Decomposition of Native Herbage and Filter Paper at Five Meadow Sites in Sequoia National Park, California

Abstract

Rate of herbage decomposition may be related to maintenance and improvement of mountain meadows and may provide a guide to proper use. Weight losses from buried and unburied native herbage and filter paper were studied at five meadows in Sequoia National Park from 1972-1975. Aim of the study was to find a suitable technique for estimating and to obtain some estimates of decomposition of rates in meadows. Native herbage samples gave more precise measures of decomposition than did filter paper, and use of unburied herbage samples was accepted as the most preferred technique. Ranges of yearly weight losses and standard statistical errors for that technique were: losses, from 49% to 78% and errors, from 1.4% to 5.8%.