|
There have been frequent threads over the years as to why oak
leaves are preferable to other species leaves, especially maple leaves, for tank
litter in Apisto tanks. Yesterday I ran across an interesting passage in a
book I'm reading (_The Vegetation of Wisconsin: An Ordination of Plant
Communities_ by John T. Curtis, 1959) that sheds some light on the
subject. In describing the life cycle of the Sugar Maple, the dominant
tree in the Southern Mesic Forest, he notes:
"Another effect of the leaves is bought about by their high
content of basic nutrient elements at the time of leaf shedding. . .
. the nutrients which have been pulled into the leaf by the transpiration
stream during the summer remain there and are not withdrawn into the trunks as
in the oaks and many other species. When the leaves are shed, they contain
high levels of calcium, magnesium and potassium.
The high base content of the maple leaves is correlated with the ease of breakdown by the millipedes, fungi and other soil biota." So the base elements in maple leaves would likely cause them
to quickly degenerate as well as release elements that would cause the water to
become harder more alkaline, or at least prevent it from become soft and acidic
like oak leaves do.
|