Wheat straw decomposition in subtropical Australia .I. A comparison of ¹⁴C labeling and two weight loss methods for measuring decomposition

Abstract

Three techniques for measuring straw decomposition in the field were compared. They were 14C labelling, weight loss from unconfined straw, and weight loss from straw held in mesh bags. The effect of these techniques on nitrogen transformations was also considered. The percent recovery by weight of straw held in mesh bags was greater than that which had been left unconfined in microplots, and also was greater than the percent recovery of 14C from 14C-labelled straw. This suggested that the mesh bag technique gave an underestimate of decomposition. Unconfined straw in microplots provided results in general agreement with 14C recoveries. Straw decomposition under the conditions of the different treatments had little effect on nitrogen transformations.