title: [Humus functioning types in evergreen coniferous forests of the French Inner Alps].
abstract: Three humus forms that are widespread in the Inner Alps, a dysmull below Pinus sylvestris, an oligomull below Abies alba and a mor below Pinus cembra, were studied by following mineral nitrogen production and uptake and by a characterization of the pedofauna. Due to the production and uptake of nitrogen, mainly as nitrates and also due to the dominance of Lumbricids versus Arthropods, the oligomull was the sole humus form that functioned as a mull. Nevertheless relatively weak mineral nitrogen production and the dominance of endogeic soil-dwelling earthworms versus anecic earthworms demonstrated the moderate activity of this mull, which is representative of humus forms of old growth forests and cold climates. There was a discrepancy between the very low biological activity of the dysmull and its status of mull, while an observed bifunctioning between the different layers of this humus also differentiated it from the mor.
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire Ecosystèmes alpins, université Joseph-Fourier, BP 53, 38041 Grenoble, France. richard.michalet@ujf-grenoble.fr
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Michalet
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Gandoy
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Cadel
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Girard
authors.forename: J L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Grossi
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Joud
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Pache
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001181:Arthropods / Q000378:metabolism; D017753:Ecosystem; D005602:France; D009566:Nitrates / Q000378:metabolism; D009584:Nitrogen / Q000378:metabolism; D009835:Oligochaeta / Q000378:metabolism; D012987:Soil / Q000032:analysis; D014197:Trees / Q000254:growth & development*
chemical_list: D009566:Nitrates; D012987:Soil; D009584:Nitrogen
vernacular_title: Modes de fonctionnement d'humus des forêts sempervirentes des Alpes internes françaises.