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A meta-analysis of critique of litterbag method used in examining decomposition of leaf litters

  • Soils, Sec 1 • Soil Organic Matter Dynamics and Nutrient Cycling • Research Article
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Abstract

Purpose

Despite its wide application in determining litter decomposition rates, the litterbag method has not well been examined involving some criteria, especially the sample weight and placement of litterbags.

Materials and methods

A comprehensive database of leaf litter decomposition in China was established, including 877 datasets, to examine the controlling factors of litterbag method at the large scale.

Results and discussion

Researchers preferentially chose 1 mm, 1 year, 10 g per litterbag, and laying the litterbags on the soil surface as mesh size, incubation duration, litter sample weight, and placement, respectively. The decomposition rate positively correlated with the mesh size and negatively correlated with the incubation duration. Increasing sample weight reduced the decomposition rate, which is not reported by previous studies, probably due to the decreases of exposure of litters. The decomposition rates were overestimated by burying the litterbags in the soil.

Conclusions

Leaf litter decomposition rate was influenced by the criteria of litterbag method. To ensure the data comparability and further carbon modeling, the sample weight and placement of litterbags should be taken into consideration.

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Funding

This study was financially supported by the Natural Science Foundation of Jiangxi, China (20171BAB214010) and Doctoral Scientific Research Foundation of East China University of Technology (DHBK2016108).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Jiangxi Province Key Laboratory of the causes and control of Atmospheric pollution, School of Water Resources and Environmental Engineering, East China University of Technology, Nanchang, 330013, China

    Yajun Xie

  2. Dongting Lake Station for Wetland Ecosystem Research, Institute of Subtropical Agriculture, The Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changsha, 410125, China

    Yajun Xie

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  1. Yajun Xie
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Correspondence to Yajun Xie.

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Responsible editor: Zucong Cai

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Xie, Y. A meta-analysis of critique of litterbag method used in examining decomposition of leaf litters. J Soils Sediments 20, 1881–1886 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11368-020-02572-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11368-020-02572-9

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