01751naa a2200325 a 450000100080000000500110000800800410001910000210006024500920008126000090017352009060018265000200108865000100110865000210111865000190113965000130115865300120117165300200118365300220120365300180122565300160124365300140125965300270127365300130130065300130131365300170132670000190134370000180136277300450138015212042023-07-20       1979    bl uuuu     u00u1 u    #d1 aVOSSBRICK, C. R.  aAbiotic and biotic factors decomposition in semi-arid grassland.h[electronic resource]  c1979  aAbstract. Decomposition of grass leaf litter was studied on a shortgrass prairie using chemicals (HgC12 and CuSO4) to prevent microbial activity (abiotic treatment), 53-/im nylon mesh to exclude mesofauna (microbial treatment), and 1-mm nylon mesh to allow the access of mesofauna. After 9 months, 15.2% of the blue grama grass litter was decomposed in the microbial treatment, and 29.4% was decomposed in the microbial plus mesofaunal treatment. After 7 months, 7.2% of the litter had disappeared from the abiotic treatment. There was a general decrease in C:N ratios with the microbial treatment lowest at the end of the experiment. Total available carbohydrates generally decreased with time. Certain mite families fluctuated with seasons. The tydeids were most active in winter and tetranychids were most active in summer. A correlation between abiotic factors and mite families was also observed.  aGrassland soils  aMites  aSoil degradation  aDecomposição  aPastagem  aAbiotic  aCarbon nitrogen  aExponential decay  aFator biotico  aLitter bags  aMesofauna  aPopulation fluctuation  aRestolho  aSeasonal  aSuccessional1 aCOLEMAN, D. C.1 aWOOLEY, T. A.  tEcologygv.´60, n. 2, p. 265-271, 1979.