Leaf-litter decomposition in the Picea - Tsuga forests of Olympic National Park, Washington, USA

The factors controlling litter decomposition of eleven species of leaf litter were examined in theH{,h Rain Forest, Olympic National Park. Washington. using the litter-bag method. Leaching oflitter decreased the decay rate-constant as compared to unleached litter. This decrease was inproportion to the readily leachable fraction ( RLF) in the litter. Decay of both leached and un-leached litter was highly correlated (P