ISSN:
1432-1939
Keywords:
Decomposition
;
Buried Litter
;
Abiotic
;
Deserts
Source:
Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000
Topics:
Biology
Notes:
Summary Creosobebush (Larrea tridentata) fine litter was treated with either the general biocide HgCl2 and CuSO4 or water (controls) and buried 5 cm beneath the soil surface in the northern Chihuahuan Desert. The treated litter showed significantly less mass loss than controls during the three month summer-autumn field study; controls lost about 20% of the original mass while treated litter lost less than 2%. In addition, the total nitrogen content of the control litter increased from an initial concentration of about 14.08 g kg-1 to 17.62 g kg-1 dry weight by the end of the study, while treated litter nitrogen content decreased to 13.30 g kg-1. Results suggest abiotic processes other than leaching have little effect on the decomposition of buried litter in this environment.
Type of Medium:
Electronic Resource
URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/BF00378250
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