Effects of Elevated Atmospheric CO2 and Mineral Nitrogen Deposition on Litter Quality, Bioleaching and Decomposition in A Sphagnum Peat Bog

Abstract

A brief overview of an attempt to link the effect of elevated CO2 and nitrogen deposition on litter quality and decomposition in a Sphagnum peat bog is given. Litter of three common species (Eriophorum vaginatum, Polytrichum strictum and Sphagnum fallax) was collected from field plots after two years of pre-reatment in two parallel experiments: a) Elevated atmospheric CO2 experiment, b) mineral nitrogen fertilisation experiment. The litters were put into litterbags, leached and inserted into field plots for 3 months, where they decomposed under specific treatment. Distinction between effects of initial litter quality and decomposition on mass loss in the bioleaching and/or in field decomposition process could be tested using a particular set-up in which cross effects of pre-treatment and treatment were considered.