Changes in organic chemical components of needle litter during decomposition. Long-term decomposition in a Scots pine forest. I

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Abstract
The decomposition and organic chemical changes in Scotch pine (P. sylvestris) needle litter were studied for a period of 5 yr and until 75% weight loss was reached in field incubation. The changes in components such as various groups of lipophilic extractives, low-MW carbohydrates, cyclitols, phenolic glycosides, polysaccharides and lignin were followed. There was a great drop of sugars, steryl esters and triglycerides during the 1st yr of decomposition. Some isoprenoid alcohols, sterols and some acids belonged to the most stable of the soluble components. Of the solid residue the arabinans decomposed rapidly, the cellulose decomposed somewhat faster than the hemicelluloses as a group and the lignin decomposed rather slowly (.apprx. 48% in 5 yr).