Abstract

The adequacy of the negative exponential model with one independent variable, days or accumulated time, as a descriptive equation for aquatic leaf litter processing was examined. The effect of adding a second independent variable, degree days or accumulated temperature, to the model was also examined. The two variable negative exponential model was shown to have at least two advantages over the single variable model. The two variable model adequately fits litter processing data for more cases than the single variable model. The expanded model also allows determination of rate coefficients for various temperature levels of the experiment rather than assuming a single, constant rate coefficient as the simpler model does. The trends of the temperature dependent rate coefficient can be used to examine processing differences between experiments for different sites and seasons.

Degree

College and Department

Life Sciences; Plant and Wildlife Sciences

Rights

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