Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Measurement of Leaf Litter Decomposition

  • Chapter
Analysis of Plant Waste Materials

Part of the book series: Modern Methods of Plant Analysis ((MOLMETHPLANT,volume 20))

Abstract

Decomposition is a complex and multistep process of litter breakdown through leaching, mechanical and invertebrate fragmentation, and transformation through the activity of soil microorganisms (Swift et al. 1979). The rate of litter decomposition varies with chemical composition, abiotic factors and biotic factors (Singh and Gupta 1977). The linkages between plant quality, soil biota, physico-chemical environment and the decomposition processes are important (Swift et al. 1979). During the decomposition of organic matter, a large proportion of carbon is lost via respiration of decomposer organisms, and nutrients are released during mineralization. A knowledge of litter decomposition rates and biological processes could be useful for the management of soil fertility (Swift 1986), ecological restoration of environmentally fragile sites, detoxification of soil contaminants and reducing the emission of trace gases to the atmosphere (Heal et al. 1997).

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 89.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 119.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 169.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Preview

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

References

  • Aber JD, Melillo JM (1982) Nitrogen immobilization in decaying hardwood leaf litter as a function of initial nitrogen and lignin content. Can J Bot 60: 2263–2269

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Aggarwal AK (1997) Nutrient dynamics and trace gas fluxes in forest and cropland ecosystems. PhD Thesis, Kurukshetra University, Kurukshetra, India, 187 pp

    Google Scholar 

  • Allen SE (ed) (1989) Chemical analysis of ecological materials 2nd edn. Blackwell, Oxford, UK, 368 pp

    Google Scholar 

  • Amato M (1983) Determination of carbon 12C and ‘4C in plant and soil. Soil Biol Biochem 15: 611612

    Google Scholar 

  • Amato M, Ladd JN, Ellington A, Ford G, Mahoney JE, Taylor AC, Walsgott D (1987) Decomposition of plant material in Australian soils. IV. Decomposition in situ of 14C- and `5N-labelled legume and wheat materials in a range of southern Australian soils. Aust J Soil Res 25: 95105

    Google Scholar 

  • Anderson JM, Ingram JSI (eds) (1993) Tropical soil biology and fertility: a handbook of methods. CAB International, Wallingford, UK, pp 171

    Google Scholar 

  • Anderson JM, Beese F, Berg B, Bolger T, Couteaux MM, Henderson R, Ineson P, McCarthy P, Palka L, Raubuch M, Splatt P, Verhoef HA, Willison T (1992) Mechanisms of nutrient turnover in the soil compartment of forests. In: Teller A, Mathy P, Jeffers JNR (eds) Responses of forest ecosystems to environmental change. Elsevier, London, pp 342–350

    Google Scholar 

  • Anderson JPE (1982) Soil respiration. In: Page AL, Miller RH, Keeny DR (eds) Methods of soil analysis. Part 2, 2nd edn. Agron Mono 9. American Society of Agronomy and Soil Science Society of America, Madison, pp 831–871

    Google Scholar 

  • Andren O, Paustian K (1987) Barley straw decomposition in the field: a comparison of models. Ecology 68: 1190–1200

    Google Scholar 

  • Arun Lekha, Gupta SR (1989) Decomposition of Populus and Leucaena leaf litter in an agroforestry system. Int J Ecol Environ Sci 15: 97–108

    Google Scholar 

  • Arun Lekha, Chopra G, Gupta SR (1989) Role of soil fauna in decomposition of rice and sorghum straw. Proc Indian Acad Sci (Anim Sci) 98: 275–284

    Google Scholar 

  • Azam F, Malik KA, Sajjad MI (1985) Transformations in soil and availability to plants of 15N applied as inorganic fertilizer and legume residues. Plant Soil 86: 3–13

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Baldock JA, Currie GJ, Oades JM (1991) Organic matter as seen by solid-state 13C nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy and pyrolysis tandem mass spectrometry. In: Wilson WS (ed) Advances in soil organic matter research. Royal Society of Chemistry, Cambridge, pp 4560

    Google Scholar 

  • Baldock JA, Oades JM, Waters AG, Peng X, Vassallo AM, Wilson MA (1992) Aspects of the chemical structure of soil organic materials as revealed by solid-state 13C NMR spectroscopy. Biogeochemistry 16: 1–42

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Balesdent J, Mariotti A, Guillet B (1987) Natural “C abundance as a tracer for studies of soil organic matter dynamics. Soil Biol Biochem 19: 25–30

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Balesdent J, Wagner GH, Marriotti (1988) Soil organic matter turnover in long-term field experi-

    Google Scholar 

  • ments as revealed by carbon-13 natural abundance. Soil Sci Soc Am J 52:118–124

    Google Scholar 

  • Barron PF, Wilson MA (1981) Humic soil and coal structure study with magic-angle spinning 13C

    Google Scholar 

  • CP-NMR. Nature 289:585–586

    Google Scholar 

  • Benoit P, Chone TH, Barriuso E (1994) On-line measurement of total C and ‘4C of “C-labelled organic matter. Soil Biol Biochem 26: 407–411

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Blair JM, Crossley DA Jr, Callaham LC (1991) A litterbasket technique for measurement of nutrient dynamics in forest floors. Agric Ecosyst Environ 34: 465–471

    Google Scholar 

  • Bocock KL, Gilbert OJW (1957) The disappearance of litter under different woodland conditions. Plant Soil 9: 179–185

    Google Scholar 

  • Bremner JM (1965) Inorganic forms of nitrogen. In: Black CA (ed) Methods of soil analysis.

    Google Scholar 

  • Monograph 9, vol 2. American Society of Agronomy, Madison, pp 1179–1237

    Google Scholar 

  • Broadhurst RB, Jones WT (1978) Analysis of condensed tannins using acidified vanillin. J Sci

    Google Scholar 

  • Food Agric 29:788–794

    Google Scholar 

  • Brookes PC, Kragt JF, Powlson DS, Jenkinson DS (1985) Chloroform fumigation and the release of soil nitrogen: the effects of fumigation time and temperature. Soil Biol Biochem 17: 831835

    Google Scholar 

  • Brown CM (1982) Nitrogen mineralization in soils and sediments. In: Burns RG, Slayler JH (eds) Experimental microbial ecology. Blackwell, Oxford, pp 154–163

    Google Scholar 

  • Cadisch G, Giller KE (eds) (1997) Driven by nature: plant litter quality and decomposition. CAB International, Wallingford, UK, 409 pp

    Google Scholar 

  • Chesson A (1997) Plant degradation by ruminants: parallels with litter decomposition in soils. In: Cadisch G, Giller KE (eds) Driven by nature: plant litter quality and decomposition. CAB International, Wallingford, UK, pp 47–66

    Google Scholar 

  • Choong MF, Lucas PW, Ong JSI, Pereira B, Tan HTW, Turner IM (1992) Leaf texture toughness and sclerophylly their correlation and ecological implications. Phytology 121: 597–610

    Google Scholar 

  • Clement A, Ladha JK, Chalifour FP (1995) Crop residue effects on nitrogen mineralization, microbial biomass and rice yield in submerged soils. Soil Sci Soc Am J 59: 1595–1603

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Constantinides M, Fownes JH (1994) Tissue-to-solvent ratio and other factors affecting determination of soluble polyphenols in tropical leaves. Commun Soil Sci Plant Anal 25: 3221–3227

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Cornelissen JHC (1996) An experimental comparison of leaf decomposition rates in a wide range of temperate plant species and types. J Ecol 84: 573–582

    Google Scholar 

  • Cotrufo MF, Ineson P, Rowland AP (1994) Decomposition of tree leaf litters grown under elevated CO2: effect of litter quality. Plant Soil 163: 121–130

    Google Scholar 

  • Cromack K Jr, Monk CD (1975) Litter production, decomposition and nutrient cycling in a mixed hardwood watershed and a white pine watershed. In: Howell FG, Gentry JB, Smith MH (eds) Mineral cycling in southeastern ecosystems. ERDA symposium series. Springfield, Virginia, pp 609–624

    Google Scholar 

  • Crossley DA Jr, Hoglund MP (1962) A litter bag method for the study of microarthropods inhabiting leaf litter. Ecology 43: 571–573

    Google Scholar 

  • Dalai RC 0979) Simple procedure for the determination of total carbon and its radioactivity in soils and plant materials. Analyst 104:151–154

    Google Scholar 

  • Dawra RK, Makkar HSP, Singh B (1988) Protein-binding capacity of micro-quantities of tannins. Anal Bio Chem 170: 50–53

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Deobald LA, Crawford DL (1997) Lignocellulose biodegradation. In: Hurst CJ (ed) Manual of environmental microbiology. ASM Press, Washington, DC, pp 730–737

    Google Scholar 

  • Dubois M, Gilles KA, Hamilton JK, Rebers PA, Smith F (1956) Colorimetric method for determination of sugars and related substances. Anal Chem 28: 350–356

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Effland MJ (1977) Modified procedure to determine acid-insoluble lignin in wood and pulp. TAPPI 60: 143–144

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ellis GH, Matrone G, Maynard LA (1946) A 72% H2SO4 method for the determination of lignin and its use in animal nutrition studies. J Anim Sci 5: 285–297

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Frankenberger WT Jr, Abdelmagid HM (1985) Kinetic parameters of nitrogen mineralization rates of leguminous crops incorporated into soil. Plant Soil 87: 257–271

    Google Scholar 

  • Golchin A, Oades JM, Skjemstad JO, Clarke P (1994) Study of free and occluded particulate organic matter in soils by solid state 13C CP/MAS NMR spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy. Aust J Soil Res 32: 285–309

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Golchin A, Oades JM, Skjemstad JO, Clarke P (1995) Structural and dynamic properties of soil organic matter as reflected by 13C natural abundance, pyrolysis mass spectrometry and solid state 13C NMR spectroscopy in density fractions of an oxisol under forest and pasture. Aust J Soil Res 33: 59–76

    Google Scholar 

  • Gupta SR (1986) Impact of tree felling on ecosystem functions of natural forest stands in Morni hills. Research project report. UGC, New Delhi, 64 pp

    Google Scholar 

  • Gupta SR (1991) Nitrogen mineralization immobilization transformations in soil. Commission of European Communities Project Report, Brussels, Luxembourg, 31 pp

    Google Scholar 

  • Gupta SR (1992) Nitrogen mineralization and immobilization transformations in soil. In: Commission of the European Communities consolidated report of activities, 1988–1990 EC-India. ECSC-EAEC, Brussels, Luxembourg, 28 p

    Google Scholar 

  • Gupta SR, Rajvanshi R (1991) The effect of biotic and abiotic factors on litter decomposition in a tropical Dalbergia sissoo forest ecosystem. In: Veeresh GK, Rajagopal D, Viraktamath CA (eds) Advances in management and conservation of soil fauna. Oxford and IBH, New Delhi, pp 491–495

    Google Scholar 

  • Gupta SR, Rout SK (1992) Litter dynamics and nutrient turnover in a mixed deciduous forest. In: Singh KP, Singh JS (eds) Tropical ecosystems: ecology and management. Wiley Eastern, New Delhi, pp 443–459

    Google Scholar 

  • Gupta SR, Singh JS (1977) Decomposition of litter in a tropical grassland. Pedobiologia 17: 330333

    Google Scholar 

  • Gupta SR, Singh JS (1981) The effect of plant species, weather variables and chemical composition of plant material on decomposition in a tropical grassland. Plant Soil 59: 99–118

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hammel KE (1997) Fungal degradation of lignin. In: Cadisch G, Giller KE (eds) Driven by nature: plant litter quality and decomposition CAB International, Wallingford, UK, pp 33–45

    Google Scholar 

  • Harborne JB (1997) Role of phenolic secondary metabolites in plants and their degradation in nature. In: Cadisch G, Giller KE (eds) Driven by nature: plant litter quality and decomposition. CAB International, Wallingford, UK, pp 67–74

    Google Scholar 

  • Hart SC, Binkley D (1985) Correlations among indices of forest soil nutrient availability in fertilized and unfertilized loblolly pine plantations. Plant Soil 50: 230–233

    Google Scholar 

  • Hauck RD, Bremner JM (1976) Use of tracers for soil and fertilizer nitrogen research. Adv Agron 28: 219–266

    Google Scholar 

  • Heal OW, Anderson JM, Swift MJ (1997) Plant litter quality and decomposition: an historical overview. In: Cadisch G, Giller KE (eds) Driven by nature: plant litter quality and decomposition. CAB International, Wallingford, UK, pp 3–30

    Google Scholar 

  • Hopkins DW, Chudek JA (1997) Solid-state NMR investigations of organic transformations during the decomposition of plant material in soil. In: Cadisch G, Giller KE (eds) Driven by nature: plant litter quality and decomposition. CAB International, Wallingford UK, pp 85–94

    Google Scholar 

  • Hunt HW, Ingham ER, Coleman DC, Elliott ET, Reid CPP (1988) Nitrogen limitation of production and decomposition in prairie, mountain meadow and pine forest. Ecology 69: 10091016

    Google Scholar 

  • Jenkinson DS (1977) Studies on the decomposition of plant material in soil. V. The effects of plant cover and soil type on the loss of carbon from “C-labelled ryegrass decomposing under field conditions. J Soil Sci 28: 424–494

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Jenkinson DS, Powlson DS (1976) The effects of biocidal treatments on metabolism in soil. V. A method for measuring soil biomass. Soil Biol Biochem 8: 209–213

    Google Scholar 

  • Jenny H, Gessel SP, Bingham FT (1949) Comparative study of decomposition rates of organic matter in temperate and tropical regions. Soil Sci 68: 419–432

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kalembasa SJ, Jenkinson DS (1973) A comparative study of titrimetric and gravimetric methods for the determination of organic carbon in soil. J Sci Food Agric 24: 1085–1090

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kawai S, Jensen KA Jr, Bao W, Hammel KE (1995) New polymeric model substrates for the study of microbial ligninolysis. Appl Environ Microbiol 61: 3407–3414

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kemp PR, Waldecker DG, Owensby CE, Reynolds JF, Vrginia RA (1994) Effects of elevated CO, and nitrogen fertilization pretreatments on decomposition on tallgrass prairie leaf litter. Plant Soil 165: 115–127

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • King HGC, Heath GW (1967) The chemical analysis of small samples of leaf material and the relationship between the disappearance and composition of leaves. Pedobiologia 7: 192197

    Google Scholar 

  • Kuiters AT, Sarink HM (1986) Leaching of phenolic compounds from leaf and needle litter of several deciduous and coniferous trees. Soil Biol Biochem 18: 475–480

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ladd JN, Amato M (1986) The fate of nitrogen from legume and fertilizer sources in soils successively cropped with wheat under field conditions. Soil Biol Biochem 18: 417–425

    Google Scholar 

  • Ladd JN, Oades JM, Amato M (1981) Microbial biomass formed from “C, 15N-labelled plant material decomposing in soils in the field. Soil Biol Biochem 13: 119–126

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ladd JN, Amato M, Oades JM (1985) Decomposition of plant material in Australian soils. III. Organic and microbial biomass C and N from isotope-labelled legume material and soil organic matter, decomposing under field conditions. Aust J Soil Res 23: 603–611

    Google Scholar 

  • Lambers H (1993) Rising CO2, secondary plant metabolism, plant-herbivore interactions and litter decomposition. Vegetatio 104 /105: 263–271

    Google Scholar 

  • Lerman JC (1975) How to interpret variations in the carbon isotope ratio of plants: biological and environmental effects. In: Marcelle R (ed) Environmental and biological control of photosynthesis. Junk, The Hague, pp 323–335

    Google Scholar 

  • Loveless AR (1961) A nutritional interpretation of sclerophylly based on differences in the chemical composition of sclerophyllous and mesophytic leaves. Ann Bot 25: 168–184

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Luna-Orea P, Wagger MG, Gumpertz ML (1996) Decomposition and nutrient release dynamics of two tropical legume cover crops. Agron J 88: 758–764

    Google Scholar 

  • Mafongoya P, Dzowela BH, Nair PK (1997) Effect of multipurpose trees, age of cutting and drying method on pruning quality. In: Cadisch G, Giller KE (eds) Driven by nature: plant litter quality and decomposition. CAB International, Wallingford, UK, pp 167–174

    Google Scholar 

  • Magid J, Gorissen A, Giller KE (1996) In search of the elusive “active” fraction of soil organic matter: three size-density fractionation methods for tracing the fate of homogeneously “C-labelled plant materials. Soil Biol Biochem 28: 89–99

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Malik V (1997) Plant residue management in relation to soil fertility in a cropland ecosystem. PhD Thesis, Kurukshetra University, Kurukshetra, India, 161 pp

    Google Scholar 

  • Marstorp H (1996) Influence of soluble carbohydrates, free amino acids and protein content on the decomposition of Lolium multiflorum shoots. Biol Fertil Soils 21: 257–263

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Marstorp H (1997) Kinetically defined litter fractions based on respiration measurements. In: Cadisch G, Giller KE (eds) Driven by nature: plant litter quality and decomposition. CAB International, Wallingford, UK, pp 95–104

    Google Scholar 

  • Mary B, Recous S, Darwis D, Robin D (1996) Interactions between decomposition of plant residues and nitrogen cycling in soil. Plant Soil 181: 71–82

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • McCleary BV (1988) Soluble, dye-labeled polysaccharides for the assay of endohydrolases. Methods Enzymol 160: 74–86

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • McLellan TM, Aber JD, Martin ME (1991) Determination of nitrogen, lignin and cellulose content of decomposing leaf material by near infrared reflectance spectroscopy. Can J For Res 21: 1684–1688

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Melillo JM, Aber JD, Muratore JF (1982) Nitrogen and lignin control of hardwood leaf litter decomposition dynamics. Ecology 63: 621–626

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Miller GL (1959) Use of dinitrosalicylic acid reagent for determination of reducing sugar. Anal Chem 31: 426–428

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Mulvaney R (1993) Mass spectrometry. In: Knowles R, Blackburn TH (eds) Nitrogen isotope techniques. Academic Press, San Diego, pp 1–57

    Google Scholar 

  • Murphy PW (1962) A radioisotope method for determination of rate of disappearance of leaf litter in woodland. In: Murphy PW (ed) Progress in soil zoology. Butterworths, London, pp 357–363

    Google Scholar 

  • Nelson DW, Sommers LE (1982) Total carbon, organic carbon and organic matter. In: Page AL, Miller RH, Keeney DR (eds) Methods of soil analysis. Part 2. American Society of Agronomy, Madison, pp 539–579

    Google Scholar 

  • Norden B, Berg B (1990) A non-destructive method (solid state 13C NMR) for determining organic chemical components of decomposing litter. Soil Biol Biochem 22: 271–275

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ocio JA, Brookes PC (1990) An evaluation of methods for measuring the microbial biomass in soils following recent additions of wheat straw and the characterisation of the biomass that develops. Soil Biol Biochem 22: 685–694

    Google Scholar 

  • Ocio JA, Martinez J, Brookes PC (1991) Contribution of straw derived N to total microbial biomass N following incorporation of cereal straw to soil. Soil Biol Biochem 23:655–659 Olson JS (1963) Energy storage and the balance of producers and decomposers in ecological systems. Ecology 44: 322–331

    Google Scholar 

  • Ooshima H, Sakata M, Harand Y (1983) Adsorption of cellulase from Trichoderma viride on cellulose. Biotech Bioeng 25: 3103–3114

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Palm CA (1995) Contribution of agroforestry trees to nutrient requirements of intercropped plants. Agrofor Syst 30: 105–124

    Google Scholar 

  • Palm CA, Rowland AP (1997) A minimum dataset for characterization of plant quality for decomposition. In: Cadisch G, Giller KE (eds) Driven by nature: plant litter quality and decomposition. CAB International, Wallingford, UK, pp 379–392

    Google Scholar 

  • Palm CA, Sanchez PA (1990) Decomposition and nutrient release patterns of the leaves of three tropical legumes. Biotropica 22: 330–338

    Google Scholar 

  • Pruden G, Powlson DS, Jenkinson DS (1985a) Reduction of nitrate prior to Kjeldahl digestion. J Sci Food Agric 36: 71–73

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Pruden G, Powlson DS, Jenkinson DS (1985b) The measurement of 15N in soil and plant material. Fertil Res 6: 205–218

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Rowland AP, Roberts JD (1994) Lignin and cellulose fractionation in decomposition studies using acid-detergent fibre methods. Commun Soil Sci Plant Anal 25: 269–277

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ryan MC, Aravena R, Gillham RW (1995) The use of 13C natural abundance to investigate the turnover of the microbial biomass and active fractions of soil organic matter under two tillage treatments. In: Lal R, Kimble J, Levine E, Steward BA (eds) Advances in soil science: soils and global change. CRC Press, Boca Raton, pp 351–360

    Google Scholar 

  • Ryan MG, Melillo JM, Ricca A (1990) A comparison of methods for determining proximate carbon fractions of forest litter. Can J For Res 20: 166–171

    Google Scholar 

  • Schlesinger WH, Hasey MM (1981) Decomposition of chaparral shrub foliage: losses of organic and inorganic constituents from deciduous and evergreen leaves. Ecology 62: 762–774

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Scheu S, Wolters V (1991) Influence of fragmentation and bioturbation on the decomposition of C-labelled beech leaf litter. Soil Biol Biochem 23: 1029–1034

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Shen SM, Pruden G, Jenkinson DS (1984) Mineralization and immobilization of nitrogen in fumigated soil and the measurement of microbial biomass nitrogen. Soil Biol Biochem 16: 437–444

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Simpson TJ (1986) 13C-NMR in metabolic studies. In: Linskens HF, Jackson JF (eds) Modern methods of plant analysis, vol 2. Nuclear magnetic resonance. Springer, Berlin Heidelberg New York, pp 1–42

    Google Scholar 

  • Singh JS, Gupta SR (1977) Plant decomposition and soil respiration in terrestrial ecosystems. Bot Rev 43: 449–527

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Singh JS, Raghubanshi AS, Singh RS, Srivastava SC (1989) Microbial biomass acts as a source of plant nutrients in dry tropical forest and savanna. Nature 338: 449–500

    Google Scholar 

  • Singleton VL, Rossi JA Jr (1965) Colorimetry of total phenolics with phosphomolybdicphosphotungstic acid reagents. Am J Enol Vitic 16: 144–158

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Sinsabaugh RL, Findlay S (1995) Microbial production, enzyme activity and carbon turnover in surface sediments of the Hudson River Estuary. Microb Ecol 30: 127–141

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Sinsabaugh RL, Linkins AE (1988) Adsorption of cellulase components by leaf litter. Soil Biol Biochem 20: 927–931

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Sinsabaugh RL, Moorhead DL (1997) Synthesis of litter quality and enzymic approaches to decomposition modelling. In: Cadisch G, Giller KE (eds) Driven by nature: plant litter quality and decomposition. CAB International, Wallingford, UK, pp 363–375

    Google Scholar 

  • Skjemstad JO, Le Feuvre RP, Prebble RE (1990) Turnover of soil organic matter under pasture as determined by 13C natural abundance. Aust J Soil Res 28: 267–276

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Smith D (1969) Removing and analyzing total non-structural carbohydrates from plant tissue. Research report no 41. Research Division, University of Wisconsin, Madison, 11 pp Somogyi M (1952) Notes on sugar determination. J Biol Chem 195: 19–23

    Google Scholar 

  • Steen E, Larsson K (1986) Carbohydrates in roots and rhizomes of perennial grasses. New Phytol 104: 339–346

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Stotzky G (1965) Microbial respiration. In: Black CA et al. (eds) Methods of soil analysis, American Society of Agronomy, Madison, Wisconsin, pp 1550–1570

    Google Scholar 

  • Stotzky G (1997) Quantifying the metabolic activity of microbes in soil. In: Hurst CJ (ed) Manual of environmental microbiology. ASM Press, Washington, DC, pp 453–458

    Google Scholar 

  • Swift MJ (ed) (1986) Tropical soil biology and fertility: Interregional research planning workshop. Biology International, Paris, IUBS Special Issue 13, 68 pp

    Google Scholar 

  • Swift MJ, Heal OW, Anderson JM (1979) Decomposition in terrestrial ecosystems. Blackwell, Oxford, 362 pp

    Google Scholar 

  • Tanner EVJ (1981) The decomposition of leaf litter in Jamaican montane rain forests. J Ecol 69: 263–275

    Google Scholar 

  • TAPPI (1988) Water solubility of wood and pulp. T207 0M-88. Technical Association of the Pulp and Paper Industry, Atlanta, GA 2 pp

    Google Scholar 

  • Thompson RB (1996) Pulse-labelling a cover crop with 13C to follow its decomposition in soil under field conditions. Plant Soil 180: 49–55

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Tian G, Brussaard L, Kang BT (1995) An index for assessing the quality of plant residues and evaluating their effects on soil and crop in the (sub)-humid tropics. Appl Soil Ecol 2: 2532

    Google Scholar 

  • Trofymow JA, Preston CM, Prescott CE (1995) Litter quality and its potential effect on decay rates of materials from Canadian forests. Water Air Soil Pollut 82: 215–226

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • TSBF (1992) The biology and fertility of tropical soils. Tropical Soil Biology and Fertility Report 1992, 48 pp

    Google Scholar 

  • Upadhyay VP, Singh JS (1989) Patterns of nutrient immobilization and release in decomposing forest litter in Central Himalaya, India. J Ecol 77: 127–146

    Google Scholar 

  • Upadhyay VP, Singh JS, Meentemeyer V (1989) Dynamics and weight loss of leaf litter in central Himalayan forests: abiotic versus litter quality influences. J Ecol 77: 147–161

    Google Scholar 

  • Van Gestel M, Merckx R, Vlassak K (1993) Soil drying and rewetting and the turnover of “C-labelled plant residues: first order decay rates of biomass and non-biomass ”C. Soil Biol Biochem 25: 125–134

    Google Scholar 

  • Van Soest PJ (1963) Use of detergents in analysis of fibrous feeds. II. A rapid method for the determination of fibre and lignin. J Assoc Off Agric Chem 46: 829–835

    Google Scholar 

  • Van Soest PJ (1982) Nutritional ecology of the rumninant. O and B Books, Corvallis, Oregon, 374 pp Van Soest PJ, Wine RH (1968) Determination of lignin and cellulose in acid-detergent fibre with permanganate. J Assoc Off Agric Chem 51: 780–785

    Google Scholar 

  • Vanlauwe B, Diels J, Sanginga N, Merckx R (1997) Residue quality and decomposition: an unsteady relationship? In: Cadisch G, Giller KE (eds) Driven by nature: plant litter quality and decomposition. CAB International, Wallingford, UK, pp 157–166

    Google Scholar 

  • Waterman PG, Mole S (1994) Analysis of phenolic plant metabolites. Methods in ecology. Blackwell London, 238 pp

    Google Scholar 

  • Wieder RK, Lang GE (1982) A critique of the analytical methods used in examining decomposition data obtained from litter bags Ecology 63: 1636–1642

    Google Scholar 

  • Whistler RL, Richards EL (1970) Hemicelluloses. In: Pigman W, Horton D (eds) The carbohy drates–chemistry and biochemistry, vol IIA, 2nd ed: Academic Press, New York, pp 447–469 Woods PV, Raison RJ (1983) Decomposition of litter in sub-alpine forests of Eucalyptus delegatensis, E. pauciflora and E. dives. Aust J Ecol 8: 287–299

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Authors
  1. S. R. Gupta
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. V. Malik
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Goldberglein 7, D-91056, Erlangen, Germany

    Hans Ferdinand Linskens

  2. Department of Viticulture, Encology and Horticulture, Waite Agricultural Research Institute, University of Adelaide, 5064, Glen Osmond, S.A., Australia

    John F. Jackson

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 1999 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Gupta, S.R., Malik, V. (1999). Measurement of Leaf Litter Decomposition. In: Linskens, H.F., Jackson, J.F. (eds) Analysis of Plant Waste Materials. Modern Methods of Plant Analysis, vol 20. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-662-03887-1_7

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-662-03887-1_7

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-642-08431-7

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-662-03887-1

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation