Leaf Lıtter Decomposıtıon from Three Specıes Present in a Tropıcal Dry Forest Stream over a Rıparıan Qualıty Gradıent

Abstract

In endangered regions, such as the water bodies from tropical dry forests, ecological processes such as riparian litter decomposition is an important topic when considering restoration projects for these ecosystems. Nevertheless, most studies on litter decomposition have focused on other ecosystems such as tropical rainforests or forests from northern hemisphere, so there are few studies that relate riparian plants to litter decomposition in dry forest. To help understanding this process, we propose two hypotheses: Species with a higher cellulose concentration and secondary compounds in the leaves will have a lower decomposition rate, but with a greater variation according to the sampling site and season, due to the water physicochemical differences. And leaf litter decomposition rates will reflect differences in riparian quality, due to increases in physicochemistry such as conductivity and pH. We select leaves from three common species (Guadua angustifolia, Guazuma ulmifolia, and Zygia longifolia) to record the decomposition rate, with the environmental characterization (climatic physicochemical and QBR index data). We observe differences in decomposition rates according to litter plant species, due to leaves chemical composition. In contrast, there were no significant relations between decomposition rates and environmental data according to sampling zones and seasons. This helps to understand how the variables are related to the processes of litter decomposition in the aquatic systems of dry forests, in order to support the theoretical basis for future restoration projects of dry forests, to focus on establishing an adequate litter input to sustain trophic networks.