Abstract

Litter Decomposition in forest ecosystems adds nutrients to plants, and represents a significant source of atmospheric CO2. Despite its essential role in carbon and nutrient cycling, leaf litter decay in reserve forest ecosystems remains poorly studied. A completely randomized block design field experiment was conducted in Hafir Doka forest reserve, (latitudes '' ̏56 "15 015 and" ̏26 "15 015 N. and longitude 32o 24" 23 "̏ and 32o 13" 23 "E.). The aim of the study is to evaluate organic decomposition of neem leaf and the factors affecting it. One set of 36 litter bags each containing 20 gm. air dried neem leaf were buried 20 cm deep under the canopy of Acacia tortilis subsp. spirocarpa while another set of 36 bags were used as control, during the period November 2017- February 2018. Random samples of 14 bags were retrieved and taken to laboratory to extract their faunal contents. Soil and air temperature and soil moisture were measured during the sampling events. Decomposers fauna were extracted using Tullgern funnel. Data obtained were statistically analyzed using SPSS design at p= 0.05 and compared according to Pearson correlation coefficient. Results showed that nematodes (Aphasmida), mites (Acari: Oribatida) and Collembola (Insecta, Entomobryidae) were extracted as animal decomposers. The litter dry mass remaining within the Acacia tortilis subsp. spirocarpa site and the control was 51.4 and 48.5 %, respectively. Neem leaf decomposition rate showed a positive linear relation to the individual number of nematodes of correlation coefficient (8.85% to 3.55% in the control). Also, positive linear relations to the individual number of each of mites (6.25% vs. 1.25%) and Collembola (17.63% vs.3.17%) were observed. Temporal variation of decomposition rate correlated to soil temperature and moisture values indicated linear positive correlation to temperature during the initial months and negative ones during the final months, whereas moisture values were positively co