Decomposition rate of plants matter in the soils of glacial lakes in Sumava

Natural processes that cause differences in rates of decomposition and mineralisation of organic plants matter in soils of Sumava mountains' glacial lakes were studied using plant litter dominant in understorey of spruce forest in watershed of two lakes, Plesne and Certovo. The aim of this study is to determine the effect plant liter chemistry on decomposition and mineralisation rate. We hypothetize that chemistry of liter of understorey vegetation significantly affect N mineralisation / immobilisation in siols. During four month laboratory experiment were studied the effect of litter quality characteristics on C mineralization rates and N release. Spruce needles (Picea abies) and leaves of four dominant species (Avenella flexuosa, Calamagrostis villosa, Vaccinium myrthillus and Athyrium alpestre) of understorey vegetation were collected in autumn 2006. Litter was incubated at 0 and 10 °C. CO2 release was regularly measured each 14 days. Amounts of phenolics, available phosphorus, total and extractable C and N, release of NH4+ and NO3- were measured at the beginning, after one and four months of incubation