Long-Term Decomposition Plots

• Investigators: Charles McClaugherty
• Contact: Charles McClaugherty
• Start date: 1990-09-07
• End date: ongoing
• Location: Prospect Hill Tract (Harvard Forest)
• Latitude: +42.531 to +42.534
• Longitude: -72.183 to -72.181
• Elevation: 360 to 390 meters
• Taxa: Acer rubrum (red maple), Pinus resinosa (red pine)
• Keywords: decomposition, forest ecosystem, nitrogen, wood
• Release date: 2006
• EML version: knb-lter-hfr.50.3
• Revisions:
• Abstract:

  Mass loss (estimated by decreases in density) and total nitrogen content (TKN) is being measured in decaying logs (1.2 m long and diameter range: 6-50 cm) and sticks (10-30 cm long and diameter less than 5 cm) of red pine (Pinus resinosa Ait.) and red maple (Acer rubrum L.) Logs and sticks were collected from freshly cut trees and placed on the forest floor in a red pine plantation (pine only) or a nearby red maple dominated deciduous forest (maple only) in the Prospect Hill tract. Maple logs and sticks lost density faster than did pine.

• Methods:

  Mass loss was measured directly for sticks and by density (saran coated samples weighed in and out of water) for logs. Nitrogen was determined by Kjeldahl digestion and determination of ammonia in the digestate using flow injection.

• Use:

  This dataset is released to the public and may be freely downloaded. Please keep the designated Contact person informed of any plans to use the dataset. Consultation or collaboration with the original investigators is strongly encouraged. Publications and data products that make use of the dataset must include proper acknowledgement. For more information on LTER Network data access and use policies, please see: http://www.lternet.edu/data/netpolicy.html.

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