Microflora Activities and Decomposition 323 



TABLE 9-3 Annual Weight Losses of Various Litters Measured and 

 Predicted from the Simulated Microbial Respiration 



Note: Abiotic and respirometry data for the research areas were collected during develop- 

 ment of the ABISKO model (Bunnell and Dowding 1974). 

 'Rosswall (1974). 

 ^Benoit et al. (unpubl.). 

 'Benoit (unpubl.). 

 'Heal and French (1974). 

 'Shoots and stems combined in model. 

 Source: Bunnell et al. (1977b). 



assumption is made that both chemical groupings contain the same per- 

 cent carbon as the parent material, 45*^0, the respiration rates can be con- 

 verted directly to weight loss. The rate of weight loss of ethanol-soluble 

 compounds is: 



weight loss hr-' = 3.S GRESP (T, M)l .19 WE 



where GRESP = central equation of the model (p. 310) with co- 

 efficients appropriate to the specific substrate 

 1.19 = conversion factor from ^1 CO2 to g substrate 

 WE = weight of ethanol-soluble compound in grams. 



Following the same approach the rate of weight loss of ethanol-insoluble 

 compounds is: 



weight loss hr-' = 0.16 GRESPiT,M)l .19 WNE 



where WNE represents the weight of ethanol-insoluble compounds in 

 grams. The annual rate of weight loss is given by: 



365 

 1-n (l-A:.) 

 / = i 



