This paper presents a new framework for modeling light interception by isolated trees which makes it possible to analyze the in uence of structural tree organization on light capture. The framework is based on a multiscale representation of the plant organization. Tree architecture is decomposed into a collection of components representing clusters of leaves at di erent scales in the tree crown...

The accumulation of litter in marine and coastal environments is a major threat to marine life. Data on marine litter in the gastrointestinal tract of stranded loggerhead turtles, Caretta caretta, found along the Portuguese continental coast was presented. Out of the 95 analysed loggerheads, litter was present in 56 individuals (59.0%) and most had less than 10 litter items (76.8%) and less tha...

Poultry litter is a mixture of bedding materials and enteric bacteria excreted by chickens, and it is typically reused for multiple growth cycles in commercial broiler production. Thus, bacteria can be transmitted from one growth cycle to the next via litter. However, it remains poorly understood how litter reuse affects development and composition of chicken gut microbiota. In this study, the ...

Together, climate and litter quality strongly regulate decomposition rates. Although these two factors and their interaction have been studied across species in continent-scale experiments, few researchers have studied how labile and recalcitrant compounds interact to influence decomposition, or the climate sensitivity of decomposition, within a litter type. Over a period of 3 yr, we studied th...

Litter decomposition is a keystone ecosystem process impacting nutrient cycling and productivity, soil properties, and the terrestrial carbon (C) balance, but the factors regulating decomposition rate are still poorly understood. Traditional models assume that the rate is controlled by litter quality, relying on parameters such as lignin content as predictors. However, a strong correlation has ...

Understanding the response mechanisms of litter respiration to soil moisture in water-limited semi-arid regions is of vital importance to better understanding the interplay between ecological processes and the local carbon cycle. In situ soil respiration was monitored during 2010-2012 under various conditions (normal litter, no litter, and double litter treatments) in a 30-year-old artificial b...

Aims We aim to construct a comprehensive global database of litter decomposition rate (k value) estimated by surface floor litterbags, and investigate the direct and indirect effects of impact factors such as geographic factors (latitude and altitude), climatic factors (mean annual tempePlrature, MAT; mean annual precipitation, MAP) and litter quality factors (the contents of N, P, K, Ca, Mg an...

The intestinal microbiota of broiler chickens and the microbiota in the litter have been well studied, but the interactions between these two microbiotas remain to be determined. Therefore, we examined their reciprocal effects by analyzing the intestinal microbiotas of broilers reared on fresh pine shavings versus reused litter, as well as the litter microbiota over a 6-week cycle. Composite il...

one of the main components affecting the ecohydrology is interception or loss of rainfall by plant canopy. interception of reduced effective precipitation and dry areas to prevent soil moisture. low level of abstraction is considered as important factors in managing rangeland resources. in this study, the vegetative form, some broad-leaved plants and plant selection and method of abstraction in...

Urban regions of southern California receive up to 45 kg Nha y from nitrogen (N) deposition. A field decomposition study was done using N-labelled litter of the widespread exotic annual grass Bromus diandrus to determine whether elevated soil N is strictly from N deposition or whether N mineralization rates from litter are also increased under N deposition. Tissue N and lignin concentrations, w...