Impact of climate change on leaf litter decomposition in french Mediterranean Region

Impact of climate change on leaf litter decomposition in french Mediterranean Region

Mathieu SANTONJA

Institut Méditerranéen de Biodiversité et d’EcologieEquipe 5.1 - Diversité et Fonctionnement : des Molécules aux Ecosystèmes

PhD Supervisors : Virginie BALDY and Catherine FERNANDEZ

First Gozo International BioDivMex Workshop – 8.14 September 2012, MaltaMediterranean Biodiversity: Conservation and Sustainable Development

Decomposition Process

Organic matter turnoverand nutrient release

(Lavelle and Spain 2001 ; Hattenschwiler et al. 2005 ; Berg and Laskowski 2006)

Plants (Litter) Soil biodiversity

Environmental factors

Scientist context

« Forest » Ecosystem « Shrubland » Ecosystem Saint Michel l’Observatoire – O3HP Marseille – CLIMED

Quercus pubescens Acer monspessulanum

Cotinus coggygria + Pinus halepensis

Quercus coccifera Cistus albidus

Rosmarinus officinalis Ulex parviflorus

Study sites

Impact of leaf litter mixtures and rainfall decrease on :

Taxonomic and functional diversities of soil organisms

Loss mass, chemical quality of leaves and nutrient release

« Forest » Ecosystem

« Shrubland » Ecosystem

2 experiments of leaf litter decomposition in situ