Urban Lawn Litter Decomposition Rates for 8 Tree and Shrub Species

8 tree and shrub litter types, including Quercus robur and Fagus sylvatica, had decomposition rates measured in open and wooded urban lawns. Decomposition rates varied from 0.29 to 6.23 per year, with litter quality being the primary driver. The dataset, authored by Tom Künnemann and last updated in April 2026, presents findings from a study using litterbags to assess macrofauna contributions.

Use Cases

• Modeling soil carbon dynamics based on litter decomposition rates for different species.
• Comparing the effects of microclimate (temperature and moisture) versus litter quality on decomposition processes.
• Assessing the contribution of soil macrofauna to litter breakdown based on litterbag mesh size exclusion.
• Informing urban green space management strategies for litter recycling based on species-specific decomposition data.

Strengths

• Decomposition rates (k values) are provided for 8 specific litter species, with a range from 0.29 to 6.23 per year.
• Experimental design included paired measurements in adjacent open and wooded lawns, allowing for controlled comparison.
• Data includes measurements of microclimatic conditions and soil physicochemical properties alongside decomposition.

Limitations

• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• Row count is unknown, which may limit suitability assessment.
• The dataset is very small (17.6 KB), indicating limited scope, likely containing summary results rather than raw observational records.

Provenance

Source

figshare

Collection Method

Measured using litterbags (5 mm and 2 mm mesh) in urban green spaces, with monitoring of microclimate and soil properties.

Freshness

Last updated 2026-04-30 05:39:05; freshness should be verified.

Geography

Urban green spaces (likely specific study location not stated in provided input).