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On the Influence of Temporal Resolution in Mesh Bag Decomposition Studies
Author(s) -
Mancinelli Giorgio,
Sabetta Letizia,
Sangiorgio Franca
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
international review of hydrobiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.524
H-Index - 52
eISSN - 1522-2632
pISSN - 1434-2944
DOI - 10.1002/iroh.200510951
Subject(s) - sampling (signal processing) , detritus , decomposition , sampling interval , interval (graph theory) , lag , environmental science , temporal resolution , statistics , mathematics , biological system , ecology , biology , physics , computer science , computer network , combinatorics , detector , optics , quantum mechanics
The dry mass of reed mesh bags was monitored daily for 40 days at two sites in an Italian lagoon. The original daily‐collected data set was manipulated by increasing inter‐sampling time intervals to assess the effect of varying the sampling lag on the detection of inter‐sites differences in decomposition patterns. At daily intervals, differences between sites were significant, although non‐random, short‐term mass fluctuations were observed. However, for linear interval increments, there were no between‐site differences for lags ≥7 days; in addition, for geometrical interval increments significant differences were never observed. Our study suggests that the temporal resolution chosen for a decomposition study may affect the detection of inter‐site differences, emphasizing a previously‐unexplored time dependency for leaf detritus decay patterns. (© 2007 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)