Ecological Archives A015-060-A3

Lara M. Kueppers and John Harte. 2005. Subalpine forest carbon cycling: short- and long-term influence of climate and species. Ecological Applications 15:1984–1999.

Appendix C. Initial chemical characteristics of needle litter used in the litter decomposition experiment.

Species

C (%)

N (%)

C:N

Percentage nonpolar extractives(fats, waxes)

Percentage water soluble (sugars)

Percentage water soluble (tannins)

Percentage acid soluble(cellulose)

Percentage acid insoluble(lignin)

Lignin:N

Pine

53.39

(0.38)

a

0.43

(0.02)

a

124

(6.7)

a

15.64

(1.06)

a

8.46

(0.32)

a

5.10

(0.10)

a

34.48

(0.83)

a

24.99

(0.48)

a

56.44

(2.99)

a

Spruce

49.62

(0.24)

b

0.64

(0.01)

b

78

(1.3)

b

10.12

(0.25)

b

18.83

(0.15)

b

7.37

(0.06)

b

34.05

(0.19)

a

20.94

(0.12)

b

30.74

(0.43)

b

Fir

51.98

(0.08)

c

0.75

(0.03)

c

69

(3.1)

b

15.88

(1.04)

a

10.38

(0.50)

c

4.76

(0.29)

a

33.98

(0.65)

a

23.38

(1.24)

a

29.45

(2.03)

b

   Notes: C and N are expressed as percentage oven-dry mass (± 1 SE), n = 4. C fractions and lignin:N ratio are expressed as % ash-free, oven-dry mass (± 1 SE), n = 3. Different letters indicate statistical difference among species at P < 0.05.



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