Dynamics.” SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 776. doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.145994.
Vancouver
1.
Laking A, Li Z, Goossens E, Miñarro M, Beukema W, Lens L, et al. Salamander loss alters litter decomposition dynamics. SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT. 2021;776.
IEEE
[1]
A. Laking et al., “Salamander loss alters litter decomposition dynamics,” SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT, vol. 776, 2021.
@article{8696733,
  abstract     = {{Biodiversity loss affects ecosystem functioning. Top down effects of amphibian declines on the trophic food web of the forest floor are poorly understood. Here we quantify and explain the effects of disease-driven loss of salamanders on the dynamics of forest leaf litter. Using paired mesocosms, within a Belgian forest, we tested the effect of fire salamander (Salamandra salamandra) presence on the trophic cascade that results in the decomposition rate of good quality (maple -Acer pseudoplatanus) and poorer quality (oak -Quercus robur) leaf litter, over an 18 month period. The presence of salamanders reduced decomposition rate of Quercus litter up to 20%. This was associated with a significantly higher predation rate on detritivores, which altered the functional composition of the invertebrate community. Functional composition analysis of the litter microbiome showed less bacteria associated with leaf litter degradation on the Quercus litter in the presence of salamanders. Salamanders thus influence ecosystem functions through trophic cascades and promote the retention of the leaf litter fraction in poorer quality litter.}},
  articleno    = {{145994}},
  author       = {{Laking, Alexandra and Li, Zhimin and Goossens, Evy and Miñarro, Marta and Beukema, Wouter and Lens, Luc and Bonte, Dries and Verheyen, Kris and Pasmans, Frank and Martel, An}},
  issn         = {{0048-9697}},
  journal      = {{SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT}},
  keywords     = {{Environmental Engineering,Waste Management and Disposal,Pollution,Environmental Chemistry,LEAF-LITTER,FOOD WEBS,FOREST,CARBON,INVERTEBRATES,BALANCE,COMMUNITIES,STORAGE,SEARCH,Amphibians,Batrachochytrium salamandrivorans,Biodiversity loss,Trophic cascades,Leaf litter decomposition}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  pages        = {{11}},
  title        = {{Salamander loss alters litter decomposition dynamics}},
  url          = {{http://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.145994}},
  volume       = {{776}},
  year         = {{2021}},
}
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