Abstract
Investigation of leaf litter processing in a Colorado mountain stream revealed that processing of alder (Alnus tenuifolia), willow (Salix bebbiana), and aspen (Populus tremuloides) occurred at rapid rates despite water temperatures at or near 0°C. Pine (Pinus ponderosa) was processed much more slowly. The loss rate coefficient (k) ranged from .0038 for pine to .0308 for alder. The high biomass of shredders per gram of leaf pack is a likely explanation for the rapid processing. Whereas a few large shredders per leaf pack are generally characteristic of eastern woodland streams, a large number of small—sized shredders (Capnia and Zapada) colonized leaf packs in the Colorado mountain stream. The numbers and biomass of collectors per leaf pack were directly related (P < .01) to the ash—free dry mass of fine organic particles (75—1000 @mm) indicating the importance of fine particulate organic matter in determining the suitability of leaf litter as habitat for fine particle—feeding detritivores.
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