Leaf litter decomposition in urban forests: test of the home-field advantage hypothesis

Author

Yan Sun, 

Shuqing Zhao

Original Paper

First Online: 

31 August 2016

DOI: 10.1007/s13595-016-0577-y

Cite this article as: 

Sun, Y. & Zhao, S. Annals of Forest Science (2016). doi:10.1007/s13595-016-0577-y

Key message

The home-field advantage (HFA) hypothesis states that leaf litter decomposes faster in the habitat from which it was derived (i.e., home) than beneath a different plant species (i.e., away from home). We conducted reciprocal translocation experiments to explore the HFA effect of urban leaf litter decomposition. HFA of litter decomposition varied with species and season, and interacted with nutrient and environmental dynamics.

Context

Although forest litterfall and subsequent decay are acknowledged as a critical factor regulating nutrient cycling, soil fertility, and ecosystem carbon budgets in natural ecosystems, they remain less understood in urban ecosystems and the evidence for HFA has not been universal.

Aims

We select Beijing Olympic Forest Park (BOFP), the largest urban forest park of Asia, as a case study to explore HFA of leaf litter decomposition in urban forest ecosystems. We investigated the litterfall production, mass loss, and nutrient dynamics of two species (Robinia pseudoacacia and Pinus armandii) commonly planted in Beijing urban forest ecosystems.

Methods

Variations in litterfall production were measured in R. pseudoacacia stand and P. armandiistands over 12 months. HFA of litter decomposition was explored by reciprocal leaf litter translocation experiments, and leaves were analyzed for C, N, and P during decomposition of 297 days.

Results

Two major peaks of total litterfall in R. pseudoacacia were observed, while litterfall in P. armandii followed a unimodal distribution pattern, which were similar to seasonal patterns of broadleaf and coniferous litter production in natural forest ecosystems. The loss of initial ash-free mass of R. pseudoacacia (19 %) was about twofold of P. armandii (11 %). The litter quality (e.g., initial C, N, and P) might have contributed to the differences between broadleaf and coniferous species. Leaf litter decomposition of R. pseudoacacia showed seasonal switch of HFA. In contrast, P. armandii showed a constant HFA during the whole study period.

Conclusion

HFA of litter decomposition in urban forests varied by species and season. We found the seasonal switch of the HFA effect for R. pseudoacacia, which has not been observed in nonurban ecosystems. More observations or experiments with multiple species or mixed species across various cities are needed to understand the processes and mechanisms of litter decomposition and nutrient dynamics in the urban ecosystems.

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Side Effects of Cream That Treats Dark Under-Eye Circles

by BRENDA BARRON  

Woman with dots of eye cream under her eyes Photo Credit Kazzakova/iStock/Getty Images

Overview

Many people are afflicted with dark circles, whether it’s from lack of sleep or other reasons. Dark circles under your eyes can make you look tired and keep you from looking your best. Under eye creams can help reduce the effect of these dark circles, but they are not without side effects. Generally, the side effects of under eye creams depend on the primary ingredient of each product.

Skin Sensitivity

Dark circle creams are often combined with wrinkle creams for the eyes and sometimes contain various forms of mild acids that can cause a burning sensation, especially on the sensitive skin around the eye. Read manufacturer ingredients and instructions carefully, because some instruct that mild burning is a sign of the product working. Eye Wrinkle Cream.org notes if your anti-wrinkle, anti-dark circle eye cream does not contain acid within it and stinging or burning still occurs, stop using the product.

Vitamin K

Vitamin K is a popular primary ingredient in eye creams for dark circles as it is thought to repair blood vessels that can create the dark pigmentation. Consumer Search notes experts are divided about the effectiveness of vitamin K applied topically versus the proven benefit of taking it orally. In very rare cases, people have reported having an allergic reaction to vitamin K. Allergic reactions are usually confined to those taking vitamin K as a supplement or as an injection, and even rarer for topical applications.

Hydroquinone

Hydroquinone is a bleaching agent used in skin bleaches to diminish the appearance of freckles, age spots, acne spots and dark circles under the eyes. Dark Circles.net notes that if not used exactly as recommended or prescribed, hydroquinone can cause hyper and hypo pigmentation. These are near permanent skin discolorations, and it is recommended to cover skin treated with hydroquinone with sunscreen before exposure.

Retinol

Retinol is a derivative of vitamin A used in many anti-aging products, including treating dark circles under the eyes. Consumer Search reports retinol can cause some irritation of the skin cream, though the skin can adjust to the treatment, causing the irritation to stop. Some users switch to using the product every other night to help prevent irritation.

www.livestrong.com

Are Dark Circles Under My Toddler's Eyes Normal?

by AUSTIN MILLET  

Dark circles under a child's eyes are a common symptom of allergies or hay fever Photo Credit Pixland/Pixland/Getty Images

Dark circles under the eyes of an infant or toddler are a fairly common symptom of a number of benign conditions, most often allergies or hay fever. Though they can have a somewhat alarming appearance, especially at first, these dark circles -- commonly called "allergic shiners" according to Baby Center -- are a common occurrence and are not particularly dangerous or alarming.

Description

Dark circles are common to people of all ages, but small children and babies are especially susceptible due to their immune system's lack of experience dealing with normal ambient microbes. Sometimes the dark areas are more sensitive to pain. According to "Parents" Magazine, these dark circles are more prominent and noticeable in children with fair skin.

Causes

According to About Kids' Health, the most common cause is a congested nose. A stuffed up nose causes the nasal cavity to swell, which, according to Baby Center, restricts the blood flow of surrounding veins, causing them to swell and appear darker. The most common causes of a congested nose in toddlers are allergies and hay fever, though it could also be caused by chronic sinus infections, recurrent colds or blockage of the nose -- which is probably the cause if you notice your child breathing more through his mouth than his nose.

Other Symptoms

If your toddler has dark circles under his eyes due to allergies, he will likely have other symptoms as well, including wheezing, coughing, sneezing, runny nose and itchy eyes.

Common Misconceptions

It can be very alarming when a child's face suddenly goes from rosy-pink to blue-and-black. Parents often fear that their child is not getting enough sleep, is getting poor nutrition or, worst of all, the victim of some kind of abuse as a result of seeing the allergic shiners under their eyes. Fortunately, they are nearly always the result of the comparatively less-alarming nasal swelling.

Treatments

The best way to treat the dark circles under your child's eyes is to treat the cause: allergies. Keep a particularly close eye on your child for a few days, paying special attention to potential allergy sources. Ask your pediatrician what kinds of treatments are available for childhood allergies, and consult your nearest pharmacy. Nasal sprays and antihistamines can help relieve congestion.

www.livestrong.com

Recent progress on synthesis, property and application of modified chitosan: An overview

Published Date

July 2016, Vol.88:333–344, doi:10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2016.04.002

Title 

Recent progress on synthesis, property and application of modified chitosan: An overview

• Author 

• Junhua Wang ^a
• Li Wang ^a
• Haojie Yu ^a,,
• Zain-ul-Abdin ^a
• Yongsheng Chen ^a
• Qing Chen ^a
• Weidong Zhou ^a
• Hongtao Zhang ^b
• Xiao Chen ^b

• aState Key Laboratory of Chemical Engineering, College of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310027, China
• bChina Tobacco Henan Industrial Co. Ltd, Zhengzhou 450004, China

Received 18 December 2015. Revised 17 March 2016. Accepted 1 April 2016. Available online 1 April 2016.

Abstract

Because of the unique chemical structure, chitosan and its derivatives have been paid close extensive attention as the potential bio-functional material. This review presents recent synthesis of modified chitosan via N-substitution, O-substitution, free radical graft copolymerization and other modification methods and properties of the modified chitosan. The applications of the modified chitosan in metal ions adsorption, dye removal and pharmaceutical fields are illustrated as well. The rapid development in the modification of chitosan describes broad perspectives of the modified chitosan.

Keywords

Chitosan

Modified chitosan

Chemical modifications

Applications

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Fig. 1.

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 Table 3

Table 3.

• ⁎ 
  Corresponding author.
  
  

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