Ecological studies on three contrasting Scottish oakwoods II. Litter decomposition

Abstract

Summary The small litter layer mass was measured on four occasions in three ancient contrasting Scottish oakwoods and the mean values (for total small litter) were (t ha-1): Ross Point Wood, 3.05; Gartfairn Wood, 2.51; and Methven Wood, 3.28. Decomposition constants were calculated (using earlier data for litterfall input) using different formulae which are discussed. Decomposition was fastest at Gartfairn and slowest at Ross. An experiment was set up to measure the disappearance of bagged oak leaves in meshes of different sizes. The least difference between mesh sizes was observed at Ross which has more acid soils and almost certainly least invertebrate activity. It was found that a linear decomposition model fitted the bagged leaf data best. The rates of disappearance followed the same rank order as those calculated from the litter input/litter layer data but the absolute rates were much slower for the bagged leaves. The patterns of nutrient release with time varied from element to element. Nitrogen and...