Mistletoe and epiphytic lichens contribute to litter input in Nothofagus antarctica forests.

R SOLER ESTEBAN; G MARTÍNEZ PASTUR; MV LENCINAS; P PERI

ACTA OECOLOGICA-INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ECOLOGY

GAUTHIER-VILLARS/EDITIONS ELSEVIER

Lugar: Paris; Año: 2015 vol. 68 p. 11 - 17

1146-609X

This work evaluate changes of mistletoes (Misodendrum sp.) and epiphityc lichens (Usnea sp.) biomass at canopy level, related to canopy cover in primary, secondary and managed (thinned) forests in Tierra del Fuego (Argentina). We used plastic traps to monthly collect litterfall of tree, lichens and mistletoe, and quantified the biomass produced during three years. Tree litterfall (1954-3398 kg ha-1 year-1) was determined by the canopy cover gradient, being highest in second-growth forests and lowest in thinned sites. Mistletoe litter input did not vary among forest types (307-333 kg ha-1year-1), while lichen litterfall (11-40 kg ha-1year-1) was higher in primary and thinned forests (mature sites). Tree litterfall was massive during autumn (March to May) which is typical of Nothofagus deciduous species in South hemisphere. Meanwhile, mistletoe and lichen litterfall differed from this, being highest during spring and summer seasons, thus displaying complementarily with tree litterfall. The biomass of canopy communities was more related to canopy structure for lichens than for mistletoe. Moreover, thinning practices for agroforestry practices did not affected the biomass production of canopy communities.