title: Leaf litter decomposition in Torna stream before and after a red mud disaster.
abstract: The aim of the study was to estimate the breakdown of the allochthonous litter in an artificial stream running in an agricultural area and compare it with the same values following a toxic mud spill into the same stream. Litter bags were filled with three types of leaves (Quercus robur, Populus tremula and Salix alba) and placed to the bottom of the river. Ergosterol was used to detect fungal biomass. We supposed the absence of fungi and the retardation of leaf litter decomposition. Only pH and conductivity increased significantly. Leaf mass loss after the catastrophe was much slower than in 2009 and the decay curves did not follow the exponential decay model. Prior to the catastrophe, leaf mass loss was fast in Torna, compared to other streams in the area. The reason is that the stream is modified, the bed is trapezoid and covered with concrete stones. Fungal biomass was lower, than in the pre-disaster experiment, because fungi did not have enough leaves to sporulate. Leaf mass loss followed the exponential decay curve before the disaster, but after that it was possible only after a non-change period.
authors.affiliation: University of Pannonia Department of Limnology H-8200 Veszprém Egyetem u. 10 Hungary University of Pannonia Department of Meteorology and Water Management H-8380 Keszthely Festetics u. 14 Hungary.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kucserka
authors.affiliation: University of Pannonia Department of Limnology H-8200 Veszprém Egyetem u. 10 Hungary.
authors.forename: Kata
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Karádi-Kovács
authors.affiliation: University of Pannonia Department of Limnology H-8200 Veszprém Egyetem u. 10 Hungary.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Vass
authors.affiliation: University of Pannonia Department of Limnology H-8200 Veszprém Egyetem u. 10 Hungary.
authors.forename: G B
authors.initials: GB
authors.lastname: Selmeczy
authors.affiliation: University of Pannonia Department of Limnology H-8200 Veszprém Egyetem u. 10 Hungary.
authors.forename: Katalin Eszter
authors.initials: KE
authors.lastname: Hubai
authors.affiliation: University of Pannonia Department of Limnology H-8200 Veszprém Egyetem u. 10 Hungary.
authors.forename: Viktória
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Üveges
authors.affiliation: University of Pannonia Department of Limnology H-8200 Veszprém Egyetem u. 10 Hungary.
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Kacsala
authors.affiliation: University of Pannonia Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences H-8200 Veszprém Egyetem u. 10 Hungary.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Törő
authors.affiliation: University of Pannonia Department of Limnology H-8200 Veszprém Egyetem u. 10 Hungary HAS UP Limnoecology Research Group of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences H-8200 Veszprém Egyetem u. 10 Hungary.
authors.forename: Judit
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Padisák
mesh_terms: D055884:Chemical Hazard Release; D004190:Disasters; D004875:Ergosterol / Q000032:analysis; D006814:Hungary; D018515:Plant Leaves / Q000737:chemistry*; D045483:Rivers / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D004875:Ergosterol
keywords: Red mud disaster; ergosterol; fungal biomass; leaf litter decomposition; leaf mass loss