Leaf pack method

Knowledge graph centered on Leaf pack method with 75 nodes and 204 connections. Top connected: Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory, Gothic, Beetles, Crested Butte, Engelmann Spruce.

Method synopsis

Standard litterbag method deployed across elevation gradient to study litter decomposition rates and microbial succession. Involves placing known masses of litter in mesh bags and retrieving over time to track mass loss and community changes.

Synthesized from method descriptions across 7 papers using this protocol.

Procedure from a recent peer-reviewed implementation

Steps below were extracted from the most recent peer-reviewed implementation of this protocol in the corpus — Effect of elevation, season and accelerated snowmelt on biogeochemical processes during isolated conifer needle litter decomposition (2021), PeerJ. The protocol was originally introduced by A comparison of lodgepole and spruce needle chemistry impacts on terrestrial biogeochemical processes during isolated decomposition (2020), PeerJ. Implementations in other papers (listed below) may differ.

1. Needle collection and processing
   Lodgepole pine (Pinus contorta) needle litter was harvested from White River National Forest (39.54° N, 106.15° W, elevation 3,000 m) and Engelmann spruce (Picea engelmannii) needles were harvested from Monarch Pass (38.50° N, 106.33° W, elevation 3,400 m). Needles were harvested beneath respective tree stands, air-dried at room temperature in a dark location, then sieved with a Tyler Equivalent 10 mesh (1.7 mm) to separate debris and homogenize samples. Aliquots of 250 g for each needle type were weighed and separated for deployment.
   Quantities: 250 g aliquots of each needle type, sieved with 1.7 mm meshDuration: Harvested in August 2016, deployed in October 2016Conditions: Air-dried at room temperature in dark location
   Equipment: Tyler Equivalent 10 mesh (1.7 mm)
2. Establish experimental plots and ring deployment
   Experimental plots were established at three elevations: Lower Montane (38.92° N, 106.95° W, elevation 2,800 m), Lower Subalpine (38.96° N, 107.03° W, elevation 3,100 m), and Upper Subalpine (38.97° N, 107.04° W, 3,500 m). PVC rings (25 cm diameter, 18 cm height) were pounded into the ground leaving approximately 10 cm aboveground. Native foliage was raked to remove aboveground plant matter and belowground roots within the footprint of deployed rings. A total of 48 rings were deployed across the three elevations with duplicate plot at middle elevation consisting of four replicates each of spruce, lodgepole, and needle-free controls.

Typical Equipment

• mesh bags
• analytical balance
• collection bags
• GPS units

Output Measurements

• mass loss rates
• decomposition rates
• remaining litter mass

Papers Using This Protocol (7)

Species Studied With This Protocol

Places Where Used