Fungi and bacteria are significant decomposers of plants within wetlands, but annual secondary production investigations are lacking. Microbial carbon assimilation into biomass and CO2 mineralization may contribute considerably to wetland biogeochemical cycling and energy flow. Naturally-occurring Typha angustifolia detritus was collected to determine annual areal carbon flow through secondary decomposers. Two decay phases, standing-dead and benthic litter, were analyzed concurrently to determine fungal (14C-acetate incorporation) and bacterial (3H-leucine incorporation) production estimates. Gradual collapse of the 2004 cohort standing-dead stocks resulted in lowest litter biomass at study's end while benthic detrital stocks displayed little biomass fluctuation. This study indicates significantly higher fungal production rates within standing litter compared to bacteria. A noteworthy increase in areal production and CO2 mineralization occurred in benthic litter-associated fungi and bacteria. These results provide evidence indicating considerable annual carbon flow from emergent litter to heterotrophic decomposers within both decay phases.
","abstract_html":"<p>Fungi and bacteria are significant decomposers of plants within wetlands, but annual secondary production investigations are lacking. Microbial carbon assimilation into biomass and CO<sub>2</sub> mineralization may contribute considerably to wetland biogeochemical cycling and energy flow. Naturally-occurring <em>Typha angustifolia</em> detritus was collected to determine annual areal carbon flow through secondary decomposers. Two decay phases, standing-dead and benthic litter, were analyzed concurrently to determine fungal (<sup>14</sup>C-acetate incorporation) and bacterial (<sup>3</sup>H-leucine incorporation) production estimates. Gradual collapse of the 2004 cohort standing-dead stocks resulted in lowest litter biomass at study's end while benthic detrital stocks displayed little biomass fluctuation. This study indicates significantly higher fungal production rates within standing litter compared to bacteria. A noteworthy increase in areal production and CO<sub>2</sub> mineralization occurred in benthic litter-associated fungi and bacteria. These results provide evidence indicating considerable annual carbon flow from emergent litter to heterotrophic decomposers within both decay phases. </p>","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Ohsowski, Brian Matthew"],"institution":null,"degree_name":"Master of Science (MS)","degree_level":"Open Access Thesis","degree_discipline":"Biology","degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":["Steven N. Francoeur, PhD, Chair","Kevin A. Kuehn, PhD","Gary L. Hannan, PhD"],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2008,"date_issued":"2008-01-01T08:00:00Z","date_published":"2008-01-01T08:00:00Z","updated_at":"2026-07-24T02:16:30Z","subjects":["Plant litter Biodegradation","Typha","Wetland ecology","Biology"],"languages":[],"rights":[],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://commons.emich.edu/theses/200","outbound_label":"Repository record","outbound_source":"dc:identifier"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor","label":"Contributor","values":["Steven N. Francoeur, PhD, Chair","Kevin A. Kuehn, PhD","Gary L. Hannan, PhD"]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Ohsowski, Brian Matthew"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"thesis:degree_discipline","label":"Discipline","values":["Biology"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_level","label":"Degree Level","values":["Open Access Thesis"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["Master of Science (MS)"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["Plant litter Biodegradation","Typha","Wetland ecology","Biology"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier","label":"Identifier","values":["https://commons.emich.edu/theses/200"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["Fungi and bacteria are significant decomposers of plants within wetlands, but annual secondary production investigations are lacking. Microbial carbon assimilation into biomass and CO2 mineralization may contribute considerably to wetland biogeochemical cycling and energy flow. Naturally-occurring Typha angustifolia detritus was collected to determine annual areal carbon flow through secondary decomposers. Two decay phases, standing-dead and benthic litter, were analyzed concurrently to determine fungal (14C-acetate incorporation) and bacterial (3H-leucine incorporation) production estimates. Gradual collapse of the 2004 cohort standing-dead stocks resulted in lowest litter biomass at study's end while benthic detrital stocks displayed little biomass fluctuation. This study indicates significantly higher fungal production rates within standing litter compared to bacteria. A noteworthy increase in areal production and CO2 mineralization occurred in benthic litter-associated fungi and bacteria. These results provide evidence indicating considerable annual carbon flow from emergent litter to heterotrophic decomposers within both decay phases.
"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["Annual secondary production of fungal and bacterial decomposers associated with standing and benthic litter of the freshwater emergent macrophyte, typha angustifolia "]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor":["Steven N. Francoeur, PhD, Chair","Kevin A. Kuehn, PhD","Gary L. Hannan, PhD"],"dc:creator":["Ohsowski, Brian Matthew"],"dc:description.abstract":["Fungi and bacteria are significant decomposers of plants within wetlands, but annual secondary production investigations are lacking. Microbial carbon assimilation into biomass and CO2 mineralization may contribute considerably to wetland biogeochemical cycling and energy flow. Naturally-occurring Typha angustifolia detritus was collected to determine annual areal carbon flow through secondary decomposers. Two decay phases, standing-dead and benthic litter, were analyzed concurrently to determine fungal (14C-acetate incorporation) and bacterial (3H-leucine incorporation) production estimates. Gradual collapse of the 2004 cohort standing-dead stocks resulted in lowest litter biomass at study's end while benthic detrital stocks displayed little biomass fluctuation. This study indicates significantly higher fungal production rates within standing litter compared to bacteria. A noteworthy increase in areal production and CO2 mineralization occurred in benthic litter-associated fungi and bacteria. These results provide evidence indicating considerable annual carbon flow from emergent litter to heterotrophic decomposers within both decay phases.
"],"dc:identifier":["https://commons.emich.edu/theses/200"],"dc:subject":["Plant litter Biodegradation","Typha","Wetland ecology","Biology"],"dc:title":["Annual secondary production of fungal and bacterial decomposers associated with standing and benthic litter of the freshwater emergent macrophyte, typha angustifolia "],"thesis:degree_discipline":["Biology"],"thesis:degree_level":["Open Access Thesis"],"thesis:degree_name":["Master of Science (MS)"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-24T02:16:30Z"}