Table 2 Initial quality of two species of plant litter.

From: Inhibition of litter decomposition of two emergent macrophytes by addition of aromatic plant powder

Parameter

Litter species

Significance

M. sacchariflorus

C. brevicuspis

N concentration (%)

0.415 ± 0.085

0.768 ± 0.018

**

P concentration (%)

0.048 ± 0.013

0.089 ± 0.010

**

Organic C concentration (%)

43.13 ± 0.85

38.37 ± 1.77

**

Cellulose concentration (%)

18.56 ± 2.53

14.61 ± 0.31

**

Lignin concentration (%)

37.82 ± 1.06

35.88 ± 1.66

*

C:N ratio (molar molar−1)

125.69 ± 31.85

58.36 ± 3.80

**

C:P ratio (molar molar−1)

1100.71 ± 269.17

506.18 ± 32.49

**

N:P ratio (molar molar−1)

10.35 ± 2.26

10.17 ± 1.27

ns

Lignin:N ratio (molar molar−1)

94.49 ± 24.22

46.75 ± 2.44

**

  1. Values are means ± S.E. (n = 3). *P < 0.05; **P < 0.01; ns, no significant difference.