Litterfall from two forests exhibits different decomposition dynamics, as reveal

Question

Litterfall from two forests exhibits different decomposition dynamics, as revealed by an experiment: Litter bags all starting with 100 g of dry leaf litter in each forest are left to decompose over 36 months. Every 3 months, you collect litterbags and dry and weigh their contents. The average daily mass loss for Forest #1’s leaf litter is 0.2%. The average daily mass loss for Forest #2’s leaf litter is 0.3%.

a) How many g of Forest #1 and Forest #2’s leaf litter are left, on average, in each litter bag after 1 year?

b) How many g of Forest #1 and Forest #2’s leaf litter are left, on average, in each litter bag after 2 years?

c) List two key reasons that might drive the differences in these forests’ litterfall’s decay rates if Forest #1 and Forest #2 have exactly the same climate regimes.

d) List two additional reasons (distinct from those in 3c) that might drive the differences in these forests’ litterfall’s decay rates if you further learned that Forest #1 and Forest #2 are dominated by two different species of pine (forest #1) and sugar maple (forest #2).

Explanation / Answer

** I am taking into consideration, that you have done the first two answers (according to your comments). I am answering 'c' and‘d’ now.

c. Difference in decay rate occurs when there is difference in climate. Here, the climate regimes of the two forests are same. This means that decay rate is differing due to some other reasons apart from climate. One reason could be the category of litter in Forest 1 and Forest 2. Soft tissue are decayed fast. On the other hand, sclerenchymatous hard tissue decays late. Plants which have moister warmer conditions decay fast. Young leaves decay fast than older leaves. Second, the type of soil present in the forest matters. Soil having high porosity will harbor more decomposers and will thus increase the decomposition rate.

d. One forest is dominated by two species of Pine. White pine and Longleaf pine are moderately resistant to decay. On the other hand, the second forest is dominated by Maple, which is non- resistant to decay. Assuming that Forest #1 is dominated by decay resistant species of pine, we can say that decay rate will be higher in Forest 2 which is dominated by Maple. That is what is shown in the data given in question (0.3% for forest #2

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