Litter decomposition rate constants across the global temperature gradient

The responses of organic matter decomposition to temperature rise is increasingly important topic. Most of the previous studies measured temperature dependence of soil respiration under laboratory incubation, while we analyzed the temperature dependence of organic matter decomposition under field conditions. 
To identify the factors regulating litter decomposition rate constants and their temperature sensitivity, we compiled the data of site information [Country, District, Vegetation or land use, Plant type, Mean annual air temperature (ºC), Mean annual precipitation (mm y-1), Soil type (Soil Taxonomy), Soil pH, and Decomposition rate constant (Table S1), Organic horizon C stock (Mg C ha-1), Litterfall C input (Mg C ha-1 y-1), Litter turnover (y) (Table S2).
These parameters allow us to compare decomposition rate constants and provide temperature dependence indicators of organic matter decomposition (activation energy and Q10) across the global temperature gradient., We compiled the data of in-situ decomposition rates of cellulose filter paper, leaf litter (i.e., leaves of coniferous and broadleaved trees; leaf/straw of maize, rice, and wheat/barley), root litter, lichen litter, moss litter, and SOM and site information (climatic properties, plant type, soil type) from 68 studies (Tables S1 and S2, respectively). We extracted substrate decomposition data from in situ field incubation studies using litterbags buried (incorporated) in soil from the literature by searching for “litter bag” or “cellulose” or “organic matter”, “decomposition”, “turnover”, “mass loss”, and “soil” in Google Scholar. When rate constants of substrate decomposition in a single exponential decay function were not available in the published studies, original data, which were either actual substrate mass (g) or the remaining fraction of the initial substrate mass at each incubation time (y), were digitized from figures or extracted from tables. To ensure the comparability of pub..., , # Litter decomposition rate constants across the global temperature gradient

This README file was generated on 2024-01-31 by Kazumichi Fujii.

GENERAL INFORMATION

Decomposition rate constants of organic substrates in soil across the global temperature gradient

# Principal Investigator Contact Information

Name: Kazumichi Fujii
Institution: Forestry and Forest Products Research Institute
Address: Tsukuba 305-8687, Japan.
Email:

# Abstract

To identify the factors regulating litter decomposition rate constants and their temperature sensitivity, we compiled the data of site information [Country, District, Vegetation or land use, Plant type, Mean annual air temperature (ºC), Mean annual precipitation (mm y-1), Soil type (Soil Taxonomy), Soil pH, Organic horizon C stock (Mg C ha-1), Litterfall C input (Mg C ha-1 y-1), Litter turnover (y).

## Description of the data and file structure

DATA-SPECIFIC INFORMATION FOR: Soil_water_project_tables.xlsx

1. Number of variables: 11 (Table 1), ...