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Differentiating decomposition rates within the ridge-slough microtopography of the central Florida Everglades

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Date Issued:
2008
Summary:
The relative rates of detrital decomposition in four vegetation communities within the Everglades' ridge-slough microtopography were evaluated during two trials. Litterbags with community-specific detritus in proportion to each community's composition were put into the four communities; namely, submerged marsh, emergent marsh, short Cladium ridge, and tall Cladium ridge. These litterbags were paired with litterbags containing control leaf litter from Chrysobalanus icaco and Salix caroliniana during the wet and dry season trials, respectively. No regional differences in decomposition were shown, but there were significant differences across communities, attributed to the initial C:N ratio of the detritus, with the fastest decomposition occurring in the deepest submerged marsh followed by emergent marsh, and the shallower ridge communities had equally slower decomposition. Additionally, both controls followed the same pattern. Thus, decomposition contributes to an active self-maintenance mechanism within the vegetation communities which ultimately helps to conserve the ridges and sloughs.
Title: Differentiating decomposition rates within the ridge-slough microtopography of the central Florida Everglades.
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Name(s): Van der Heiden, Sheryl R.
Charles E. Schmidt College of Science
Department of Biological Sciences
Type of Resource: text
Genre: Electronic Thesis Or Dissertation
Date Issued: 2008
Publisher: Florida Atlantic University
Physical Form: electronic
Extent: viii, 43 p. : ill. (some col.).
Language(s): English
Summary: The relative rates of detrital decomposition in four vegetation communities within the Everglades' ridge-slough microtopography were evaluated during two trials. Litterbags with community-specific detritus in proportion to each community's composition were put into the four communities; namely, submerged marsh, emergent marsh, short Cladium ridge, and tall Cladium ridge. These litterbags were paired with litterbags containing control leaf litter from Chrysobalanus icaco and Salix caroliniana during the wet and dry season trials, respectively. No regional differences in decomposition were shown, but there were significant differences across communities, attributed to the initial C:N ratio of the detritus, with the fastest decomposition occurring in the deepest submerged marsh followed by emergent marsh, and the shallower ridge communities had equally slower decomposition. Additionally, both controls followed the same pattern. Thus, decomposition contributes to an active self-maintenance mechanism within the vegetation communities which ultimately helps to conserve the ridges and sloughs.
Identifier: 316798980 (oclc), 166456 (digitool), FADT166456 (IID), fau:2839 (fedora)
Note(s): by Sheryl R. van der Heiden.
Thesis (M.S.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2008.
Includes bibliography.
Electronic reproduction. Boca Raton, Fla., 2008. Mode of access: World Wide Web.
Subject(s): Biogeochemistry -- Florida -- Everglades Region
Surfaces (Technology) -- Measurement
Vegatation dynamics -- Florida -- Everglades Region -- Mathematical models
Wetland ecology -- Florida -- Everglades Region
Persistent Link to This Record: http://purl.flvc.org/FAU/166456
Use and Reproduction: http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/
Host Institution: FAU