ABOUT THIS PARAMETER

litterfall biomass density

The amount of fallen leaves, lawn clippings, and other downed plant biomass on the ground per unit area.

Used to calculate:leaves and sticks

Varies by: ecosystem

Used ecosystem Reference Location: Ecosystem
(study period)
Value Units Notes
* Agricultural field / vegetable garden ORNL 2012- Global Database of Soil Respiration Data Missouri: agricultural field (1984-1986) 428 g / m2
* Airfield Assumed New York City: Urban Area () 0 kg / m2
* Airport terminal Assumed New York City: Urban Area () 0 kg / m2
* Alley Assumed New York City: Urban Area () 0 kg / m2
* Apartment building Assumed New York City: Urban Area () 0 kg / m2
* Beach Dugan et al. 2011 Marine macrophyte wrack inputs... [Santa Barbara, CA] East Campus Beach, Santa Barbara, CA: Sandy beach (August 2003) 14 kg / m2 wet biomass of macroalgae
* Beach Dugan et al. 2011 Marine macrophyte wrack inputs... [Santa Barbara, CA] Isla Vista Beach, Santa Barbara, CA: Sandy beach (August 2003) 11 kg / m2 Wet macroalgae biomass
Beach Dugan et al. 2011 Marine macrophyte wrack inputs... [Santa Barbara, CA] Carpinteria City Beach, Santa Barbara, CA: Sandy beach (August 2003) 0.41 kg / m2 Wet macroalgae biomass on a groomed beach
Beach McLachlan & McGwynne 1986 Do sandy beaches accumulate nitrogen? Port Elizabeth, South Africa: Rocky beach (March 1984 - March 1985) 72 kg / m2 wet biomass; observations varied widely from 0.6 to 508.3 kg/m2 over the course of the study
* Bike lane Assumed New York City: Urban Area () 0 kg / m2
* Bioswale Colwell 2000- Characterization of Performance Predictors and Evaluation of Mowing Practices in Biofiltration Swales WA, USA: urban area (1999-2000) 6.8 g / m2
* Boulevard (arterial) Assumed New York City: Urban Area () 0 kg / m2
* Bridge Assumed New York City: Urban Area () 0 kg / m2
* Camp McCoy 1998- Sand and organic amendment influences on soil physical properties related to turf establishment. Ohio: lawn (1998) 1.750704 kg / m2 We assume the same litterfall biomass density as that of a lawn. This value represents the average cli[[ing yield of perennial ryegrass.
* Cemetery McCoy 1998- Sand and organic amendment influences on soil physical properties related to turf establishment. Ohio: lawn (1998) 1.750704 kg / m2 We assume the same litterfall biomass density of a lawn. This value represents the average clipping yield of common perennial ryegrass.
* Cistern / rain barrels Assumed New York City: Urban Area () 0 kg / m2
* Cliffs and rock outcrops Assumed New York City: Mannahatta () 100 g / m2 Estimate based on comparison to other natural ecosystems
* Cogeneration plant Assumed New York City: Urban Area () 0 kg / m2
* Compost bin Assumed New York City: Urban Area () 0 kg / m2
* Computer data center Assumed New York City: Urban Area () 0 kg / m2
* Cottages / Mobile home Assumed New York City: Urban Area () 0 kg / m2
* Deep water estuary NOAA 2015 Data compilations for primary production, herbivory, decomposition, and export for different types of marine communities, 1962-2002 (NODC Accession 0054500) Global: deepwater estuary (2015) 0.103 g / m2 using same cell values from herbivory rate cells use detritus (litterfall biomass rate) and divide by 365 (litterfall biomass per day)
Deep water estuary Assumed New York City: Urban Area () 0 kg / m2
* Derelict structures Assumed New York City: Urban Area () 0 kg / m2
* Diesel power plant Assumed New York City: Urban Area () 0 kg / m2
* Disturbed Land Carson & Peterson 1990 Role of litter in an old-field... Hutcheson Memorial Forest, New Brunswick, New Jersey: Solidago-dominated old field (1985-1986) 855.7 g / m2 Litterfall between November 1985 and April 1986
* Eelgrass meadow Nelson & Waaland 1997 Seasonality of eelgrass, epiphyte, and grazer biomass.... San Juan Islands, Washington: Eelgrass meadows (July 1990 - July 1992) 373 g / m2 Calculated as the difference of the summer and winter biomass values
* Elevated train Assumed New York City: Urban Area () 0 kg / m2
* Estuary Kirchman et al. 2004 Changes in bacterial activity and composition ... to dissolved organic matter in the Hudson River, New York New York City Harbor: Estuary (1999 - 2001) 3 mg C / liter
* Factory Assumed New York City: Urban Area () 0 kg / m2
* Freshwater marsh Hudon 2004- Shift in wetland plant composition and biomass following low-level episodes in the St. Lawrence River: looking into the future Boucherville Islands, Montreal, Canado: wetland (1993-1999) 298 g / m2 This value refers to the litterfall biomass density observed in a shallow marsh.
* Fuel storage tank Assumed New York City: Urban Area () 0 kg / m2
* Garage Assumed New York City: Urban Area () 0 kg / m2
* Gas station Assumed New York City: Urban Area () 0 kg / m2
* Geothermal pump Assumed New York City: Urban Area () 0 kg / m2
* Graywater recycling Assumed New York City: Urban Area () 0 kg / m2
* Greenhouse / vertical farm ORNL 2012- Global Database of Soil Respiration Data Missouri: agricultural field (1984-1986) 428 g / m2 We assume the same litterfall biomass density as that of a cultivated, agricultural field.
* Green roof ORNL 2012- Global Database of Soil Respiration Data Missouri: agricultural field (1984-1986) 428 g / m2 We assume the same litterfall biomass density as that of an agricultural field.
* Hardwood swamp Day 1979 Litter accumulation...Dismal Swamp VA Mixed hardwood site: Hardwood swamp (1977) 5484 kg / ha This value refers to the leaf litter standing crop of a mixed hardwood community. This is measure in kg / ha of oven-dry weight.
* Heavy rail line Assumed New York City: Urban Area () 0 kg / m2
* Hemlock – northern hardwood forest Fisher & Likens 1973 - Energy Flow in Bear Brook, New Hampshire: An Integrative Approach to Stream Ecosystem Metabolism Bear Brook, NH: Mature hardwood forest (1968-1970) 1313 g / m2 "woody debris"
Hemlock – northern hardwood forest Campbell et al. 2000 - Detritus Production and Soil N Transformations in Old-Growth Eastern Hemlock and Sugar Maple Stands Sylvania Wilderness, upper peninsula of Michigan, USA: Old-Growth Hemlock Forest () 3400 kg / ha This value is the litterfall mass of a Hemlock plot. We converted the value to kg / ha from Mg / ha.
* High salt marsh Long, Mason 1983 - Saltmarsh Ecology Delaware, US: Salt marsh () 462 g / m2
* Highway Assumed New York City: Urban Area () 0 kg / m2
* Hospital Assumed New York City: Urban Area () 0 kg / m2
* Hotel Assumed New York City: Urban Area () 0 kg / m2
* Landfill Assumed New York City: Urban Area () 0 kg / m2
* Lawn McCoy 1998- Sand and organic amendment influences on soil physical properties related to turf establishment. Ohio: lawn (1998) 1.750704 kg / m2 This value represents the average clipping yield of common perennial ryegrass.
* Light rail line Assumed New York City: Urban Area () 0 kg / m2
* Low salt marsh Long, Mason 1983 - Saltmarsh Ecology Delaware, US: Salt marsh () 462 g / m2
* Meadow Neufeld 2008- Evaluation of plant litter accumulation and its benefits in Manitoba pastures Manitoba, Canada: meadow (2006-2007) 371.1 g / m2 This value represents the litterfall biomass density of an ungrazed control grassland plot.
* Mixed use: office / residential building Assumed New York City: Urban Area () 0 kg / m2
* Mixed use: restaurant / office building Assumed New York City: Urban Area () 0 kg / m2
* Mixed use: restaurant / residential building Assumed New York City: Urban Area () 0 kg / m2
* Mixed use: restaurant / retail building Assumed New York City: Urban Area () 0 kg / m2
* Mixed use: retail / office building Assumed New York City: Urban Area () 0 kg / m2
* Mixed use: retail / residential building Assumed New York City: Urban Area () 0 kg / m2
* Natural gas power plant Assumed New York City: Urban Area () 0 kg / m2
* Oak hickory forest Monk et. al. 1970 - Biomass, Litter and Leaf Surface Area Estimates of an Oak-Hickory Forest Global: Oak-hickory forest () 1183.9 g / m2 This value includes the weight of leaf litter and the litter of large stems and bole.
* Office building Assumed New York City: Urban Area () 0 kg / m2
* Orchard Shen et al. 2011- Blowing litter across a landscape: effects on ecosystem nutrient flux and implications for landscape management Heshan City, Guangdong, China: orchard (2002-2004) 219.6 g / m2 This value refers to the litterfall biomass density of a longan plantation.
* Ornamental garden Kumar and Nair 2004 - The enigma of tropical homegardens Global: Tropic homegarden () 1728 g / m2
* Parking lot Assumed New York City: Urban Area () 0 kg / m2
* Park savanna Cothrel et al. 1997 In situ recycling of urban deciduous litter Wooster, Ohio: Street trees (1984-1985) 454 g / m2 copied from street trees
* Paved ball field/court Assumed New York City: Urban Area () 0 kg / m2
* Pedestrian bridge Assumed New York City: Urban Area () 0 kg / m2
* Pedestrian street / plaza Assumed New York City: Urban Area () 0 kg / m2
* Permeable pavers Assumed New York City: Urban Area () 0 kg / m2
* Photovoltaic panels Assumed New York City: Urban Area () 0 kg / m2
* Pier Assumed New York City: Urban Area () 0 kg / m2
* Pond Francis et al. 2007. Effects of Urbanization on the Dynamics of Organic Sediments in Temperate Lakes. Pacific Northwest: Lakes () 0.0106 kg / ha Calculated by taking the mean sum of the litterfall for the two developed lakes, divided by the average size between the two.
* Public assembly hall Assumed New York City: Urban Area () 0 kg / m2
Puddles on hardtops NULL REFERENCE NULL REFERENCE LOCATON: NULL ECOSYSTEM (NULL STUDY PERIOD) None DUMMY UNIT
* Restaurant Assumed New York City: Urban Area () 0 kg / m2
* Retail building Assumed New York City: Urban Area () 0 kg / m2
* School or university Assumed New York City: Urban Area () 0 kg / m2
* Sewage treatment plant Assumed New York City: Urban Area () 0 kg / m2
* Shrub land Beier et al. 2009- Carbon and nitrogen balances for six shrublands across Europe Wales: shrubland (1998-2004) 79 g / m2 This value refers to the carbon density of aboveground litterfall.
Shrub land Strojan et. al. 1979 - Litter Fall From Shrubs in the Northern Mojave Desert Rock Valley, Nevada Test Site. Nye County, Nevada (36 degrees 42'N, 116 degrees 11' W).: Shrubland () 217.5 kg / ha This value represents the average of the two litter fall values recorded in 1975 and 1976 in the Mojave Desert from the six shrub species present.
* Sidewalk Assumed New York City: Urban Area () 0 kg / m2
* Single family home Assumed New York City: Urban Area () 0 kg / m2
* Solar energy facility Assumed New York City: Urban Area () 0 kg / m2
* Solar heating panels Assumed New York City: Urban Area () 0 kg / m2
* Solid waste transfer plant Assumed New York City: Urban Area () 0 kg / m2
* Stadium Assumed New York City: Urban Area () 0 kg / m2
* Stream Benfield, 1997. Comparison of Litterfall Input to Streams. NE United States: Streams () 267.2 g / m2 Calculated by averaging the litterfall density for streams between 39-43 degrees latitude (to approximate New York).
Stream Fisher & Likens 1973 - Energy Flow in Bear Brook, New Hampshire: An Integrative Approach to Stream Ecosystem Metabolism Bear Brook, NH: Stream (1968-1970) 1.19 kg / m2 This value represents the mean total detritus in dry weight in the Bear Brook streambed.
* Streetcar line Assumed New York City: Urban Area () 0 kg / m2
* Street (collector) Assumed New York City: Urban Area () 0 kg / m2
* Street trees Cothrel et al. 1997 In situ recycling of urban deciduous litter Wooster, Ohio: Street trees (1984-1985) 454 g / m2 oven dry weight of leaf litter from red maple trees
* Subway Assumed New York City: Urban Area () 0 g / m2
* Swimming pool Assumed New York City: Urban Area () 0 kg / m2
* Tidal energy facility Assumed New York City: Urban Area () 0 kg / m2
* Traffic slowed street Assumed New York City: Urban Area () 0 kg / m2
* Trail Assumed New York City: Mannahatta () 0 kg / m2
* Tunnel Assumed New York City: Urban Area () 0 kg / m2
* Utility yard Assumed New York City: Urban Area () 0 kg / m2
* Warehouse Assumed New York City: Urban Area () 0 kg / m2
* Waste energy power plant Assumed New York City: Urban Area () 0 kg / m2
* Water treatment plant Assumed New York City: Urban Area () 0 kg / m2
* Water/wastewater storage tank Assumed New York City: Urban Area () 0 kg / m2
* Wind farm Assumed New York City: Urban Area () 0 kg / m2

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