Decomposition

Abstract

Decomposition often is an important parameter in the study of the primary production of an ecosystem. If we subdivide ecosystems in their three major components, the plant subsystem, the herbivore subsystem and the decomposer subsystem, it becomes apparent that the latter has received by far the least attention (cf. Swift & Anderson, 1986). This is particularly true for tropical grazing lands. In 1974 Egunjobi wrote: ‘Although there has been some considerable interest in litter disappearance under african tropical rainforest, nothing is known about the weathering of litter in the tropical savanna’. Despite these ascertainments the limited knowledge persists (Kaiser, 1983). In understanding the functioning of an ecosystem, however, it should be realized that the three subsystems as mentioned above are highly interdependent (Swift & Anderson, 1986). Thus, in spite of the fact that the results of decomposition studies are not used in calculating the primary production of the grasslands on the Kafue Flats they are presented here as they do constitute a valuable contribution to the knowledge of the functioning of these grasslands.