Leaf litter movement may depend not only on the inclination of the slope, but air and rainfall, soil humidity, leaf size, plant species, surface cover (bare soil, mosses). My interest is focused on the question how long bare soil is covered by leaf litter and consequently how much time propagules may have to wait for their chance, if they require direct light for germination.
It would depend on specific composition and an empirical stability factor that is the ratiobetween resistance and perturbation, http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11258-004-5801-4 and practices like agroforestry as http://agris.fao.org/agris-search/search.do?recordID=TH2002003126. Season and erosion are coupled to litter movement.
Dear Guido,
thank you for your kind and helpful response and the link to the references.
Regards, Klaus
European earthworms have recently reached the forests in this region of North America (they were extirpated by the most recent glaciation). These days, leaf litter on steep slopes of post-glacial gullies is consumed by worms faster than it moves down hill. That means that soil is being exposed sooner in the season than it once was. Are they a factor in your situation?
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/invasive-earthworms-denude-forests/
Dear Thomas,
that is an interesting detail that might be worth considering, although our study site is in Central Mexico. We focus on fern spores, which might be well consumed by earthworms and together with leaf litter.
Regards,
Klaus
Hi Klaus ... greetings!
Here in Australia a major influence on movement of litter is turn over by scratching "big" birds. Brush Turkeys and Lyrebirds are examples, and move enormous amounts of litter each night looking for insects etc. This is not a minor contribution to litter movement! Best wishes, John
Hi John,
interesting detail, however the only big "birds" we still have in Mexico are the researchers and perhaps some deer.
Best wishes,
Klaus
Hi Klaus Mehltreter
May be it dependent on many factors, you are mentions most of them. Site soil fertility, protection and type of intervention are of the main factors. I have a lot of sites in Jordan; some of them have good litter within 5 years while others haven't a noted effect. Best wishes.
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