Question

This is for ecology!

Question: C:N ratios dictate decompostion process rates. Briefly discuss what this mesns. Describe the C:N ratio of different resources and discuss the impaft of the C:N ratio of plant litter impacts the soil and soil processes.

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Answer 1

C:N RATIO DICTATES DECOMPOSITION PROCESS RATES...

WELL,THE STATEMENT MENTIONED ABOVE CAN BE CONSIDERED BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT DECOMPOSITION IS CARRIED OUT BY MICRO ORGANISMS(AS BACTERIA,FUNGI ETC)THEY DECOMPOSE THESE MICROORGANISMS BECAUSE THEY NEED ORGANIC.C FOR THEIR FOOD SOURCE (AS THEY ARE HETEROTROPH)BUT THEY NOT ONLY NEED C BUT N ALSO ..THIS IS THE MAJOR REASON THEY PREFER N RICH MATERIAL ..

LIKE FOR EXAMPLE: IF ORGANISMS DID NOT GET N IN DEGRADING MATERIAL THEY WILL DERIVE THEIR OWN N FROM THE SOIL ITSELF MAKING THE SOIL POOR IN N IN A VERY SHORT TIME...THERFORE C/N RATIO PLAYS A MAJOR ROLE IN DECOMPOSTION PROCESS RATES...

C:N RATIO OF DIFFERENT RESOURCES ....

1.C:N RATIO IN CROPPING SYSTEMS

*IT HELPS IN FEEDING DOIL MICROORGANISMS

*IT EFFECTS ON SOIL COVER

*IT EFFECTS ON NUTRIENT CYCLING

*IT INFLUENCES COVER CROPS

2.C:N RATIO IN LAND BASED PLANTS

*IT GIVES SOURCEC OF SEDIMENTARY ORGANIC MATTER

*WHICH LEADS TO INFO ABOUT ECOLOGY,OCEAN CIRCULATION ETC

IMPACT OF C:N RATIO ON PLANT LITTER,SOIL AND SOIL PROCESSES

BASICALLY,IN C:N RATIO EFFECTS PLANTS ROOT SYSTEM BUT NOT MUCH ON SOIL

THAT IS WHEN THE CARBON CONTENT STAYS CONSTANT EFFECTIVELY N INCREASES AND THIS INCREMENT IN N CONTENT MAY REDUCE ROOT DECOMPOSITION WHICH INTERN EFFECTS NUTRIENT DYNAMICS OF ROOT...

BUT SOIL MAY NOT CHNGE MUCH OF IT PROPERTIES EXCEPT LOOSING ITS N CONTENT WHEN SUFFECIENT N IS NOT PROVIDED..