Changes of condensed tannins during decomposition of leaves of Kandelia obovata in a subtropical mangrove swamp in China

Hai Chao Zhou, Nora Fung Yee Tam, Yi Ming Lin, Shu Dong Wei, Yuan Yue Li

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

31 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Kandelia obovata, with abundant condensed tannins (CTs), is a typical mangrove species in China, but little is known about the chemical alterations and ecological roles of CTs during leaf litter decomposition. A litterbag experiment was conducted to investigate the changes of CTs in a subtropical mangrove swamp along Zhangjiang River Estuary, China, using the colorimetric assays, reversed/normal-phase HPLC-ESI-MS and MALDI-TOF-MS techniques. Total phenolics (TP), extractable CTs (ECT) and total CTs (TCT) decreased rapidly, while bound CTs (BCT), including protein- and fibre-bound CTs in leaves, increased during decomposition, and these temporal changes were well-expressed by exponential functions. Negative correlations between nitrogen (N) and TP, as well as N and ECT were found; however, a positive correlation between N and BCT was detected, suggesting that CTs played an important role in humification during N immobilization. The HPLC-ESI-MS analyses showed that the polymerization degree of CTs had an initial increase, due to leaching, followed by a decrease in the subsequent shift towards abiotic or/and biotic degradation. MALDI-TOF-MS confirmed the degradation processes for CTs. A decrease in the degree of hydroxylation, along with an increase in glycosylation-CTs, was obtained during litter decomposition. These chemical changes enhanced the current knowledge on the potential ecological role of N transformation in CTs in mangrove swamps.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)113-121
Number of pages9
JournalSoil Biology and Biochemistry
Volume44
Issue number1
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Jan 2012
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • Condensed tannins
  • HPLC-ESI-MS
  • Kandelia obovata
  • Litter decomposition
  • MALDI-TOF-MS
  • Nitrogen transformation
  • Zhangjiang River Estuary mangrove swamp

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Changes of condensed tannins during decomposition of leaves of Kandelia obovata in a subtropical mangrove swamp in China'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this