Leaf Litter: Nature’s Jewel

(ENS) – This winter scientists at 32 sites in 20 countries are digging through bags of leaf litter to learn more about the tiny creatures which perform one of nature’s most important jobs—decomposition. The researchers are part of the first global survey of the biodiversity in the plant debris that blankets much of the planet’s surface.

As part of the Global Litter Invertebrate Decomposition Experiment (GLIDE), researchers placed mesh bags of leaf litter on the ground of diverse ecosystems, from tropical to boreal forests, from savannahs to arctic tundra. Later they were to retrieve the bags for analysis of global patterns of decomposition and the species involved. GLIDE’s chairperson, Dr. Diana Wall of Colorado State University, says the study will advance the understanding of the tiny animals that dwell in soil and litter. Even at small scales, biodiversity in soils and litter is poorly known.

There is not one experimental plot, anywhere in the world, for which all species of soil and litter creatures have been described. The lack of information on these species is partly due to their sheer abundance and diversity. Biologists estimate that for many soil and litter taxonomic groups, less than ten percent of species have been scientifically described. More Information on GLIDE is available at www.nrel.colostate.edu/projects/glide/