<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><xml><records><record><source-app name="Biblio" version="7.x">Drupal-Biblio</source-app><ref-type>17</ref-type><contributors><authors><author><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Angelis, Paolo De</style></author></authors></contributors><titles><title><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Litter quality and decomposition in a CO2-enriched Mediterranean forest ecosystem</style></title><secondary-title><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Plant and Soil</style></secondary-title></titles><keywords><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">decomposition rates</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">elevated [CO2]</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">litter quality</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">mediterranean forest</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Quercus ilex</style></keyword></keywords><dates><year><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">2000</style></year><pub-dates><date><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">2000///</style></date></pub-dates></dates><urls><web-urls><url><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">http://www.springerlink.com/index/G454271653154617.pdf</style></url></web-urls></urls><volume><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">224</style></volume><pages><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">31 - 41</style></pages><language><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">eng</style></language><abstract><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Six large open top chambers were installed to test the effect of atmospheric [CO2] enrichment on clumps of natural Mediterranean vegetation starting from early spring 1992. To study the impact of [CO2] enrichment on litter decomposition, leaves of three woody species (Quercus ilex L., Phillyrea angustifolia L. and Pistacia lentiscus L.) were collected from the forest ﬂoor and subsequently incubated in situ over a two-year period. The initial slope of the exponential function, describing mass loss, indicated that there was a small negative effect of elevated [CO2] on the decomposition rate of all the species. All regressions were signiﬁcant. The decrease of decomposition rate is particularly notable during the initial stages of decomposition, when the differences of quality parameters, lignin/N and C/N were larger. This study points out that a decrease of decomposition rate may occur under elevated [CO2] conditions; if this effect is coupled to an increase of primary production, there will be a net rise of C-storage in the soils of forest ecosystems. Forest soils may, therefore, represent a potentially increasing sink for this excess carbon.</style></abstract></record><record><source-app name="Biblio" version="7.x">Drupal-Biblio</source-app><ref-type>17</ref-type><contributors></contributors><titles><title><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Litter quality and decomposition in a CO2-enriched Mediterranean forest ecosystem</style></title><secondary-title><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Plant and Soil</style></secondary-title></titles><dates><year><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">2000</style></year></dates><volume><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">224</style></volume><pages><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">31-41</style></pages><language><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">eng</style></language><abstract><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Six large open top chambers were installed to test the effect of atmospheric [CO2] enrichment on clumps of natural Mediterranean vegetation starting from early spring 1992. To study the impact of [CO2] enrichment on litter decomposition, leaves of three woody species (Quercus ilex L., Phillyrea angustifolia L. and Pistacia lentiscus L.) were collected from the forest ﬂoor and subsequently incubated in situ over a two-year period. The initial slope of the exponential function, describing mass loss, indicated that there was a small negative effect of elevated [CO2] on the decomposition rate of all the species. All regressions were signiﬁcant. The decrease of decomposition rate is particularly notable during the initial stages of decomposition, when the differences of quality parameters, lignin/N and C/N were larger. This study points out that a decrease of decomposition rate may occur under elevated [CO2] conditions; if this effect is coupled to an increase of primary production, there will be a net rise of C-storage in the soils of forest ecosystems. Forest soils may, therefore, represent a potentially increasing sink for this excess carbon.</style></abstract></record><record><source-app name="Biblio" version="7.x">Drupal-Biblio</source-app><ref-type>7</ref-type><contributors></contributors><titles><title><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">14 - Carbon Metabolism and Plant Growth under Elevated CO2 in a Natural Quercus ilex L. “Macchia” Stand</style></title><secondary-title><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Carbon Dioxide, Populations, and Communities</style></secondary-title></titles><dates><year><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">1996</style></year></dates><publisher><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Academic Press</style></publisher><pub-location><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">San Diego</style></pub-location><pages><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">209-230</style></pages><isbn><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">978-0-12-420870-4</style></isbn><language><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">eng</style></language><abstract><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Publisher Summary This chapter examines the impact of long-term exposure to elevated CO2 concentration in a natural Mediterranean community dominated by Quercus ilex (high &quot;macchia&quot;). The research emphasizes on measurements of carbon metabolism and light energy utilization by the leaves to assess the physiological responses that subtend growth rather than just measuring short-term biomass increments at the tree level alone. Given the relevance of the Mediterranean woodland communities from an economical and environmental perspective, it is critical to be able to predict the possible effects of global change on these ecosystems and to eventually adopt adequate mitigation strategies. The interaction between carbon metabolism and biomass partitioning in woody plants is also regulated by nutrient availability. In the nutrient-limited Mediterranean environment, a CO2 increase may in part relieve this limitation by a greater efficiency of nutrient utilization, especially in tree species, characterized by a large proportion of their biomass allocated to components with low nutrient cost. These limitations are likely to moderate the responses of plants and communities to a global change, particularly to increases in atmospheric CO2 and biosphere warming. After a three-year period, the community responses to elevated CO2 indicate a wide range of acclimation processes by tree and shrub species in relation to their different ecological strategies.</style></abstract></record></records></xml>