Alterations in litter decomposition patterns in tropical montane forests of Colombia: a comparison of oak forests and coniferous plantations

Understanding the alterations in litter decay patterns that follow changes in land use in tropical montane forests is essential for comprehending carbon, energy, and nutrient dynamics in this understudied ecosystem. The main objective of this study was to determine the changes in organic matter, carbon return, and nutrient cycling when oak forests are replaced by coniferous plantations in tropical montane forests. Five litter decay models (single, double, and triple pool exponential, gamma p(k), log-uniform p(k)) were used to fit litter mass loss data over time. Although all models properly fitted the data, the triple pool exponential model was chosen because all parameters (coefficient of determination (R-2), mean square of error (MSE), and Akaike information criterion (AIC)) were statistically the most adequate. Results indicated that litter of coniferous species decomposes more slowly than oak litter material, thus slowing the nutrient cycling. In this study, lignin content, C:N ratio, and N: P ratio were poor predictors of litter decomposition.