Abstract
Leaf breakdown is considered a pivotal process in the metabolism of stream ecosystems (Webster et al, 1995; Wallace et al., 1997), providing important information on stream functioning (nutrient cycling and energy flow). Analyses of decomposing litter also inform us about the distribution and abundance (structure) of stream biota such as fungi, bacteria, invertebrates, and fish. Leaf breakdown is caused by the joint action of physical factors causing mechanical fragmentation, the activity of detritivorous macroinvertebrates (shredders), and the activity of microorganisms such as aquatic fungi and bacteria (Hieber & Gessner, 2002). Although unimportant in the streams of the upper Roseg catchment, fish also can play an important functional role in the litter dynamics of low elevation streams, tropical streams in particular (Flecker, 1996). In concert with various chemical changes, micro-organisms cause transformations in litter quality (e. g., increases in nitrogen and phosphorus concentrations) that influence decomposition dynamics (Webster & Benfield, 1986; Gessner et al., 1999).
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Robinson, C.T., Gessner, M.O. (2003). Litter Decomposition. In: Ward, J.V., Uehlinger, U. (eds) Ecology of a Glacial Flood Plain. Aquatic Ecology Series, vol 1. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-017-0181-5_13
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-017-0181-5_13
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