Just dead leaves? Next to plant biomass production the decomposition of dead leaves and other plant litter is the second most important ecosystem process in the biosphere. | Photo: Leonhard Niederwimmer/Pixabay
The practical guide entitled Methods to Study Litter Decomposition is an extensive collection of methods for studying plant litter, vast quantities of which decompose on the forest floor and in forest streams, particularly after autumn leaf fall in temperate climates. The greatly expanded and revised 2nd edition of the book places special emphasis on stream ecosystems.
The guide intends to address students and established researchers seeking to expand their methods toolkit alike. Both well-established and new techniques are presented in a step-by-step format. The 63 chapters on 600 pages focus on the turnover of plant litter in ecosystems; chemical and physical litter properties; the determination, quantification and activity of microorganisms (fungi and bacteria) and litter-consuming invertebrates; as well as methods to analyse the collected data. Most of the presented protocols are also suitable for studying litter decomposition in other aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems, where the process plays an equally important role, as much in forests and grasslands as in mangroves and marshes.
Bärlocher, Felix, Gessner, Mark O., Graça, Manuel A.S. (Eds.) (2020) Methods to Study Litter Decomposition – A Practical Guide. Springer International Publishing. doi:10.1007/978-3-030-30515-4
