TY  - JOUR
AB  - While Si influences nutrient stoichiometry and decomposition of graminoid litter, it is still unclear how Si influences anoxic litter decomposition and CH4 formation in graminoid dominated fen peatlands. First, Eriophorum vaginatum plants were grown under different Si and P availabilities, then shoots and roots were characterized regarding their proportions of C, Si, N and P and regarding C quality. Subsequently the Eriophorum shoots were subjected to anoxic decomposition. We hypothesized; that (I) litter grown under high Si availability would show a higher Si but lower nutrient mass fractions and a lower share of recalcitrant carbon moieties; (II) high-Si litter would show higher CH4 and CO2 production rates during anoxic decomposition; (III) methanogenesis would occur earlier in less recalcitrant high-Si litter, compared to low-Si litter. We found a higher Si mass fraction that coincides with a general decrease in C and N mass fractions and decreased share of recalcitrant organic moieties. For high-Si litter, the CH4 production rate was higher, but there was no long-term influence on the CO2 production rate. More labile high-Si litter and a differential response in nutrient stoichiometry led to faster onset of methanogenesis. This may have important implications for our understanding of anaerobic carbon turnover in graminoid-rich fens.
AU  - Hömberg, Annkathrin
AU  - Knorr, Klaus-Holger
AU  - Schaller, Jörg
DA  - 2021-03-24
DO  - 10.17879/22049479531
KW  - silicon
KW  - Eriophorum vaginatum
KW  - peatland
KW  - organic matter degradation
KW  - carbon quality
KW  - biogenic silica
LA  - eng
N1  - Plants 10 (2021) 4, 618, 1-29
N1  - Finanziert durch den Open-Access-Publikationsfonds der Westfälischen Wilhelms-Universität Münster (WWU Münster).
PY  - 2021-03-24
TI  - Methane Production Rate during Anoxic Litter Decomposition Depends on Si Mass Fractions, Nutrient Stoichiometry, and Carbon Quality
UR  - https://nbn-resolving.org/urn:nbn:de:hbz:6-27099448521
Y2  - 2024-11-22T07:16:33
ER  -