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Litter Decomposition

  • Chapter
Carbon and Nitrogen Cycling in European Forest Ecosystems

Part of the book series: Ecological Studies ((ECOLSTUD,volume 142))

Abstract

Through the process of decomposition, dead organic material is broken down into particles of progressively smaller size, until the structure can no longer be recognised, and organic molecules are mineralised to their prime constituents: H2O, CO2 and recalcitrant organic as well as mineral components. During litter decomposition, C may additionally be leached as dissolved organic C to the mineral soil. Other mineral components, like K and Mn, are released from the original tissue.

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Authors
  1. M. E. Cotrufo
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  2. M. Miller
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  3. B. Zeller
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Max-Planck-Institute for Biogeochemistry, P.O. Box 10 01 64, 07701, Jena, Germany

    Ernst-Detlef Schulze

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© 2000 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

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Cotrufo, M.E., Miller, M., Zeller, B. (2000). Litter Decomposition. In: Schulze, ED. (eds) Carbon and Nitrogen Cycling in European Forest Ecosystems. Ecological Studies, vol 142. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-57219-7_13

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-57219-7_13

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-540-67239-5

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-642-57219-7

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

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