Fine Root Litter Research Articles

Efficacy of root litter as a biofertiliser

The efficacy ofLeucaena leucocephala root litter as a natural biological fertiliser was assessed usingZea mays as a test plant. Up to 8% of the fine roots of the plants constituted root litter. This fine root litter was better than that ofTrigonella foenum-graecum at increasing the growth and productivity ofZea mays. The root litter increased the growth of maize shoots more than the growth of roots. This appears to be a general phenomenon when plant nutrients are insufficient, as in the present study.

Analysis of leaf and fine root litter from a subtropical montane rain forest by pyrolysis—gas chromatography/mass spectrometry

As a preliminary part of a larger study on litter decomposition in tropical forests, pyrolysis—gas chromatography/mass spectrometry, Fourier transform-infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) and conventional wet chemistry methods were used to determine the composition of tropical leaf and fine root tissue, and the quality of the tissue acting as a substrate for decay. Wet chemistry fiber analysis of Sierra Palm ( Prestoea montana) and Tabonuco ( Dacryodes excelsa) samples suggested high total lignin contents which were not supported by the other techniques. Results showed a high amount of phenol being produced during the pyrolysis of Sierra Palm, and lower total lignin content than that measured by wet chemistry. Typical FT-IR spectra and pyrograms with peak identification and quantitative data are reported.

Predicting long-term patterns of mass loss, nitrogen dynamics, and soil organic matter formation from initial fine litter chemistry in temperate forest ecosystems

Long-term decomposition data are presented for several types of foliar and fine root litter in different stands in Wisconsin and Massachusetts, U.S.A. Changes in mass remaining as well as nitrogen and carbon fraction (extractives, cellulose, lignin) concentration are reported. Three models were developed for describing change in mass remaining with time: a litter-specific exponential decay function (statistical fit of data for each litter type), a generalized exponential decay function (k predicted from initial litter chemistry), and a carbon fraction model that calculates the weight loss of each carbon fraction individually as a function of current carbon chemistry regardless of litter type. The exponential decay function fits all litter data well for the portion of decomposition described here, but would not be appropriate for modeling longer term decomposition. Both the generalized and carbon fraction models predicted weight loss accurately. All litter types had similar carbon fraction chemistries at the end of the first phase of decomposition described here and also exhibited a narrow range of changes in nitrogen concentration per unit weight loss. It is concluded that the length of time required to convert litter into soil organic matter and the chemistry of the material produced by this process can be predicted from initial litter chemistry and (or) relatively short-term litter decay data. Key words: immobilization, mineralization, humus, lignin, cellulose, extractives.