Using your data and the fact that plants are roughly 44.5%carbon, calculate how many days it would take for all of the carbonin your leaves to be respired if microbes continue to metabolize atthe rate you measured. Now, think back to a just-fallen leafoutside. Considering how many days you estimate it would take yourleaves to disappear, do you think there are enough days that aremoist and warm enough to allow complete metabolism of leavesbetween fall and spring, say between November 1 and May 15?Explain.
