The impact of two arable field margin management schemes on litter decomposition

Smith, Jo; Potts, Simon G.; Woodcock, Ben A. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0300-9951; Eggleton, Paul. 2009 The impact of two arable field margin management schemes on litter decomposition. Applied Soil Ecology, 41 (1). 90-97. 10.1016/j.apsoil.2008.09.003

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Official URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.apsoil.2008.09.003

Abstract/Summary

A primary objective of agri-environment schemes is the conservation of biodiversity; in addition to increasing the value of farmland for wildlife, these schemes also aim to restore natural ecosystem functioning. The management of scheme options can influence their value for delivering ecosystem services by modifying the composition of floral and faunal communities. This study examines the impact of an agri-environment scheme prescription on ecosystem functioning by testing the hypothesis that vegetation management influences decomposition rates in grassy arable field margins. The effects of two vegetation management practices in arable field margins – cutting and soil disturbance (scarification) – on litter decomposition were compared using a litterbag experimental approach in early April 2006. Bags had either small mesh designed to restrict access to soil macrofauna, or large mesh that would allow macrofauna to enter. Bags were positioned on the soil surface or inserted into the soil in cut and scarified margins, retrieved after 44, 103 and 250 days and the amount of litter mass remaining was calculated. Litter loss from the litterbags with large mesh was greater than from the small mesh bags, providing evidence that soil macrofauna accelerate rates of litter decomposition. In the large mesh bags, the proportion of litter remaining in bags above and belowground in the cut plots was similar, while in the scarified plots, there was significantly more litter left in the aboveground bags than in the belowground bags. This loss of balance between decomposition rates above and belowground in scarified margins may have implications for the development and maintenance of grassy arable field margins by influencing nutrient availability for plant communities.

Item Type:	Publication - Article
Digital Object Identifier (DOI):	10.1016/j.apsoil.2008.09.003
Programmes:	CEH Programmes pre-2009 publications > Biodiversity > BD01 Conservation and Restoration of Biodiversity > BD01.4 Management of species and ecosystems
UKCEH and CEH Sections/Science Areas:	Pywell
ISSN:	0929-1393
Additional Keywords:	Decomposition, Litter-bags, Soil macrofauna, Vegetation management, Agri-environment schemes
NORA Subject Terms:	Ecology and Environment
Date made live:	02 Mar 2009 14:24 +0 (UTC)
URI:	https://nora.nerc.ac.uk/id/eprint/4865

Item Type:

Publication - Article

Digital Object Identifier (DOI):

10.1016/j.apsoil.2008.09.003

Programmes:

CEH Programmes pre-2009 publications > Biodiversity > BD01 Conservation and Restoration of Biodiversity > BD01.4 Management of species and ecosystems

UKCEH and CEH Sections/Science Areas:

Pywell

ISSN:

0929-1393

Additional Keywords:

Decomposition, Litter-bags, Soil macrofauna, Vegetation management, Agri-environment schemes