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Readily Oxidizable Carbon: An Index of Decomposition and Humification of Forest Litter¹

ABSTRACT

The forest floor is an important component of the forest ecosystem. The reactions taking place at this interface between the organic horizons and the mineral soil are strategic. The rate of CO₂ evolution from the forest floor is indicative of the biological activity occurring in the organic horizons and is also indicative of the readily available energy material present. The amount of CO₂ evolved over a 28-day period was determined for the F-layers (decomposing material) and H-layers (humified material) from hardwood, conifer, and mixed hardwood conifer forests in the northeastern United States. Total CO₂ evolved appeared to be indicative of the level of readily oxidizable carbon in the material and its state of decomposition and humification. A more rapid method of evaluating decomposition and humification appeared desirable. Water soluble carbon was determined on the same materials used for the CO₂ evolution study plus fresh litter from some of the same stands. The values for soluble carbon compared very favorably with those from CO₂ evolution determinations. It was thus concluded that the more rapid soluble carbon determination is a useful index of state of decomposition and humification.

¹ Technical Paper No. 3318. Oregon Agr. Exp. Sta., Corvallis. Presented before Div. S-7, Soil Sci. Soc. Amer., New Orleans, La., Nov. 13, 1968. Portions of this study were made possible by a Charles Bullard Fellowship from Harvard Univ.

² Formerly Graduate Research Assistant and Professor of Forest Soils, Oregon State Univ., and Professor of Bacteriology, University of Idaho, respectively.

Received for publication April 17, 1972. Accepted for publication July 5, 1972.