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Comparing Leaf Litter Quantities Among Plant Communities

Comparing Leaf Litter Quantities Among Plant Communities. By Barney, Rachael, Crystal, Cam, Puja, Nate Atlantic Forest, Brazil SEE-U 2000. Introduction. Leaf litter production and decomposition is an important biotic process affecting forest community composition

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Comparing Leaf Litter Quantities Among Plant Communities

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  1. Comparing Leaf Litter Quantities Among Plant Communities By Barney, Rachael, Crystal, Cam, Puja, Nate Atlantic Forest, Brazil SEE-U 2000

  2. Introduction • Leaf litter production and decomposition is an important biotic process affecting forest community composition • Leaf litter production and decomposition sustain the forest community through nutrient cycling • The Plant community, and types of fungi and invertebrate decomposers affect the quantity of leaf litter present

  3. Methodology • Leaf litter quantities found at a primary forest site and at a study area plantation of an exotic Pinus species within Morro do Diabo Park were measured • A 50m transect was laid at each site • Two samples of a .25m2 of leaf litter were taken and weighed at 10m increment • Leaf litter samples were sifted and invertebrates present were counted and separated into morphospecies

  4. Hypothesis • Null hypothesis: Leaf litter quantity found is independent of the type of forest community structure present • Alternative Hypothesis: Leaf litter quantity found is influenced by the forest community structure present

  5. Site 1

  6. Site 2

  7. Searching for Decomposition

  8. Decomposition in Action: White Rot Fungus

  9. Results:Leaf litter quantity • A t-test(two sample assuming variance) was performed comparing the data from site #1 (primary forest) and site #2 (plantation) • Site #1 Leaf litter quantity: mean of 242.5 ± 4484.7 g 4484.7 • Site #2 Leaf litter quantity: mean of 908.7 ± 121760

  10. Results: Quantity of Fungi and Invertabrate Decomposers • The most predominant invertebrate decomposer was found to be beetles at both sites • There was a larger presence of fungi at site #2 in the pine plantation than at site #1

  11. Conclusions • The alternative hypothesis was accepted: • Leaf litter quantity found is influenced by type of forest community structure present • Sampling methods utilized comparing fungi and invertebrate communities between sample sites were cursory and as a result ineffective

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