decomposition_annualLitterDecompositionRate: Low-level decomposition functions

In medfate: Mediterranean Forest Simulation

Low-level decomposition functions

Description

Functions related to litter and soil carbon decomposition processes

Usage

decomposition_pHEffect(x, pool)

decomposition_annualLitterDecompositionRate(AET, lignin)

decomposition_snagFallProbability(DBH, decayClass, durability = 1)

decomposition_litterMetabolicFraction(ligninPercent, Nmass)

decomposition_moistureEffect(sand, clay, soilMoisture)

decomposition_temperatureEffect(soilTemperature)

Arguments

x	Soil water pH (0-14)
pool	String indicating the decomposition pool
AET	Actual evapotranspiration (mm)
lignin	Lignin percent
DBH	Diameter at breast height
decayClass	Decay class, from 1 to 5
durability	Wood durability, from 0 (less resistant) to 4 (see Oberle et al. 2018)
ligninPercent	lignin content (% of dry)
Nmass	nitrogen content (mg N / g dry)
sand, clay	Soil texture values in percent volume.
soilMoisture	Soil moisture content, relative to saturation.
soilTemperature	Soil temperature (in Celsius).

Details

Function decomposition_moistureEffect follows Kelly et al. (2000) Function decomposition_snagFallProbability follows Vanderwell et al. (2006)

Value

Functions decomposition_moistureEffect, decomposition_pHEffect and decomposition_temperatureEffect return a scalar value representing a factor that should modify a decomposition rate. Function decomposition_annualLitterDecompositionRate directly returns a scalar value with the annual decomposition rate (yr-1). Function decomposition_litterMetabolicFraction returns a scalar with the fraction of litter that corresponds to metabolic carbon.

Author(s)

Miquel De Cáceres Ainsa, CREAF

References

Bonan, G. (2019). Climate change and terrestrial ecosystem modeling. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, UK.

Vanderwel et al. (2006) Snag dynamics in partially harvested and unmanaged northern hardwood forests. Canadian Journal of Forest Research 36: 2769-2779.

Meentemeyer (1978)

Kelly et al (2000)

See Also

decomposition_DAYCENT

medfate documentation built on Sept. 3, 2026, 9:06 a.m.