Effect of species, source of litter, type of soil, and climate on litter decomposition: microbial decomposition of tree and shrub leaf litter 3

The effects, on leaf litter decomposition, of species (birch and oak), site on which the trees grew (mull or mor), soil type on which the litter decomposed, and the climates of the two sites, were studied in 1967/69 and 1968/70. The most consistent main effect was species, and significant effects of species on weight loss, respiration, and total N were observed in 1967/69 and 1968/70, and for moisture content and pH in 1967/69. The other effects were not always consistent, and in many cases varied between time periods. The site on which the trees grew was found to influence moisture retention and pH of the litter. The soil on which the litter decomposed influenced weight loss, moisture content, respiration, and pH. The only effect of climate was that at the mor site, which had the greater rainfall, litter dried more quickly after rain than did litter at the mull site, because the former was more open.