Table 3 Linear mixed model analysis of plant functional group effects on decomposition. Time of exposure in the field (duration of the experiment), mean temperature during 6 months of the experiment, and mean total daily precipitation during 6 months of the experiment were fixed effects and plant species were random effects (random intercepts and slopes among species) on the decay process
From: Short life–fast death: decomposition rates of woody plants leaf- and herb-litter
Variable | Sum of squares | Mean square | NumDF | DenDF | F | Pr(> F) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Functional group of plants | 1017 | 338.93 | 3 | 10.6 | 7.3 | 0.006 |
Time of exposure in the field | 92,448 | 2254.82 | 41 | 594.9 | 48.3 | < 0.0001 |
Mean temperature | 1 | 0.68 | 1 | 10.5 | 0.01 | 0.91 |
Mean total daily precipitation | 259 | 259.28 | 1 | 10.5 | 5.5 | 0.04 |
Random effect–intercept | SD = 3.75 | Random effect–slope | SD = 0.07 |