FIGURE 2.

Remaining litter biomass (%) at the end of a 6-month decomposition experiment, preceded by photodegradation in the field. Samples from the field experiment are shown by open (UV+) or filled symbols (UV-). The laboratory experiment included irrigation treatments representing years with contrasting annual rainfall. Irrigation treatments represented the equivalent rainfall of a dry year (˜15 mm), an average year (140 mm) and wet (El Niño) year (240 mm) in semiarid Chile. The experiment was conducted under constant temperature (23°C). (A) Remaining litter biomass Proustia and (B) Porlieria. Data are means ± 1 SE.