Carbon and nitrogen mineralization from decomposing gypsy moth frass.
Oecologia
; 104(2): 133-138, 1995 Oct.
Article
em En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-28307349
ABSTRACT
Defoliation of forests by insects is often assumed to produce a pulse of available nitrogen (N) from the decomposition of frass pellets. In this study we measured rates of carbon (C) and N mineralization from gypsy moth frass incubated with and without soil, and for soil alone. Incubations were at constant temperature and soil moisture conditions and lasted for 120 days. We found that gypsy moth frass contains much labile C as well as extractable N, and that the stimulation of microbial growth by the labile C results in immobilization of essentially all of the extractable N in the frass. The response of the microbes is fast, beginning within 1 day and lasting at least 90 days. This immobilization response represents an efficient mechanism for conserving N within a forest ecosystem after a defoliation event.
Texto completo:
1
Coleções:
01-internacional
Base de dados:
MEDLINE
Idioma:
En
Revista:
Oecologia
Ano de publicação:
1995
Tipo de documento:
Article
País de afiliação:
Estados Unidos