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Leaf Decomposition

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ENVS 1500 – Assignment #1 Leaf Decomposition

Working Hypothesis:

Different tree species leaves will not decompose at different rates.

AND

Different tree species will not harbour different soil animals.

Decomposition Rates:

ln (Mo÷Mt) = k × t

Maple: t = 42/365 = 0.11506849 Mo = 0.780769231 Mt = 0.569230769
Isolate for k. ln (0.780769231 ÷ 0.569230769) = k × 0.11506849 ln (1.37162162258309) = k × 0.11506849 0.315993705978644 ÷ 0.11506849 = k k = 2.746135853339551

European Buckthorne: t = 42/365 = 0.11506849 Mo = 0.418181818 Mt = 0.154545455
Isolate for k. ln (0.418181818 ÷ 0.154545455) = k × 0.11506849 ln (2.705882343806228) = k × 0.11506849 0.99542804905692 ÷ 0.11506849 = k k = 8.650743996526937

Figure 1.1: Organisms Observed (Maple Leaves): Species Name | Taxonomic Category | Role in Food Webs | Fire Ant | Hymenoptera | Omnivore | Common Centipede | Scutigeromorpha Pocock | Carnivore | Earth Worm | Megadrilacea | Decomposer | Earwig | Dermaptera | Carnivore / Herbivore (less common species) | Sow bug (Woodlouse) | Isopoda | Decomposer | Termite | Isoptera | Herbivore / Decomposer | Daddy Long Leg | Pholcidae (Araneae) | Carnivore | Common Ant | Formicidae | Herbivore | Millipede | Diplopoda | Herbivore / Decomposer | Aphids | Hemiptera | Herbivore | Garden Spider | Araneae | Carnivore | (ITIS, 2013) (Evans, 2007) (CISEO, 1997) (Meyer, 2007)
Figure 1.2: Organisms Observed (European Buckthorn): Species Name | Taxonomic Category | Role in Food Webs | Earth Worm | Megadrilacea | Decomposer | Larvae | N/A – Species not specified | N/A | Small (White) Worm | N/A – Species not specified | N/A | Millipede | Diplopoda | Herbivore/Decomposer | Sow Bug (Woodlouse) | Isopoda | Decomposer | Orb Snail (Helisoma anceps) | Basommatophora | Herbivore | Giant Pond Snail | Hygrophilia | Herbivore | Garden Spider | Araneae | Carnivore | Common Ant | Formicidae | Herbivore | (ITIS, 2013) (Evans, 2007) (CISEO, 1997) (Meyer, 2007)
Figure 2: Soil Description: Initial Soil Ratings | Final Soil Ratings | Wet; Damp – Ground is “sticky” and moist | Very Wet; Muddy, pooling water accumulated post-rainstorm |

Figure 3: Leaf Characteristics: | Initial Characteristics | Final Characteristics | Maple: | * Bright green * Wrinkly * Curled ends * Dried * Crispy | * Skeletal * Veins and stems mostly decomposed * Delicate * Grey | European Buckthorn: | * Greener than maple, shrivelled * Browning on edges * Cracked * 2 regular sized | * Dry * Brittle * Crumbly * Mostly gone except for stem |

Figure 4: Leaf Weight: Maple | | European Buckthorne | | | Mo | Mt | | Mo | Mt | | 0.9 | 0.5 | | 0.7 | 0.2 | | 1.3 | 0.1 | | 0.4 | 0.2 | | 1.2 | 0.6 | | 0.3 | 0.1 | | 0.9 | 0.8 | | 0.4 | 0.2 | | 0.9 | 0.8 | | 0.3 | 0.1 | | 0.6 | 0.6 | | 0.2 | 0.1 | | 0.7 | 0.3 | | 0.3 | 0.1 | | 0.5 | 0.3 | | 0.5 | 0.3 | | 0.9 | 0.8 | | 0.4 | 0.1 | | 0.6 | 0.6 | | 0.4 | 0.2 | | 0.9 | 0.8 | | 0.4 | 0.4 | | 0.5 | 0.3 | | 0.6 | 0.1 | | 0.6 | 0.4 | | 0.6 | 0.1 | | 0.9 | 0.8 | | 0.5 | 0.1 | | 1 | 0.9 | | 0.3 | 0.2 | | 0.7 | 0.7 | | 0.6 | 0.3 | | 0.9 | 0.5 | | 0.6 | 0.1 | | 0.7 | 0.7 | | 0.3 | 0.1 | | 0.8 | 0.7 | | 0.3 | 0.1 | | 0.9 | 0.8 | | 0.3 | 0.1 | | 0.8 | 0.8 | | 0.3 | 0.1 | | 0.5 | 0.4 | | 0.5 | 0.1 | | 0.8 | 0.7 | | | | | 0.6 | 0.2 | | | | | 0.6 | 0.5 | | | | | 0.6 | 0.2 | | | | | | | | | | Average: | 0.780769231 | 0.569230769 | | 0.418181818 | 0.154545455 | Standard Deviation: | 0.205949957 | 0.231117686 | | 0.136752692 | 0.085786405 |

Graphs (Standard Deviation):
Figure 5.1: Maple Leaf Weight (g)

Figure 5.2: European Buckthorne (g)

Summary of Findings: 1. Based on the data compiled from the 6-week investigation, neither one of the two hypotheses (different tree species leaves will not decompose at different rates, and different tree species will not harbour different soil animals) were correct. The data collected indicated that different leaf species decompose at different rates, and that different tree species harbour different soil animals. Many of the (European Buckthorn) leaves had fully decomposed after the 6-week period, and the other (Maple) leaves had not yet finished decomposing; Maple leaves take longer than European Buckthorn to decompose. The research also indicates that different leaves do harbour different soil animals. This data was collected with two leaves buried relatively close to one another (less than one foot between them) and as a result of this distance there were a few differences between the species recorded in the soil. Based on the change in decomposition rates, this research suggests that different species present in the soil has an affect on the rate of decomposition. This research also presented an example of a food web process, as there were decomposers, herbivores, omnivores and carnivores present in the soil at point leaf burial locations. 2. During the study, there was a period of a few days of heavy rainfall. As a result of this, there were high soil moisture levels and even water pooling on the forest floors. Although in the study we identified soil moisture as a factor, we did not keep track of rainfall over the 6-week period, and therefore the data is only qualitative and not quantitative. Furthermore, the temperature over the 6-week incubation period was not measured in a quantifiably and temperature is another factor that may influence the rate of decomposition. Finally, we did not investigate the conditions under which the leaves were buried; there is evidence in other journals to suggest that in similar studies, trees help to decompose their own matter, faster than matter from other trees (Vivanco, & Austin, 2008). In one study, conducted in Argentina, researchers evaluated leaf decomposition rates much in the same way that was conducted in this study; the study revealed that by isolating species of leaves, one could determine which factors affect the decomposition rates based on burial sites. Direct effects were mediated through leaf litter quality, while indirect effects were related to unique conditions that the plant species created in the surrounding microenvironment. Despite litter decomposition variation among burial sites in the other study, standard soil biogeochemical conditions such as soil Carbon-Nitrogen ratios, microbial biomass and pH were similar among all the sites (Vivanco, & Austin, 2008). In this study none of these factors were measured but likely would have had an affect on leaf decomposition rates. The average end weight of the European Buckthorn was 0.154g, which is only around a third of its starting weight (0.418g). When you compare this data to the Maple Leaf data you can see that the change is much less significant; the starting weight of the Maple Leaves is an average of 0.780g and after the 6-week study period the average weight is 0.569g; this data shows a weight change of only about 27%. The mass loss of the leaves was lost to the decomposing animals present at the burial sites and to the soil, where the biomass is returned to the soil and turned into a fertilizer and source of carbon to be absorbed by other organisms. 3. Figure 6: Picture of Maple Leaves after 6-week incubation period:

Figure 6: Picture of Maple Leaves after 6-week incubation period:

Based on the skeletal remains of the leaves, one can infer that the rate of decomposition for thicker parts of vegetation (such as stems and bark) is the same. The process is slower when the biomass that needs to decompose is larger. Figure 6 is a picture taken on the day of leaf retrieval, which depicts the physical results of Maple Leaf decomposition after 6 weeks. 4. Logging in forests has negative impacts on natural decomposition in forests because it disrupts the top layer of soil, which houses many of the animals responsible for decomposing biomass. When these animals are removed from the ecosystems, it significantly slows decomposition rates, which affects a soil’s nutrient levels. This in turn makes it harder for future tree generations to grow under the circumstances. 5. According to the City of Toronto, compost is “the end product of a natural process that reduces organic waste to humus. Compost contains a good range of major and minor plant nutrients, trace elements essential for healthy plant growth, as well as soil microbes and organic fibre for building healthy soil,” (City of Toronto, 2013). This assignment relates to composting programs in the City of Toronto because it explains the value of decomposing organic matter. The assignment also examines the natural rates of decomposition and the organisms involved in decomposition. Organic compost collected by the city is beneficial to the environment in a variety of ways. Composting programs in Ontario help to reduce garbage by up to 30% (City of Toronto, 2013) and when this organic compost is returned to gardens and soils this can help to improve the growth of vegetation.

Works Cited:

Center for Insect Science Education Outreach. 1997. Information Sheets. The University of Arizona. Retrieved from < http://insected.arizona.edu/isoinfo.htm > accessed November 22, 2013.

City of Toronto. 2013. Yard Waste, Lawns and Composting: Defining Compost. The City of Toronto. Retrieved from < http://www1.toronto.ca/wps/portal/contentonly?vgnextoid=99eed187c3b02410VgnVCM10000071d60f89RCRD&vgnextchannel=b31d433112b02410VgnVCM10000071d60f89RCRD&vgnextfmt=default > accessed November 22, 2013

Evans, Arthur V. May 31, 2007. National Wildlife Federation Field Guide to Insects and Spiders & Related Species of North America. Sterling Pub Co Inc. (ISBN: 1402741537, 9781402741531)

Integrated Taxonomic Information System (ITIS). April 23, 2013. ITIS Search Engine Results. Retrieved from < http://www.itis.gov > accessed November 22, 2013.

Meyer, John. August 27, 2001. The Ground Crew. NC State University. Retrieved from < http://www.cals.ncsu.edu/course/ent525/soil/index.html#diverse > accessed November 22, 2013.

Vivanco, L. & Austin, A.T. 2008. Tree species identity alters forest litter decomposition through long-term plant and soil interactions in Patagonia, Argentina. Journal of Ecology. 96 (4): 727-736. Retrieved from < http://resolver.scholarsportal.info/resolve/00220477/v96i0004/727_tsiaflasiipa >

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