How does moisture affect decomposition?
With little or no water there is less decomposition because decomposers cannot survive. As the volume of available water increases, the rate of decomposition also increases.
Does decomposition increase with moisture?
At favorable moisture conditions, increasing temperature results in an exponential increase in decomposition rates (Q10 of approx 2). At a constant temperature, soil moisture content shows a parabolic affect on decomposition rates with a maximum rate at intermediate levels of moisture.
Why does moisture increase soil respiration?
Soil respiration increases with soil moisture up to the level where pores are filled with too much water limiting oxygen availability which interferes with soil organism’s ability to respire (Figure 2). Ideal soil moisture is near field capacity, or when approximately 60 percent of pore space is filled with water.
What effect does soil moisture have on aerobic and anaerobic soil microbe activity?
A high moisture content (matric potential >−0.01 MPa) decreases rates of organic matter decomposition, due to low oxygen supply, while low soil moisture decreases microbial activity by reducing diffusion of soluble substrates, microbial mobility and intracellular water potential (Csonka, 1989; Killham et al., 1993; …
How do respiration rates relate to decomposition rates?
Both the total soil respiration and litter respiration were significantly positively correlated with the litter decomposition rates. The mean contribution of the litter respiration to the total soil respiration was 31.0%–45.9% for the three different-aged forests.
What are the three factors that affect decomposition?
The rate of decomposition is governed by three sets of factors—the physical environment (temperature, moisture and soil properties), the quantity and quality of the dead material available to decomposers, and the nature of the microbial community itself.