A study published in the June 2024 issue of the journal Pedosphere looks at how a non-native armored scale insect alters the leaf litter decomposition dynamics of the novel host cycad species on newly invaded islands. The ...
Plants & Animals
Jul 31, 2024
0
30
Co-developed by Umeå university, a method to measure the decay of plant material with the help of simple tea bags has quickly become the standard in scientific research as well as a favorite teaching activity throughout ...
Ecology
Jul 3, 2024
0
145
Every year, the negative effects of human activities on the environment become increasingly clear. From climate change and microplastics to the endangerment and extinction of countless species, it is evident that we need ...
Analytical Chemistry
Jul 1, 2024
0
23
The University of Hong Kong (HKU) has studied the role of invertebrates in forest litter decomposition. The study, led by researchers Ph.D. candidate Xiaoyi Zeng and Professor Louise A. Ashton from the School of Biological ...
Ecology
Apr 30, 2024
0
8
Leaf litter, as a multifunctional legacy of plants, plays an essential role in driving biogeochemical cycles, while providing important habitat and food resources for soil organisms. Litter traits and soil fauna play a crucial ...
Ecology
Apr 24, 2024
0
19
Soil organic matter (SOM) decomposition is a key process that affects soil carbon storage and greenhouse gas emissions. Investigating the temperature sensitivity (Q10) of SOM decomposition and its regulating mechanisms is ...
Ecology
Apr 15, 2024
0
9
Adipic acid, a fundamental component in the manufacture of chemical fibers, nylon 66, engineering plastics, and various pharmaceutical, food, and chemical products, is commonly synthesized through a green process involving ...
Analytical Chemistry
Mar 25, 2024
0
1
TATB (1,3,5-triamino-2,4,6-trinitrobenzene) is an important explosive compound because of its extensive use in munitions and worldwide weapons systems. Despite its importance, researchers have been trying to understand its ...
Analytical Chemistry
Feb 28, 2024
0
15
When light encounters a particle, it interacts with the particle instead of just passing through smoothly. The light waves can get scattered in different directions because of the light-matter interactions.
Optics & Photonics
Jan 29, 2024
0
49
Asteroid Phaethon, which is five kilometers in diameter, has been puzzling researchers for a long time. A comet-like tail is visible for a few days when the asteroid passes closest to the sun during its orbit.
Planetary Sciences
Nov 28, 2023
0
60
Decomposition (or rotting) is the process by which organic material is broken down into simpler forms of matter. The process is essential for recycling the finite matter that occupies physical space in the biome. Bodies of living organisms begin to decompose shortly after death. Although no two organisms decompose in the same way, they all undergo the same sequential stages of decomposition. The science which studies decomposition is generally referred to as taphonomy from the Greek word taphos, meaning tomb.
One can differentiate abiotic and biotic decomposition or biodegradation. The former one means "degradation of a substance by chemical or physical processes, eg hydrolysis). The latter one means "the metabolic breakdown of materials into simpler components by living organisms", typically by microorganisms.
This text uses material from Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA