Supporting files: Quantifying Mulch Decomposition Rates: Carbon Perspectives for a Perceived Sustainable Landscaping Practice in Southern California

Mulching is a common landscaping practice that aims to reduce water subsidies in urban areas of southern California. While viewed as sustainable, studies examining the effects of mulching on the carbon cycle are scant. To better understand how mulching influences regional carbon budgets, we quantified mulch decomposition rates at seven sites located on six college campuses in semi-arid urban southern California and examined the importance of key drivers (mulch chemical properties and UV radiation).You can find a summary of our findings in our published manuscript Landon et al. - Bulletin of the Southern California Academy of Sciences (accepted Aug. 11, 2025).