CONTEXT
Some of the most important feedbacks to climate change will be from replacement of current dominant plant species with different one that have distinct functional traits. A large number of recent papers have focused on the “afterlife effects” of plant leaf traits on litter decomposition and the important role of plant species in regulating decomposition rates. This new framework has not yet been applied to wood decomposition,
Recent global data compilation efforts have highlighted the tremendous amount of variation in wood traits among species, with important differences in both the chemistry and the structure of wood types. This variation in wood traits may affect both the pathway and rate of wood loss. This working group tackled three activities relating to these issues during its first meeting.

ACTIVITIES
1. We outlined and drafted a conceptual review paper on the roles and relative importance of species differences in whole-plant and wood traits for biosphere-atmosphere carbon flux via different wood turnover pathways in different biomes. We focused on five major processes in the manuscript, each of which represents a different fate for wood: decomposition by microbes, ingestion by insects (mainly termites), burning, leaching, and photodegradation. Some of the key issues involved (a) a comparison among biomes of the relative importance of various traits for wood turnover through decomposition versus pulse-wise turnover through fire; (b) the role of fire in changing the quality of wood for decomposition (incomplete combustion: charring); (c) interactions between wood quality and wood “fates”, for example, decomposer and comminuter preferences for different wood types in different biomes; (d) the role of special ‘wood’ chemistry and structure (often of phylogenetically distant plants) such as bamboo, palms, tree ferns, tropical trees enriched with heavy metals. A manuscript from this literature synthesis paper is expected to be submitted in 2008.

2. A quantitative global meta-analysis of relationships between wood traits (e.g. wood density, vessel traits, chemical traits), and decomposition rate. From the global meta-analysis of leaf traits and litter decomposition (working group 17), we used a template for collecting existing data on wood decomposition rate for multiple species incubated or monitored at the same site. We discussed a preliminary set of results and first paper draft, completed as preparation for this meeting. Together we completed the dataset, prepared for the final data analysis and adjusted the manuscript and the final paper from this venture will be submitted in spring 2008.

3. We also identified a great need for new experimental research that will allow the direct partitioning of wood quality and environmental effects on wood decomposition worldwide. We discussed a preliminary global common protocol that could be adopted by scientists worldwide to obtain standardized wood trait and decomposition data. This discussion involved reciprocal exchange of wood types among sites and ‘common environment’ experiments. We are currently exploring option for funding this line of research.

Last updated February 2008