Microbial Degradation of Natural and Pollutionally-Derived Lignocelluosic Detritus in Wetland Ecosystems

摘要

Wetlands have been characterized as detritus-based ecosystems. Most of the standing stock of plant biomass is not directly eaten by grazing animals, but first must be decomposed by the sediment and water microflora. In this study, the composition of a variety of wetland plants serving as sources of detritus was determined. Most of the dry weight was found to be lignocellulose. A radiotracer procedure was developed to specifically label the lignin and cellulosic moieties of lignocellulose from a variety of wetland plants.