Abstract
In many regions of Europe climate change will enhance plant productivity in forest ecosystems
and therefore also the quantity of plant litter input. These changes are thought to largely affect
the pool of soil organic matter and its dynamics having important feedback reactions to the
climate.
In this bachelor thesis, the effect of plant litter input on CO2 evolution and production of
dissolved organic matter (DOM) was examined. In a second step, short-term effects of litter
input on the dynamics of soil organic matter will be simulated using an easily available C source:
glucose. Soil samples from a long-term field experiment, where litter input was manipulated,
were incubated for 26 days in the laboratory. A decrease in aromaticity was found suggesting
the production of microbial products and a decrease in the stability of SOM. No relation was
found between litter input in the field and CO2 evolution, but it was found between litter input
and DOC concentrations. OM in the Double litter treatments has become more soluble which
means that the quality of OM has changed as a result of litter manipulation experiments in the
field. However, it is proposed that longer incubation periods may lead to the release of the
added carbon as CO2. This could therefore contribute to the problems concerning global
warming.