Table 1.
Explanation of experimental design used in the first experimental run.
Numbers in the contrast columns indicate the contrast coefficients (0, 1, -1, etc.), which were assigned to sum to zero. Bolded and italicized fonts indicate the levels within each contrast comparison as described in the contrast key.
Table 2.
Explanation of experimental design used in the second experimental run.
Table 3.
Summary of leaf decomposition results from first experimental run of leaf packs.
Table 4.
Abundance of predatory aquatic invertebrates among leaf pack treatments from first experimental run.
Fig 1.
Biological responses to among species variation of leaf packs (mean ± 1 se).
(A) Decomposition rates, (B) algal accrual and (C) aquatic invertebrate richness (Shannon’s diversity index) of alder (n = 24), vine maple (n = 24) and bigleaf maple (n = 24) in single and mixed species leaf packs (n = 12). Significant comparisons (P < 0.05) indicated by a star.
Fig 2.
Plant traits influencing the degree of aquatic decomposition of deciduous leaves over the experimental period.
(A) Correlation between decomposition and leaf thickness are shown for each species independently and combined (note negative decomposition rates indicate mass gained), and (B) correlation between trees size and leaf thickness are shown for each species independently to illustrate species differences.
Fig 3.
Leaf decomposition rate when leaf contents match the successional stage of adjacent riparian forest.
Comparative decomposition (mean ± 1 se) of leaf packs containing early (alder or a mix of alder, vine maple and bigleaf maple) versus later successional species (hemlock or a mix of hemlock and alder) deployed at sites adjacent to early versus later successional riparian forest. Significant comparisons (paired t-tests P < 0.05) indicated by a star.
Fig 4.
Biological responses to variation at the within-species scale (mean ± 1 se).
(A) decomposition rates, (B) algal accrual and (C) aquatic invertebrate Shannon diversity richness of local versus immigrant alder (from two experimental runs), vine maple, bigleaf maple and mix packs containing all three species. Significant comparisons (P < 0.05) indicated by a star.