Ash-free dry mass (AFDM) determination (Insecta)

Knowledge graph centered on Ash-free dry mass (AFDM) determination (Insecta) with 27 nodes and 101 connections. Top connected: Ligusticum porteri, Bacteria, aquatic insects, Ambystoma, Ambystoma tigrinum.

Method synopsis

Standard protocol for measuring organic matter decomposition by separating detritus into size fractions, oven-drying, weighing, and ashing to determine ash-free dry mass (AFDM). Accounts for inorganic content to isolate organic matter loss.

Synthesized from method descriptions across 1 paper 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 — Nonlinear effects of consumer density on multiple ecosystem processes (2012), Journal of Animal Ecology. Implementations in other papers (listed below) may differ.

1. Measure detritus breakdown
   Removed caddisfly larvae and preserved in 90% ethanol. Detritus was separated into coarse particulate organic matter (>2mm) and fine particulate organic matter (<1mm) using 1-mm mesh screen. Detritus was frozen at -5°C until dried in oven at 55°C for 48h, then weighed. Aliquots were pulverised with Wiley mill and ashed at 550°C to determine conversion factors for ash-free dry mass (AFDM).
   Quantities: Detritus separated at 2mm and 1mm size fractions, dried at 55°C for 48h, ashed at 550°CDuration: Processing at end of 31-day experimentConditions: Frozen at -5°C for storage, oven-dried at 55°C
   Equipment: 90% ethanol, 1-mm mesh screen, oven, Wiley mill, 550°C furnace
2. Analyze detritus C:N and C:P ratios
   Took aliquot (0.200 ± 0.001g) of pre-ground sample from each cage and introduced into LECO CNS Elemental Analyzer to determine carbon-to-nitrogen ratio. For carbon-to-phosphorus ratio, 0.1 N hydrochloric acid was added to samples, then diluted with deionised water up to 50mL. Samples diluted a second time and analyzed using spectrophotometric technique with per cent phosphorus calculated from per cent carbon.
   Quantities: 0.200 ± 0.001g samples for C:N, 0.1 N hydrochloric acid, diluted to 50mL then diluted againDuration: End-of-experiment analysisConditions: Pre-ground samples, acid digestion for phosphorus
   Equipment: LECO CNS Elemental Analyzer model #2000, 0.1 N hydrochloric acid, spectrophotometer

Typical Equipment

• 1-mm mesh screen
• oven
• Wiley mill
• 550°C furnace
• LECO CNS Elemental Analyzer model #2000

Output Measurements

• detritus AFDM
• decomposition rates
• C:N ratios
• C:P ratios

Papers Using This Protocol (1)

Species Studied With This Protocol