BIOL 488: The Effect of Nutrients on Leaf Litter Decomposition Rates While in Contact with Sediment: Are Sediment the Limiting factor?

Leaf Litter Decomposition plays a crucial role in nutrient cycling in lentic ecosystems (Marcarelli et al. 2010). Leaves in contact with the sediment breakdown faster than leaves not in contact with sediment. Breakdown happens in three stages (Gessner et al. 1999): •Leaching •Conditioning •Fragmentation

Hypothesis: Sediment from a lentic pond would accelerate decomposition of leaf litter that is in contact with it because it acts as a pool for nutrients to be absorbed and released.