Ecology of Plant Litter Decomposition in Stream Ecosystems

With almost 90%of terrestrial plant material entering the detrital pool, the processing ofthis significant carbon source is a criticalecosystem function tounderstand. Riverine ecosystems are estimated to receive, process andtransport nearly 1.9 Pg of terrestrialcarbon per year globally, highlightingthe focus many freshwater ecologists have on the factors that explaindecomposition rates ofsenesced plant material. Since Webster and Benfieldoffered the first comprehensive review of these factors in 1986, there has beenanexplosion of research addressing key questions about the ecologicalinteractions at play. Ecologists have developed field and laboratorytechniques, as well as created global scale collaborations to disentangle themany drivers involved in the decomposition process. Thisbook encapsulatesthese 30+ years of research, describing the state of knowledge on the ecologyof plant litter decomposition in streamecosystems in 22 chapters written by internationallyrenowned experts on the subject.