Aggregation of Lepidostomatidae in small mesh size litter-bags: implication to the leaf litter decomposition process

2008 ◽  
Vol 17 (4) ◽  
pp. 417-421 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aung Nanda ◽  
Takashi Asaeda ◽  
Takeshi Fujino ◽  
Kian Siong ◽  
Takashi Nakajima
Keyword(s):  
Leaf Litter ◽  
Litter Decomposition ◽  
Mesh Size ◽  
Decomposition Process ◽  
Leaf Litter Decomposition ◽  
Litter Bags

Leaf-litter decomposition of the mangrove species Avicennia schaueriana, Laguncularia racemosa and Rhizophora mangle

2013 ◽  
Vol 94 (2) ◽  
pp. 233-239 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rene G. Lima ◽  
Karine D. Colpo
Keyword(s):  
Leaf Litter ◽  
Litter Decomposition ◽  
Rhizophora Mangle ◽  
Mesh Size ◽  
Decomposition Process ◽  
Leaf Litter Decomposition ◽  
Laguncularia Racemosa ◽  
Mangrove Species ◽  
Avicennia Schaueriana ◽  
Over Time

This study evaluated the decomposition process of leaf litter from the main Brazilian mangrove species Avicennia schaueriana, Laguncularia racemosa and Rhizophora mangle. Senescent leaves were collected, dried and placed in nylon bags with different mesh sizes (fine: 2 × 2 mm and coarse: 8 × 8 mm). The bags were distributed over the sediment, and replicates of each species and mesh size were collected periodically over 4 months. In the laboratory, the dry weight of the samples was measured, and the decomposition coefficient (k) for each species and mesh size was obtained over time. All species showed a rapid decomposition rate at the beginning of the experiment, followed by a slower but steady rate of decomposition over time. The rate of leaf litter decomposition was highest in A. schaueriana, intermediate in L. racemosa and lowest in R. mangle. The difference was mainly linked to the activity and abundance of detritivores, together with the different litter quality of the species, which determined their palatability and probably influenced the decomposition process.

scholarly journals SOIL FAUNA AND LEAF LITTER DECOMPOSITION IN DIFFERENT SUCCESSIONAL STAGES OF A SUBMOUNTAINOUS SEASONAL SEMIDECIDUOUS FOREST

FLORESTA ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 51 (2) ◽  
pp. 429
Author(s):  
Rodrigo Camara ◽  
Marcos Gervasio Pereira ◽  
Luciano Oliveira Toledo ◽  
Carlos Eduardo Gabriel Menezes
Keyword(s):  
Leaf Litter ◽  
Litter Decomposition ◽  
Soil Fauna ◽  
Dry Season ◽  
Leaf Litter Decomposition ◽  
Successional Stage ◽  
Semideciduous Forest ◽  
Litter Bags ◽  
Successional Stages ◽  
Seasonal Semideciduous Forest

In tropical forests, the stage of ecological succession influences the nutrient cycling. This study aimed to analyze soil fauna community structure, composition, and leaf litter decomposition in fragments of intermediate-successional and late-successional Submountainous Seasonal Semideciduous Forest (ISF and LSF, respectively). We used a square metal frame to collect 10 samples of the leaf litter layer and surface soil (0.00-0.05 m depth) from each area in the wet and dry seasons. Soil fauna individuals were then extracted using a modified Berlese-Tüllgren funnel. For analysis of leaf litter decomposition, 15 litter bags containing 30 g of senescent leaves were randomly placed on the forest floor of each area in the dry season, and three bags were collected after 60, 90, 120, 150, and 180 days. LSF presented higher value of richness and was more associated with Diptera and Formicidae. There was no clear pattern in evenness and diversity with successional stage. The dissimilarity between ISF and LSF in terms of soil fauna community was greater in the dry season. Litter decomposition was almost identical in both areas.

scholarly journals Leaf Litter Decomposition and Nutrient Dynamics Associated with Common Horticultural Cropland Agroforest Tree Species of Bangladesh

2014 ◽  
Vol 2014 ◽  
pp. 1-10 ◽  
Author(s):  
Md. Hasanuzzaman ◽  
Mahmood Hossain
Keyword(s):  
Mass Loss ◽  
Leaf Litter ◽  
Litter Decomposition ◽  
Tree Species ◽  
Decay Constant ◽  
Nutrient Dynamics ◽  
Mangifera Indica ◽  
Decomposition Process ◽  
Leaf Litter Decomposition ◽  
Zizyphus Jujuba

Mangifera indica,Zizyphus jujuba,Litchi chinensis, andArtocarpus heterophyllusare the most common cropland agroforest horticultural tree species of Bangladesh. This study focused on leaf litter decomposition and nutrient (N, P, and K) dynamics during the decomposition process. This experiment was conducted for 180 days by using litter bag technique during dry and wet seasons. Mass loss was the highest (49% and 57%) forA. heterophyllusand the lowest (25%) was found forL. chinensis. The highest initial rates (0.75% and 2.35%/day) of decomposition were observed forZ. jujubaand the lowest (0.50% and 0.79%/day) forL. chinensis. The highest decay constant was observed forA. heterophyllus(2.14 and 2.34) and the lowest (0.88 and 0.94) forL. chinensis. Leaf litter of all the studied species showed a similar pattern (K > N > P) of nutrient release during the decomposition process.Zizyphus jujubashowed comparatively higher return of N, P, and K than others. However, a significant (P<0.05) higher amount of mass loss, rate of decomposition, decay constant, and amount of nutrient return from leaf litter were observed during the wet season.

Ants accelerate litter decomposition in a Costa Rican lowland tropical rain forest

2012 ◽  
Vol 28 (5) ◽  
pp. 437-443 ◽  
Author(s):  
Terrence P. McGlynn ◽  
Evan K. Poirson
Keyword(s):  
Mass Loss ◽  
Leaf Litter ◽  
Litter Decomposition ◽  
Rain Forest ◽  
Costa Rican ◽  
Tropical Rain Forests ◽  
Rain Forests ◽  
Food Web Structure ◽  
Litter Bags ◽  
Lowland Rain Forest

Abstract:The decomposition of leaf litter is governed, in part, by litter invertebrates. In tropical rain forests, ants are dominant predators in the leaf litter and may alter litter decomposition through the action of a top-down control of food web structure. The role of ants in litter decomposition was investigated in a Costa Rican lowland rain forest with two experiments. In a mesocosm experiment, we manipulated ant presence in 50 ambient leaf-litter mesocosms. In a litterbag gradient experiment, Cecropia obtusifolia litter was used to measure decomposition rate constants across gradients in nutrients, ant density and richness, with 27 separate litterbag treatments for total arthropod exclusion or partial arthropod exclusion. After 2 mo, mass loss in mesocosms containing ants was 30.9%, significantly greater than the 23.5% mass loss in mesocosms without ants. In the litter bags with all arthropods excluded, decomposition was best accounted by the carbon: phosphorus content of soil (r2 = 0.41). In litter bags permitting smaller arthropods but excluding ants, decomposition was best explained by the local biomass of ants in the vicinity of the litter bags (r2 = 0.50). Once the microarthropod prey of ants are permitted to enter litterbags, the biomass of ants near the litterbags overtakes soil chemistry as the regulator of decomposition. In concert, these results support a working hypothesis that litter-dwelling ants are responsible for accelerating litter decomposition in lowland tropical rain forests.

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