Effects of Initial Litter Accumulation and Climate on Litter Disappearance in a Desert Ecosystem

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Abstract
Monthly litter disappearance from initial concentrations of 50, 100, 150 and 200 g m-2 was examined. Approximately 35-50% of the litter disappeared each month from May-Sept. In March and April litterfall input exceeded litter loss. Litter loss was consistently higher in the 100 g m-2 accumulation than from the other concentrations. Stepwise regression analysis showed that litter loss varied as a function of soil templerature at 15 cm (r2 = 0.40) and that initial litter quantity was the 2nd most important variable (increased r2 to 0.45). Monthly litter disappearance was apparently independent of monthly rainfall. Abiotic variables gave an r2 or 0.48, suggesting that much of the seasonal variation in litter disappearance is attributable to the soil biota. Suppression of microarthropods by treating the soil with chlordane insecticide resulted in marked reduction in litter disappearance.