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