• Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.44 no.2
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• pp.81-89
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• 2020

In the forest ecosystems, litterfall is an important component of the nutrient cycle that regulates the accumulation of soil organic matter (SOM), the input and output of the nutrients, nutrient replenishment, biodiversity conservation, and other ecosystem functions. Therefore, a profound understanding of the major processes (litterfall production and its decomposition rate) in the cycle is vital for sustainable forest management (SFM). Despite these facts, there is still a limited knowledge in tropical forest ecosystems, and further researches are highly needed. This shortfall of research-based knowledge, especially in tropical forest ecosystems, may be a contributing factor to the lack of understanding of the role of plant litter in the forest ecosystem function for sustainable forest management, particularly in the tropical forest landscapes. Therefore, in this paper, I review the role of plant litter in tropical forest ecosystems with the aims of assessing the importance of plant litter in forest ecosystems for the biogeochemical cycle. Then, the major factors that affect the plant litter production and decomposition were identified, which could direct and contribute to future research. The small set of studies reviewed in this paper demonstrated the potential of plant litter to improve the biogeochemical cycle and nutrients in the forest ecosystems. However, further researches are needed particularly on the effect of species, forest structures, seasons, and climate factors on the plant litter production and decomposition in various types of forest ecosystems.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Grassland and Forage Science
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.23-30
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• 1993

This study was investigated about decomposition process of litter that is reduction pathway of phosphorus from plant body to soil That is, in each community of Miscanthus sinensis, SaSa palmalta. Artemisia princeps and Polygonum thunbergii, disappearing speed was calculated from total fallen leaves yield supplied as litter and litter existant yield. Besides, setting up litter bag that put litter in nylon mesh bag. calculated disappearing speed from decreasing speed of the weight of contents and then was compared and examined. The results obtained are summarized as follows : 1. Maximum litter yield was sequently Miscanthus sinensis＞SaSa palmalta＞Artemisia princeps＞Polygonum thunbergii, but, supplied litter yield was sequently Artemisia princeps＞Miscanthus sinenis＞Polygonum thunbergii＞SaSa palmalta. 2. Reduction speed of phosphorus from plant body to soil was Polygonum thunbergii＞Artemisia princeps＞Miscanthus sinensis＞SaSa palmalta. 3. Caculated disappearing speed using litter bag method was shown latter tendency than that of natural condition. 4. It was significantly negative relationship between N contents of litter and disappearing speed of litter.

• The Korean Journal of Mycology
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• v.44 no.4
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• pp.263-270
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• 2016

Freshwater is a diverse and complex environment for fungi and provides several types of habitat including plant litter, sediment, and carcasses. We collected plant litter from the main stream and branch streams of Nakdong River, Sohancheon in Samcheok, and Geumoreum in Jeju. From several samples of plant litter, we isolated 8 fungal strains belonging to 4 Montagnulaceae species unrecorded in Korea: Paraconiothyrium archidendri, Paraphaeosphaeria sporulosa, Paraphaeosphaeria michotii, and Paraphaeosphaeria viridescens. These fungi were identified by phylogenetic analysis using the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region and examination of morphological characteristics. Montagnulaceae is known as one of the families in Pleosporales and includes coniothyrium-like fungi. In this study, we described phylogenetic analysis and mycological characteristics of these species, and this is the first report of these taxa in Korea.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.57 no.3
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• pp.189-195
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• 2017

The isolation rate of Escherichia (E.) coli in poultry litter was investigated at 44 broiler farms, 20 that used fresh litter and 24 that used recycled litter. The patterns of resistance to antibiotics of the E. coli isolates were compared. In litter sampled before the rearing period, the isolation rate of E. coli was higher at farms that used fresh litter; E. coli was present in the litter in 94.5% (35 out of 37 flocks tested) of the farms that used fresh litter vs. 51.2% (21 out of 41 flocks) of the farms that used recycled litter. The susceptibility of the 93 isolates of E. coli to 13 antibiotics was studied. Before the rearing period, E. coli isolates from the farms that recycled litter showed higher resistance rates than isolates from farms that replaced litter with fresh litter. Comparing the antibiotic resistance patterns of isolates from litter sampled before and at the end of the rearing period, the antibiotic resistance rates at the end of the rearing period increased dramatically compared with rates before the rearing period.

• The Korean Journal of Mycology
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• v.48 no.2
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• pp.103-116
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• 2020

Freshwater ecosystems provide a complex environment for microorganisms. In this study, we isolated diverse fungal strains from plant litter in freshwaters. These strains were identified using molecular phylogenetic analyses of rDNA and/or other gene sequences (TUB, GAPDH, and EF1). In addition, we examined their morphological characteristics by microscopy and cultural characteristics on several media. We identified six previously unrecorded Sordariomycetes species in Korea, i.e., Colletotrichum godetiae, Discosia rubi, Robillarda sessilis, Monochaetia dimorphospora, Idriella lunata, and Phialemoniopsis endophytica. Of these, D. rubi and M. dimorphospora exhibited high extracellular amylase, lipase, and protease activities, suggesting that these fungal isolates might play an important role as decomposers in freshwater ecosystems. Plant litter could thus be a good source for isolating and investigating previously undocumented fungal species in freshwater environments.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.353-362
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• 2009

This study attempted to compare the litter decomposition rate of Arundinella hirta and Miscanthus sinensis var. purpurascens which collected from serpentine soil acting potentially toxic concentration of heavy metals and non-serpentine soil by using the microcosm method for 192 days under constant humidity and $23^{\circ}C$. The contents of Ni, Fe, Mg and Cr in the serpentine and nonserpentine soil originated litter showed high differences between them. The litter samples from serpentine site have lower C/N than non-serpentine litter, but the soluble carbohydrate content was shown almost similar between two plant litter. The mass loss rates of leaf litter from serpentine area were slower than those from non-serpentine site. During the experimental period, the remained dry weight of A. hirta and M. sinensis var. purpurascens litter collected from serpentine site were 64.7%, 65.0% of initial dry weight and litter samples from non-serpentine site showed 54.2%, 50.7%, respectively. K and Na were leached rapidly at the initial decomposition periods, but Ca showed immobilization and other metal elements reserved at the decomposing litter for a long time. The decomposing A. hirta litter from non-serpentine soil showed higher values of $CO_2$ evolution, microbial biomass-C, and microbial biomass-N than those in serpentine soil originated litter acting nutrient stresses and exhibited rapid decay rate. The microbial biomass and microbial respiration of decaying litter were positively correlated with litter decomposition rate, and these relationships showed more rapid slope in non-serpentine soil originated litter than that in serpentine soil.

• Journal of Forest and Environmental Science
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.38-48
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• 2013

Decomposition of plant material is an important component in the study of forest ecosystem because of its critical role in nutrient cycling. Different tree species has different nutrient release patterns, which are related to leaf litter quantitative traits and seasonal environmental factors. The quantitative traits of leaf litter are important predictors of decomposition and decomposition rates increase with greater nutrient availability in the forest ecosystems. At the ecosystem level, litter quantitative traits are most often related to the physical and chemical characteristics of the litter, for example, leaf toughness and leaf mass per unit area, and lignin content tannin and total phenolics. Thus, the analysis of litter quantitative traits and decomposition are highly important for the understanding of nutrient cycling in forest ecosystems. By studying the role of litter quantitative traits on decomposition and nutrient cycling in forest ecosystems will provide a valuable insight to how quantitative traits influence ecosystem nutrient dynamics. Such knowledge will contribute to future forest management and conservation practices.

• KOREAN JOURNAL OF CROP SCIENCE
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• v.50 no.4
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• pp.256-261
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• 2005

The experiment was conducted at the Ban­gabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Agricultural University, Gazipur to study the response of chickpea (Cicer arietinum L) to dual inoculation of Rhizobium and arbuscular mycorrhiza, poultry litter, nitrogen, and phosphorus on spore population and colonization, nodulation, growth, yield attributes, and yield. The performance of Rhizobium inoculant alone was superior to control in all the parameters of the crop studied. Among the treatments dual inoculation of Rhizobium and arbuscular mycorrhiza in presence of poultry litter performed best in recording number and dry weight of nodules, dry weight of shoots and roots, number of pods/plant, number of seeds/pod, and seed yields of chickpea. The highest seed yield of 3.96g/plant was obtained by inoculating chickpea plants with dual inoculation of Rhizobium and arbuscular mycorrhiza in association with poultry litter. Treatments receiving dual inoculation of Rhizobium and arbuscular mycorrhiza in presence of nitrogen and phosphorus, Rhizobium inoculant in presence of nitrogen and phosphorus, and that of arbuscular mycorrhiza in presence of nitrogen and phosphorus were similar as that of treatment receiving dual inoculation of Rhizobium and arbuscular mycorrhiza in presence of poultry litter. From the view point of nodulation, growth, yield attributes, and yields of chickpea, dual inoculation of Rhizobium inoculant and arbuscular mycorrhiza along with poultry litter was considered to be the balanced combination of nutrients for achieving the maximum output from cultivation of chickpea in Shallow Red Brown Terrace Soil of Bangladesh.

• Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.115-123
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• 2008

We describe plant biomass in the grasslands of the Mongolian steppe obtained using a quadrat sampling technique. Four sites were studied in the northeastern Mongolia located between $47^{\circ}12'N$ and $47^{\circ}40'N$ and $102^{\circ}22'E$ and $112^{\circ}24'E$, which were typical grasslands of the steppe. Biomass, carbon and nitrogen content were determined for the plants collected from the grazed and ungarazed stands. With the measurements above, we expect to obtain information on grazing effects on the grasslands and carbon sequestration of the grassland from the air. In order to estimate the biomass without destroying the stands, we derived an equation to describe the relationship between plant biomass and v-value using plant height and species coverage within the stand. Estimated plant biomass in the ungrazed and grazed stands ranged between $108.0\;g\;m^{-2}$ and $13.4\;g\;m^{-2}$ and between $97.5\;g\;m^{-2}$ and $14.1\;g\;m^{-2}$ in late June 2005, respectively. Litter in the ungrazed and grazed stands ranged from $330.3\;g\;m^{-2}$ to $78.4\;g\;m^{-2}$ and from $188.0\;g\;m^{-2}$ to $20.3\;g\;m^{-2}$, similarly. Average carbon and nitrogen contents in plants and in litter were 43.0% and 1.9% and 33.7% and 1.4%, respectively. In study sites at Baganuur, the carbon and nitrogen content of plant materials (plant plus litter) was $118.4\;g\;m^{-2}$ and $4.7\;g\;m^{-2}$ on 30 June 2005.

• Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.43 no.4
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• pp.376-384
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• 2019

Background: Nutrient release during litter decomposition was investigated in Vitex doniana, Terminalia avecinioides, Sarcocephallus latifolius, and Parinari curatellifolius in Makurdi, Benue State Nigeria (January 10 to March 10 and from June 10 to August 10, 2016). Leaf decomposition was measured as loss in mass of litter over time using the decay model W_t/W₀ = e-^{kd t}, while $Kd=-{\frac{1}{t}}In({\frac{Wt}{W0}})$ was used to evaluate decomposition rate. Time taken for half of litter to decompose was measured using T₅₀ = ln ²/k; while nutrient accumulation index was evaluated as $NAI=(\frac{{\omega}t\;Xt}{{\omega}oXo})$. Results: Average mass of litter remaining after exposure ranged from 96.15 g, (V. doniana) to 78.11 g, (S. lafolius) in dry (November to March) and wet (April to October) seasons. Decomposition rate was averagely faster in the wet season (0.0030) than in the dry season (0.0022) with P. curatellifolius (0.0028) and T. avecinioides (0.0039) having the fastest decomposition rates in dry and wet seasons. Mean residence time (days) ranged from 929 to 356, while the time (days) for half the original mass to decompose ranged from 622 to 201 (dry and wet seasons). ANOVA revealed highly significant differences (p < 0.01) in decomposition rates and exposure time (days) and a significant interaction (p < 0.05) between species and exposure time in both seasons. Conclusion: Slow decomposition in the plant leaves implied carbon retention in the ecosystem and slow release of CO₂ back to the atmosphere, while nitrogen was mineralized in both seasons. The plants therefore showed effectiveness in nutrient cycling and support productivity in the ecosystem.