Soil Biology & Ecology
Part 2 – 104 | Unit 1.1
- Record results and calculate the average
percentage of the disc remaining for each
habitat, using the data sheet supplied.n.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
- After retrieving the litter bags, ask students
to offer hypotheses about why the disks
decompose more rapidly in some habitats than
others:
a. What environmental factors might have
influenced the results?
b. What management factors might have
influenced the results?
c. Can you see any signs of biological activity on
the disks (e.g., fungal mycelia, soil animals,
invertebrate feces)? - What do the results suggest about nutrient
cycling rates in the soils tested? - Can these observations for cellulose
decomposition rates be extrapolated to other
types of organic matter? - What are the limitations of this method?
Students’ Step-by-Step Instructions, Demonstration 1