Litter input

Abstract

Allochthonous plant litter is a major source of carbon and energy for stream organisms, especially in narrow reaches where riparian cover limits primary production (Vannote et al. 1980, Webster & Meyer 1997). Typically, several hundred grams of litter dry mass per square meter of stream bed are received per year (Table 1.1). Even when macrophytes are abundant, the detrital pathway driven by allochthonous inputs is important for stream communities (Hill & Webster 1983).