Summary
A method for uniformly labeling kilogram amounts of plant litter with 14C is described. Data obtained from field decomposition of tagged fescue litter prepared by this method suggest that 14C flux can be a reliable indicator of energy flow, as measured directly by bomb calorimetry and indirectly by ashfree weight.
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Wieder, R.K., Carrel, J.E. Radioactive carbon-14 as an indicator of energy flow in litter decomposition studies. Oecologia 44, 31–33 (1979). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00346393
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00346393