Soil characteristics determine soil carbon and nitrogen availability during leaf litter decomposition regardless of litter quality

Climate and litter quality have been identified as major drivers of litter decomposition, but our knowledge of how soil characteristics (e.g. microbial community and chemical properties) determine carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) availability derived from the decomposition of litter of different qualities is still scarce. We conducted a microcosm experiment to evaluate how soils with contrasting microbial communities and soil properties (denoted Soils A and B hereafter, where Soil B has higher bacterial and fungal abundance, fungal:bacterial ratio, and organic C than Soil A) determine the availability of soil C (carbohydrates, proteins, amino acids and phenols) and N (dissolved organic and inorganic N, microbial biomass N and available N) during the decomposition of litter of contrasting quality (C:N ratios ranging from 20 to 102). We also evaluated the relative importance of soil characteristics and litter quality as drivers of C and N inputs to the soil during this process. Overall, higher soil C and N availability after litter decomposition was found in Soil B than in Soil A. Soil characteristics had a higher positive effect on soil C and N contents than litter quality during litter decomposition. We also found that changes in N availability and organic matter quality registered after litter decomposition, linked to different soil characteristics, were able to promote dissimilarities in the potential mineralization rates. In conclusion, our study provides evidence that soil characteristics (e.g. microbial communities and chemical properties) can be more important than litter quality in determining soil C and equally important for N availability during the decomposition of leaf litter.     

Microbial activity and leaching during initial oak leaf litter decomposition

The decomposition of oak leaf litter was studied by means of a litterbag experiment in an oak forest in the Netherlands. The contribution of microbial activity and leaching to weight loss and element dynamics during the first 6 weeks of decomposition was investigated by means of frequent respiration measurements and extractions of the litter and by a qualitative comparison of throughfall and litter percolation water chemistry. The oak-leaf litter lost 9.3% of its initial dry weight during the first 6 weeks. In total, 90% of this observed weight loss was explained by the processes studied. About 5.9% (64% of the total) of this weight loss was attributed to microbial tespiration and 0.5% (5%) to the loss of inorganic solutes. Leaching of dissolved organic compounds was estimated to account for 2.0% (21%). The results indicated a fast leaching of K and Cl out of the fresh litter during the first 2 weeks, while Mg, Fe, Mn, Si, ortho P, and dissolved organic N were released at a much lower rate. At the same time, small amounts of H⁺, NH _inf4 ^sup+ and NO _inf3 ^sup- were retained in the litter.     

Home-field advantage accelerates leaf litter decomposition in forests

Several leaf litter decay studies have indicated that decomposition occurs more rapidly when litter is placed beneath the plant species from which it had been derived than beneath a different plant species (i.e. home-field advantage, HFA), although support for this notion has not been universal. We provide the first quantification of HFA in relation to leaf litter decomposition using published litter mass loss data from forest ecosystems in North America, South America, and Europe. Our findings indicate that HFA is widespread in forest ecosystems; on average litter mass loss was 8% faster at home than away. We hypothesize that HFA results from specialization of the soil biotic community in decomposing litter derived from the plant above it. Climate and initial litter quality data can be used to explain about 70% of the variability in litter decomposition at a global scale, leaving about 30% unexplained. We suggest that HFA be recognized as a factor that explains some of this remaining variability.     

Succession of collembolan communities during decomposition of leaf and root litter: Effects of litter type and position

Little is known about the collembolan community involved in the decomposition of fine root (≤2.0 mm in diameter) litter, which is largely different from leaves in both litter quality and position. The collembolan communities involved in root and leaf litter decomposition were compared in a litterbag experiment in a coniferous forest of Chamaecyparis obtusa. A two-factor experiment (litter type × litter position) was conducted to evaluate the relative effects of litter quality and position. Litterbags of roots and leaves were each placed at two positions (on the soil surface and in the soil), and were collected at seven different times over three years. Abundance and biomass of Collembola involved in root decomposition in the soil were higher than those involved in leaf decomposition on the soil surface, and the collembolan community composition largely differed between these two types of litterbag. Differences between root and leaf decomposition were mainly caused by litter position, but effects of litter type were also detected at species-level. Species that preferred roots were abundant at an early stage of litter decomposition in the soil. Because the early stage of decomposition in the soil is naturally achieved only by root litter initially deposited in the soil, root litter may function as an essential resource for certain species. The results of this study indicate that root litter contributes to collembolan community organization as a spatially and qualitatively different resource than leaf litter. This also suggests that root litter is decomposed via different soil faunal processes than leaf litter.     

Microbial activity and quality changes during decomposition of Quercus ilex leaf litter in three Mediterranean woods

Changes in enzyme activities during litter decomposition provide diagnostic information on the dynamics of decay and functional microbial succession. Here we report a comparative study of enzyme activities involved in the breakdown of major plant components and of other key parameters (microbial respiration, fungal biomass, N, lignin and cellulose contents) in homogeneous leaf litter of Quercus ilex L. incubated in three evergreen oak woods in Southern Italy (Campania), differing for chemical and physical soil characteristics and microclimatic conditions. The results showed that the litter mass loss rates were similar in the three wood sites. Independently of the incubation sites, cellulase, xylanase and peroxydase activities showed seasonal variations with maximum and minimum levels in wet and dry periods, respectively, and this pattern closely matched microbial respiration. Activities of α- and β-amylase, instead, were high at the beginning of incubation and quickly decreased with decomposition progress because their substrate was rapidly depleted. Laccase activity, in contrast, was low at the beginning of incubation but after 6 months it increased significantly. The increase of laccase activity was correlated to an increase in fungal biomass, probably reflecting a major shift in the litter microbial community. As concerns quality changes, N and lignin content did not significantly change during decay. The cellulosic component started being degraded after about 6 months in the litter incubated in two of the three wood sites and from the start of decomposition in the third site. Apart from minor differences in the levels of certain enzyme activities, the data showed that the functional microbial succession involved in the decomposition of Q. ilex leaf litter did not change appreciably in response to differences in soil and microclimatic conditions in the incubation sites.     

Microbial biomass dynamics during the decomposition of leaf litter of poplar and eucalyptus in a sandy loam

Soil microbiological properties during decomposition of leaf litter of poplar (Populus deltoides) and eucalyptus (Eucalyptus tereticornis) were studied under laboratory conditions. Microbial biomass C and ninhydrin-N were measured at different intervals up to 90 days following incorporation of poplar and eucalyptus leaves separately @ 20 and 100t ha^-1. In general, the net increase in total biomass C or ninhydrin N following amendment was larger in the soils which received poplar leaves than in the soils that received eucalyptus leaves. The amounts of biomass C, at day 90, in the soils which received eucalyptus leaves @ 20 and 100 t ha^-1 was about half and one-third, respectively, that of the soils that received poplar leaves at the same rates. Similarly, the field soils naturally receiving eucalyptus leaf litter contained about half the amounts of biomass C or ninhydrin N of the soils that received poplar leaf litter. In contrast, the amounts of organic C and total N were more in soils which received eucalyptus leaves both in the laboratory experiment and under field conditions than in the soils that received poplar leaves, indicating that the decomposition of eucalyptus leaves in soils was slower than that of poplar leaves. The ratio of biomass C/soil organic C in soils receiving eucalyptus leaves was about 2–4 times lower than those in soils with no admendment or soils receiving poplar leaves. These results, therefore, suggest that the allelochemicals released into soil during decomposition of eucalyptus leaves had a toxic effect on soil microorganisms and may thus affect the nutrient cycling and hence soil fertility.     

Laccase and peroxidase isoenzymes during leaf litter decomposition of Quercus ilex in a Mediterranean ecosystem

The dynamics of leaf litter decomposition of Quercus ilex (L.) were investigated over a 2 year period by determining the activities and isoenzyme distribution of laccases and peroxidases. The analysis of isoenzymes was performed by isoelectric focusing on high stability pH gradients with high resolving power. The preparation of zymograms was carried out using the leaf litter extract without previous concentration. During litter decomposition, laccase and peroxidase activities changed as well as the type and number of enzyme isoforms. The activities of both enzymes were low (≤0.017 and ≤0.031 mmol o-tolidine oxidized h⁻¹ g⁻¹ d.w. for laccase and peroxidase, respectively) in first year and increased in October-January of the second year of litter decay. The highest activities measured after 15-18 months of litter exposure (0.37±0.03 and 0.19±0.02 mmol o-tolidine oxidized h⁻¹ g⁻¹ d.w. for laccase and peroxidase, respectively), showed that litter chemical composition affected the growth of ligninolytic microbial community. The activation energy for laccase and peroxidase reactions also changed during decomposition: the highest values (55±6 kJ mol⁻¹ for laccase and 60±6 kJ mol⁻¹ for peroxidase) occurred in autumn-winter, even if spatial changes were evidenced. Some enzyme isoforms (pI=5.3 and 5.5 for laccase and pI=5.0 and 5.1 for peroxidase, respectively), contributed more than others to the overall laccase and peroxidase activity, suggesting that some ligninolytic species bloomed in particular seasons of the year, even if other species with similar functional activities colonized the litter.     

Lignin and cellulose degradation and nitrogen dynamics during decomposition of three leaf litter species in a Mediterranean ecosystem

Cellulose and lignin degradation dynamics was monitored during the leaf litter decomposition of three typical species of the Mediterranean area, Cistus incanus L., Myrtus communis L. and Quercus ilex L., using the litter bag method. Total N and its distribution among lignin, cellulose and acid-detergent-soluble fractions were measured and related to the overall decay process. The litter organic substance of Cistus and Myrtus decomposed more rapidly than that of Quercus. The decay constants were 0.47 year⁻¹, 0.75 year⁻¹ and 0.30 year⁻¹ for Cistus, Myrtus and Quercus, respectively. Lignin and cellulose contents were different as were their relative amounts (34 and 18%, 15 and 37%, 37 and 39% of the overall litter organic matter before exposure, for Cistus, Myrtus and Quercus, respectively). Lignin began to decrease after 6 and 8 months of exposure in Cistus and Myrtus, respectively, while it did not change significantly during the entire study period in Quercus. The holocellulose, in contrast, began to decompose in Cistus after 1 year, while in Quercus and Myrtus immediately. Nitrogen was strongly immobilized in all the litters in the early period of decay. Its release began after the first year in Cistus and Myrtus and after 2 years of decomposition in Quercus. These litters still contained about 60, 20 and 90% of the initial nitrogen at the end of the experiment (3 years). Prior to litter exposure nitrogen associated with the lignin fraction was 65, 54 and 37% in Cistus, Myrtus and Quercus, while that associated with the cellulose fraction was 30, 24 and 28%. Although most of the nitrogen was not lost from litters, its distribution among the litter components changed significantly during decomposition. In Cistus and Myrtus the nitrogen associated with lignin began to decrease just 4 months after exposure. In Quercus this process was slowed and after 3 years of decomposition 8% of the nitrogen remained associated with lignin or lignin-like substances. The nitrogen associated with cellulose or cellulose-like substances, in contrast, began to decrease from the beginning of cellulose decomposition in all three species. At the end of the study period most of the nitrogen was not associated to the lignocellulose fraction but to the acid-detergent-soluble substance (87, 88 and 84% of the remaining litter nitrogen).     

Experimental evidence for the interacting effects of forest edge,moisture and soil macrofauna on leaf litter decomposition

Forest ecosystems have been widely fragmented by human land use. Fragmentation induces significant microclimatic and biological differences at the forest edge relative to the forest interior. Increased exposure to solar radiation and wind at forest edges reduces soil moisture, which in turn affects leaf litter decomposition. We investigate the effect of forest fragmentation, soil moisture, soil macrofauna and litter quality on leaf litter decomposition to test the hypothesis that decomposition will be slower at a forest edge relative to the interior and that this effect is driven by lower soil moisture at the forest edge. Experimental plots were established at Wytham Woods, UK, and an experimental watering treatment was applied in plots at the forest edge and interior. Decomposition rate was measured using litter bags of two different mesh sizes, to include or exclude invertebrate macrofauna, and containing leaf litter of two tree species: easily decomposing ash (Fraxinus excelsior L.) and recalcitrant oak (Quercus robur L.). The decomposition rate was moisture-limited at both sites. However, the soil was moister and decomposition for both species was faster in the forest interior than at the edge. The presence of macrofauna accelerated the decomposition rate regardless of moisture conditions, and was particularly important in the decomposition of the recalcitrant oak. However, there was no effect of the watering treatment on macrofauna species richness and abundance. This study demonstrates the effect of forest fragmentation on an important ecosystem process, providing new insights into the interacting effects of moisture conditions, litter quality, forest edge and soil macrofauna.     

Bacterial dynamics during decomposition of alder litter

Different groups of aerobic and anaerobic bacteria were enumerated in decomposing alder litter (Alnus glutinosa) and the underlying soil. Unspecific media with soil extract were used for total counts and media with single carbon compounds or different nitrogen compounds for specific functional groups.The numbers of aerobic, amylolytic and proteolytic bacteria were high after litter fall and decreased towards the end of decomposition. The fluctuations in the anaerobic groups of organisms were mainly influenced by moisture. The numbers of denitrifiers in the soil were highest during decomposition of litter in the winter, while the numbers of ammonifiers in litter were always high.     

Influence of metals on solubility of soil organic matter

Treatment of the alkali-soluble organic matter of soil with a cation-exchange resin resin (Amberlite IR 120, H⁺ form) strongly modified the solubility characteristics of the organic matter, even though only part of the metals was removed. Two or more types of sorption sites were involved in the binding of metals by soil organic matter. The Amberlite removable metals interfered with the separation of humic from fulvic acid.     

Temperature and moisture dependence of decomposition rates of hardwood and coniferous leaf litter

Samples of fresh (autumn) and of year-old (late summer) deciduous forest-leaf litter and humus, and of Douglas fir fine litter and humus, were wetted to known moisture content, nominally between 200 and 40% water (dry basis), and maintained at constant temperatures between 10° and 40°C. Rates of CO₂ production were measured by KOH absorption and titration. Decomposition rate was found to be a linear function of log — (water potential), and to approach a maximum near 40°C. The temperature-dependence was consistent with models based on irreversible heat inactivation of a rate-controlling enzyme, also with Eyring's “absolute reaction rate” theory for reactions controlled by a reversibly inactivated enzyme. Activation energies were 66.8–67.3 kJ mol⁻¹ for litter, and 61.4–67.5 kJ mol⁻¹ for humus decomposition; for enzyme inactivation energies were 150–154 kJ mol⁻¹.     

不同高粱种质对污染土壤中重金属吸收的研究

利用重金属含量较高的污水污染土壤,以未污染土壤作对照,种植8个甜高粱品种、2个饲用高粱品种和1个粒用高粱品种,检测8种重金属在高粱植物体内不同器官的含量,以研究不同高粱种质对重金属的吸收特性。结果表明:甜高粱对汞(Hg)、镉(Cd)、锰(Mn)和锌(Zn)的吸收在两种土壤间差异显著,对钴(Co)、铬(Cr)、铅(Pb)和铜(Cu)的吸收差异不显著。Mn在甜高粱体内含量表现为未污染土壤高于污染土壤;而Zn含量在不同器官之间存在差异,未污染土壤叶中含量远高于穗,穗中含量远高于茎和根。不同重金属在甜高粱体内的储存部位不同,污染土壤上Hg、Cd、Co、Cr和Zn在根中积累量较高,Cu、Mn和Pb在穗中的积累量较高。甜高粱、饲用高粱和粒用高粱对重金属的吸收、运输及储存在品种之间差异较大,同一品种对不同重金属的吸收也存在差异。饲用高粱表现为叶部对Cr和Zn的储存量较高,而粒用高粱‘晋中0823’则显示了茎对多种重金属的储存能力。高粱根对土壤中重金属的富集系数较高,为0.02(Pb)~0.23(Cd),转移系数变幅为0.21(Co)~3.42(Pb)。对同一种重金属的吸收量品种间差异较大,甜高粱‘西蒙’根对Co、Cr、Cu、Mn、Pb和Zn具有高富集系数,粒用高粱‘晋中0823’茎对Hg、Cd、Mn、Pb和Zn富集系数较高。高粱对重金属的吸收能力与转移能力不同步,甜高粱‘绿能1号’具有对多种重金属的高转移能力,粒用高粱‘晋中0823’只对Zn有较高的转移能力。因此本文认为甜高粱对不同重金属的吸收和转移有选择性。对Zn吸收并转移到地上部后,首先储存在叶和穗中,当吸收量足够大时,茎和根也成为储存器官;对Mn的吸收与其他重金属的吸收存在竞争作用,Hg吸收后很少向地上部转移;而对Cu、Mn和Pb吸收后在穗部的储存量较大。饲用高粱与甜高粱相比对重金属的吸收未显示明显的不同,甜高粱‘西蒙’根对多种重金属具有强储存能力,而粒用高粱‘晋中0823’的茎秆显示了比甜高粱更强的储存能力,甜高粱‘绿能1号’对多种重金属的转移能力较强。所以,选择富集和转移能力均强的高粱品种能更有效地吸收土壤中的重金属,达到修复污染土壤的目的。     

Adsorption and solubility of ten metals in soil samples of different composition

We conducted batch experiments for ten metals [Mg, Cr(III), Fe(III), Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Sr, Cd, Pb] and four soil samples of different composition to determine the relation of the soluble fraction (’intensity’︁) to an adsorbed or precipitated metal pool (’quantity’︁) and, thus, to investigate the buffer function of soils. The soil samples were spiked with 6 to 12 exponentially increasing metal doses added as metal nitrates. The native metal pool involved in sorption processes was characterized by an extraction with 0.025 M (NH₄)₂EDTA (pH 4.6). The quantity-intensity (Q/I) relations of eight metals [except Cr(III) and Fe(III)] were governed by sorption and complexation processes and can be fitted by Freundlich isotherms. Q/I relations for Cr(III) and two soils indicate a sorption maximum, which can be approximated with the Langmuir isotherm. In a calcareous soil high Cr doses induced the precipitation of a Cr oxide. The solution concentrations of Fe are primarily a function of the pH-dependent solubility of ferrihydrite. For all metals pH was the predominant factor controlling the partitioning between the solid and the liquid phase. Drastic losses in the buffer function of soils primarily occurred in the slightly acidic range. Furthermore, adsorption was also metal specific. On the basis of median Freundlich K values, adsorption increased in the order [median K_F values and K_F range (mg kg^—1) in brackets]: Mg (2.9: 0.9—19) < Sr (4.7: 0.6—21) << Co (17.7: 1.1—143) < Zn (26.7: 1.8—301) = Ni (27.6: 2.4—120) < Cd (71: 2.5—405) << Cr(III) (329: 45—746) < Cu (352: 30—1200) < Pb (1730: 76—4110).     

Effects of the ecological restoration practices of prescribed burning and mechanical thinning on soil microbial enzyme activities and leaf litter decomposition

The effects of ecological restoration on belowground processes such as decomposition are generally unknown. To assess the immediate effects of prescribed fire and mechanical thinning on belowground processes, we measured the activities of five extracellular enzymes (phosphatase, β-glucosidase, β-N-acetylglucosaminidase, phenol oxidase, and lignin-peroxidase) in soils and on decomposing Quercus falcata leaf litter in unburned, burned, and burned and thinned plots in a mesic forest in northern Mississippi. Decomposition rates of Q. falcata leaf litter were also assessed at each plot. Soil phosphatase activity decreased after a prescribed burn and was related to an increase in soil organic matter in plots that had been burned. Soil β-N-acetylglucosaminidase activity increased after a burn, and was related to a decrease in leaf litter. Leaf litter enzyme activity showed no consistent patterns amongst treatments, or between individual enzymes, while decomposition rates of leaf litter were slightly accelerated in the treatment plots, but not significantly so. Decomposition rates were related to cumulative enzyme activity, with phenol oxidase and lignin-peroxidase having the highest apparent efficiencies in degrading the leaf material. Overall, the microbial degradation of Q. falcata leaf litter was more efficient in plots that were burned and thinned than in the other plots. Increases in the efficiency of litter decomposition coupled with reductions in litter inputs due to canopy thinning likely allows for increased solar penetration to the soil, and could promote the restoration of the shade-intolerant species that once dominated the understory. Post-burn increases in β-N-acetylglucosaminidase activity and decreases in phosphatase activity also suggest a potential shift in the soil community from phosphorus limitation to nitrogen limitation following a fire.     

Leaf litter decomposition and soil microarthropods affected by sulphur dioxide fallout

A field experiment was set up in northeastern Italy to investigate the effects of sulphur dioxide fallout on leaf litter decomposition rates and soil microarthropods. The pollution fallout, which affected part of the Po River delta, originated from the activity of an oil-fired power plant located at Isola Camerini (Porto Tolle, Rovigo). Four sampling sites, exposed to different amounts of pollutant fallout, were selected along the river bank. Two sites, located 1·5 km from the power-plant stack, received minimum sulphur dioxide fallout and were used as controls; two high-deposition sites were about 13 km away from the power-plant settlement. Soil cores were taken to compare sulphur concentrations in the upper layers of the sampling site soil profiles. Litter bags filled with plant material of various types, laid down over two consecutive sampling periods, were used to study leaf litter decomposition and sulphur accumulation on plant tissues. Microarthropods were extracted from the litter bags by means of a modified Tullgren apparatus. Soil chemical analysis showed the highest sulphur concentrations at the high pollutant deposition sites along the plume path. Litter bag dry weight loss over time was reduced by sulphur accumulation in plant tissues. Sulphur accumulation in litter bags gave an indirect measure of the differential pollutant deposition over the land. High-deposition sampling sites showed a significant reduction in the total number of some decomposers. Collembola, in particular, appeared to be a robust bio-indicator of pollutant fallout. Conclusions were drawn about the possible detrimental effects of sulphur compounds on soil and leaf chemistry, litter decomposition and microarthropod decomposer populations.© 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Partitioning of carbon and nitrogen during decomposition of 13C15N‐labeled beech and ash leaf litter

The aim of this study was to determine the influence of leaf‐litter type (i.e., European beech—Fagus sylvatica L. and European ash—Fraxinus excelsior L.) and leaf‐litter mixture on the partitioning of leaf‐litter C and N between the O horizon, the topsoil, the soil microbial biomass, and the CO₂ emission during decomposition. In a mature beech stand of Hainich National Park, Thuringia, Germany, undisturbed soil cores (?? 24 cm) were transferred to plastic cylinders and the original leaf litter was either replaced by ¹³C¹⁵N‐labeled beech or ash leaf litter, or leaf‐litter‐mixture treatments in which only one of the two leaf‐litter types was labeled. Leaf‐litter‐derived CO₂‐C flux was measured every second week over a period of one year. Partitioning of leaf‐litter C and N to the soil and microbial biomass was measured 5 and 10 months after the start of the experiment. Ash leaf litter decomposed faster than beech leaf litter. The decomposition rate was negatively related to initial leaf‐litter lignin and positively to initial Ca concentrations. The mixture of both leaf‐litter types led to enhanced decomposition of ash leaf litter. However, it did not affect beech leaf‐litter decomposition. After 5 and 10 months of in situ incubation, recoveries of leaf‐litter‐derived C and N in the O horizon (7%–20% and 9%–35%, respectively) were higher than in the mineral soil (1%–5% and 3%–8%, respectively) showing no leaf‐litter‐type or leaf‐litter‐mixture effect. Partitioning of leaf‐litter‐derived C and N to microbial biomass in the upper mineral soil (< 1% of total leaf‐litter C and 2%–3% of total leaf‐litter N) did not differ between beech and ash. The results show that short‐term partitioning of leaf‐litter C and N to the soil after 10 months was similar for ash and beech leaf litter under standardized field conditions, even though mineralization was faster for ash leaf litter than for beech leaf litter.     

Analysis of leaf and needle litter decomposition by differential scanning calorimetry and differential thermogravimetry

Summary Changes in the physicochemical properties of three kinds of litter (Prunus serotina leaves, Carpinus betulus leaves, and Pinus sylvestris needles) were analyzed by differential scanning calorimetry and differential thermogravimetry after decomposition for 12 to 27 months under field conditions. As expected, holocellulose was always decomposed to a larger extent than the corresponding lignin components, leading to an enrichment of lignin in the residue. These lignins were more or less modified depending on the plant species. Moreover, the results suggest that energy-rich crystalline cellulose accumulates during decomposition at the expense of easier degradable amorphous cellulose and hemicelluloses. The quotient Q, from the corresponding calorimetry and thermogravimetry values, was introduced to estimate the specific energy content as a measure for the decomposition of litter components.Dedicated to the late Prof. Dr. W. Kühnelt     

Influence of microarthropod abundance and climatic factors on weight loss and mineral nutrient contents of Eucalyptus leaf litter during decomposition

Summary Densities of the different taxa of microarthropods per gram of litter in litter bags varied widely from the rainy to the dry season. Collembola and Acarina constituted more than 86% of the total microarthropods, and occurred in significantly greater numbers in the coarse-mesh bags than the fine-mesh bags. There were no fauna in the litter of suspended bags. The average weight loss was greater in the coarse-mesh bags (50.4%) than in the fine-mesh bags (44.5%), and the suspended bags (7.4%). Similarly, the concentrations of N and Ca were greater in the litter of coarse-mesh bags compared to that of the fine-mesh bags. In contrast, the concentrations of P and K were comparatively lower in coarse-mesh bags. The mass loss of litter showed a negative linear correlation with the total Collembola and with litter temperature. The N concentrations in the litter in both the mesh bags showed negative correlations with the abundance of total Collembola, and with that of Lepidocyrtus sp. and Sminthuridae, and rainfall. The N concentration in the litter in the coarse-mesh bags was positively correlated with the total number of arthropods but, surprisingly, was negatively correlated with the total number of Acarina. The concentration of Ca showed negative correlations with rainfall and litter moisture only. The P concentration showed positive correlations with total Collembola, with Lepidocyrtus sp. and Sminthuridae in both the mesh bags, with rainfall in the fine-mesh bags, and with total microarthropods in the coarse-mesh bags.