Measure the health of soils, fungi and microbiotic systems in aquatic and terrestrial areas.
| Equity | Local | Hinterland | Global |
|---|---|---|---|
| X | X |
1. Select at least 5 representative sites across the city, including both terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems.
2. Measure decomposition rates in each location.
3. Calculate an average rate of decomposition across all 5 sites.
In terrestrial locations, decomposition rates can be estimated by measuring the loss in mass of leaf litter decomposition in terrestrial locations (Karberg et al., 2008).
In aquatic locations, decomposition rates can be estimated by placing leaf litter or cotton strips in bags affixed to a location and measuring decomposition of the material over time.
Chemical (soil organic matter), physical (erosion rate) or biological (microbial biomass) properties of urban soils can be assessed through the analysis of soil samples.