Mineral cycling in soil and litter arthropod food chains. Progress report, November 1, 1981-January 31, 1983

Technical Report · Wed Sep 01 00:00:00 EDT 1982

OSTI ID:6712602

Crossley, Jr, D A

Progress is reported for research projects on nutrient dynamics during terrestrial decomposition, as influenced by soil arthropods. Radioactive tracers are used as analogs of nutrients, to measure material movement along food chains and dynamics of processes during decomposition. Forest floor systems from which arthropods were excluded, or in which microfloral activity was depressed, trapped incoming nutrients from canopy throughfall at different rates. Faunal stimulation of microfloral activities could not be demonstrated, but drought conditions disturbed the experiment. Turnover measurements for radionuclides in collembolans are also reported, and compared with information on mites and other arthropods.

• Research Organization: Georgia Univ., Athens (USA). Dept. of Entomology
• DOE Contract Number: AS09-76EV00641
• OSTI ID: 6712602
• Report Number(s): DOE/EV/00641-46; ON: DE83000296
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
NUTRIENTS
BIODEGRADATION
TERRESTRIAL ECOSYSTEMS
MINERAL CYCLING
ARTHROPODS
FOREST LITTER
MICROORGANISMS
SOILS
TRACER TECHNIQUES
ANIMALS
BIOLOGICAL MATERIALS
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
DECOMPOSITION
ECOSYSTEMS
INVERTEBRATES
ISOTOPE APPLICATIONS
MATERIALS
510200* - Environment
Terrestrial- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport- (-1989)
510302 - Environment
Terrestrial- Radioactive Materials Monitoring & Transport- Terrestrial Ecosystems & Food Chains- (-1987)