The use of cellulose strips to study organic matter decomposition in boreal forested soils

This paper addresses the use of cellulose strips (softwood pulp) as a method for studying the decomposition of soil organic matter. The eight study sites were located in four forested catchments in Finland (between 61°–69°N). The sites comprised mineral soil and peat soil plots subjected to minimal anthropogenic influence. The cellulose strips were placed on the soil surface, on the surface and covered with litter, and in the subsurface (0–5 cm) for 49 weeks and the weight loss measured. Significant, positive correlations were found between the weight loss of cellulose strips and the weight loss of local Scots pine needle litter (up to r = 0.98, p < 0.001), and between the weight loss of cellulose strips and basal respiration (up to r = 0.65, p = 0.007). The cellulose strip method can be easily and successfully used to measure cumulative decomposition activity over a period of time.