Foliar Litter Decomposition: A Conceptual Model with Focus on Pine (Pinus) Litter—A Genus with Global Distribution

Figure 16

The level of the limit value, given as accumulated mass loss. The limit value for needle litter of pine (Pinus) species appears to be related to litter Mn concentration. Decomposition studies from four pine litter species, mainly Scots pine, were combined into a climatic gradient and limit values estimated using litter accumulated mass loss. A backward elimination procedure removed factors that were not significant. Of MAT and MAP and eight substrate-quality factors, namely, water solubles, AUR, N, P, K, Ca, Mg, and Mn, manganese was selected as the single significant factor. Figure from [34] based on data from [21].