The response of pine ecosystems to changing latitude and thermoclimate in Central/Northern Europe was investigated through the measurements of rates of two ecosystem processes: organic matter (litter) production and decomposition. Studies were carried out at nine sites of pine and mixed pine forests placed along the N-S transect of about 2000 km crossing Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland. Warmer climates were observed with movement to southern sites; the coefficient of determination (R2) between annual long-term temperature and latitude was at the level of 0.99. The rates of change of both processes were compared in terms of relative increment per 1°C of long-term temperature and per -1° of latitude, and expressed in %. Litter production responds stronger to the southward change of climate: the fall of litter is 18-19% greater per +1°C of average annual temperature and by 8% greater per each -1° of latitude, compared to the decomposition process, which was accelerated at the rate of 9-12% per 1°C and 4-5% per -1° of latitude. These results are summarized by the statement that in pine ecosystems the OM Production Sub-system is more sensitive to change of climate than the Sub-system of OM Decay, which is more conservative.
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