title: The contribution of abiotic processes to buried litter decomposition in the northern Chihuahuan desert.
abstract: Creosobebush (Larrea tridentata) fine litter was treated with either the general biocide HgCl2and CuSO4or water (controls) and buried 5 cm beneath the soil surface in the northern Chihuahuan Desert. The treated litter showed significantly less mass loss than controls during the three month summer-autumn field study; controls lost about 20% of the original mass while treated litter lost less than 2%. In addition, the total nitrogen content of the control litter increased from an initial concentration of about 14.08 g kg-1to 17.62 g kg-1dry weight by the end of the study, while treated litter nitrogen content decreased to 13.30 g kg-1. Results suggest abiotic processes other than leaching have little effect on the decomposition of buried litter in this environment.
authors.affiliation: Systems Ecology Research Group, College of Sciences, San Diego State University, 92182, San Diego, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Daryl L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Moorhead
authors.affiliation: Systems Ecology Research Group, College of Sciences, San Diego State University, 92182, San Diego, CA, USA.
authors.forename: James F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Reynolds
keywords: Abiotic; Buried Litter; Decomposition; Deserts