Abiotic and Biotic Factors in Litter Decomposition in a Sermiarid Grassland

@article{Vossbrinck1979AbioticAB,
  title={Abiotic and Biotic Factors in Litter Decomposition in a Sermiarid Grassland},
  author={Charles R. Vossbrinck and David C. Coleman and Tyler A. Woolley},
  journal={Ecology},
  year={1979},
  volume={60},
  pages={265-271}
}
Decomposition of grass leaf litter was studied on a shortgrass prairie using chemicals (HgC12 and CuSO4) to prevent microbial activity (abiotic treatment), 53-/im nylon mesh to exclude mesofauna (microbial treatment), and 1-mm nylon mesh to allow the access of mesofauna. After 9 months, 15.2% of the blue grama grass litter was decomposed in the microbial treatment, and 29.4% was decomposed in the microbial plus mesofaunal treatment. After 7 months, 7.2% of the litter had disappeared from the… 
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135 Citations

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Results suggest abiotic processes other than leaching have little effect on the decomposition of buried litter in this environment.
Do soil organisms affect aboveground litter decomposition in the semiarid Patagonian steppe, Argentina?
TLDR
Although soil fauna have been mentioned as a key control of litter decomposition in warm deserts, biogeographic legacies and temperature limitation may constrain the importance of these organisms in temperate aridlands, particularly in the southern hemisphere.
Photoacceleration of plant litter decomposition in an arid environment.
A two-year study of leaf litter decomposition as related to macroclimatic factors and microarthropod abundance in the southern Appalachians
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Role of soil fauna in decomposition of rice and sorghum straw
This study examines the mass loss patterns and meso-invertebrate populations during rice and sorghum straw decomposition, using litter-bag technique, in an agricultural system at Kurukshetra…
THE INFLUENCE OF SOIL BIOTA ON DECOMPOSITION OF PLANT MATERIAL IN A GYPSUM SAND DUNE HABITAT
TLDR
Tarsonemid mites were the most abundant soil microarthropods in the litter during most of the year and Collembola and Psocoptera were extracted from litter bags following wet, cool periods, indicating the presence of soil microArthropods uncoupled decomposition processes from abiotic constraints.
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References

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