Effects of Elevated Carbon Dioxide on Litter Chemistry and Decomposition

The synthesis originated from a workshop, Litter Quality and Decomposition under Elevated CO2, held in Capri, Italy, September 1998, under the auspices of Global Change and Terrestrial Ecosystems project (GCTE) and the European COST network.

Data on litter chemistry and decomposition of plant tissue grown in elevated and ambient carbon dioxide concentrations were gathered from participants of that workshop and from other published and pre-publication sources. The litter chemistry database comprised observations of naturally senesced leaves of herbaceous and woody plants exposed to elevated carbon dioxide (typically 600-700 ppm) in the field or in field chambers in the United States, Europe, New Zealand, and Australia.