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Resolving the Dryland Decomposition Conundrum: Some New Perspectives on Potential Drivers

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Progress in Botany

Part of the book series: Progress in Botany ((BOTANY,volume 70))

Decomposition of organic matter is a crucial component of biogeochemical cycles that strongly controls nutrient availability, productivity, and community composition. The factors controlling decomposition of litter in arid and semi-arid systems remain poorly understood, with an unresolved disconnect between measured and modeled decay rates. In contrast, decay rates in mesic systems are generally quite successfully predicted by models driven by climatic variables. Here, we explore the reasons for this disconnect by reviewing literature on the biotic and abiotic controls over dryland decomposition. Recent research on decomposition in drylands suggests that several key drivers of dryland decomposition have been historically overlooked and not included in models. In particular, UV photodegradation and soil transport processes, both a function of vegetation structure, may strongly influence dryland decomposition dynamics. We propose an expanded framework for studying dryland decay that explicitly addresses vegetation structure and its influence on decomposition. Spatial heterogeneity of vegetation in dryland systems necessitates considering how the spatial and temporal context of vegetation influences soil transport patterns and UV photodegradation, both of which may in turn affect abiotic and biotic decomposition processes.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biology, New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, NM 88005, USA

    Heather L. Throop

  2. School of Natural Resources, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721, USA

    Steven R. Archer

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  1. Heather L. Throop
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  2. Steven R. Archer
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Correspondence to Heather L. Throop .

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Ulrich Lüttge Wolfram Beyschlag Burkhard Büdel Dennis Francis

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Throop, H.L., Archer, S.R. (2009). Resolving the Dryland Decomposition Conundrum: Some New Perspectives on Potential Drivers. In: Lüttge, U., Beyschlag, W., Büdel, B., Francis, D. (eds) Progress in Botany. Progress in Botany, vol 70. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-540-68421-3_8

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