Abstract
Sunshine is a significant driver of the terrestrial ecosystem process that runs the synthesis as well as the decomposition. It has been shown to accelerate the decomposition process of organic matter through the process of photodegradation. Studies have shown how the radiation from sunlight influences decay by increasing the rate of microbiology action and procedures on the organic matter ( Komar & Beattie, 1998) . Soil surface in the ecosystem is exposed to different light intensities that heats the soil and allows for faster decomposition. This decomposition is a critical component of biogeochemical cycles that benefits an entire ecosystem. It is facilitated by both biotic and abiotic factors, including temperature, humidity, sunlight, and soil compositions, as well as the scavengers and fungi.
However, research on factors affecting decomposition remains underdetermined, especially on the effect of sunlight in a terrestrial ecosystem ( McCallister et al., 2005) . The literature on how decay is affected by light intensity remains unknown. To test the impact of direct sunlight on avian decomposition, researchers in this study placed cadavers in two different ecosystems with different environmental conditions. A laboratory experiment was conducted to examine the effects of direct sunlight on aviation decomposition. A one month period of monitoring the disintegration of an avian cadaver exposed to direct sunlight with another sample hidden from sunlight followed. The two samples were compared after one month to assess the impact of the sun on decomposition.
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The UV in sunlight is known to influence decomposition and has received considerable attention in recent research ( McCallister et al., 2005) . This paper provides an analysis of the effect of direct sunlight on decay and the findings that demonstrate the critical role of soil temperature. The experiment investigated how exposure to solar radiation and specifically UV lights affects the process of organic matter decomposition. The study was conducted over a four weeks period that involved monitoring the decomposition nature of the corpse. Over this period, the effect of treatments on the experimental group was similar to the control group, and data collection focused on differences in the two groups. Results from the group showed that direct sunlight increases the rate of decomposition on organic matter in an ecosystem.
Keywords: Decomposition, Sunlight, Avian Cadaver
Effect of Direct Sunlight on Avian Decomposition
Introduction
The terrestrial ecosystem features synthesis and decomposition as two different but interdependent essential processes. The disintegration of organic material controls patterns of nutrition and carbon retention in the ecosystem, which is a vital component of the biogeochemical cycles. Researchers have been studying the environmental effects of cadaver decomposition in the ecosystem, including its importance to the nutritional cycle, soil chemistry, and biodiversity ( McCallister et al., 2005) . They have mentioned its emphasis on environmental sustainability as well as global warming. For example, avian decomposition is documented as an essential process of the terrestrial ecosystem that helps in the nutrition cycle. This is a process where organic substances are broken down into more straightforward organic matter after death. It involves breaking down the tissues releasing compounds such as cadaverine that helps in the nutrient cycle. The effect of direct sunlight on synthesis has been studied extensively in biological research, but there is little information on the impact of direct sunlight on decomposition ( McCallister et al., 2005) .
The literature on the effect of sunlight on decomposition has focused on photodegradation, which refers to the direct and indirect breakdown of organic matter mediated by sunlight ( Pancotto et al., 2005) . Photodegradation is a relevant part of organic matter decomposition and represents a key driver of this process of material degradation. Studies have shown that warm temperatures and high humidity accelerates the speed of decomposition for organic matter ( Komar & Beattie, 1998) . The factors that enhance the exposure of a cadaver to sunlight, such as forest structure, modulates the process of photodegradation and are an essential part of controlling the rate of decomposition. The wavelengths from the sun’s rays are involved in photodegradation by affecting the activity of decomposer organisms.
Previous results have mentioned the drivers of decomposition to include a combination of biotic and abiotic factors such as temperature moisture and the litter quality ( Pancotto et al., 2005) . At the same time, it has mentioned aerobic decomposition, which takes place in the presence of oxygen in a natural ecosystem and anaerobic decomposition that happens in the absence of oxygen ( Pancotto et al., 2005) . These factors play a role in determining the rate of decay for organic things. The interaction between abiotic drivers of decomposition, such as sunlight and temperature with biotic drivers, has the potential to impact and influence the decomposition of organic matter. These interactions make it essential to quantify the importance of photodegradation on the dissolution of aviation cadaver ( Pancotto et al., 2005) .
The rate and manner of decomposition have been linked to several climatic factors, including temperature availability of oxygen and humidity. These factors determine how fast a body decomposes based on the equal availability of the elements. Several studies have shown that light intensity manipulates the decomposition process by directly breaking down organic matter through photochemical mineralization ( Komar & Beattie, 1998) . The UV radiation from the sun has been documented as the primary driver of decomposition and an essential part of the photodegradation process. At the same time, solar degradation affects the rate of decay directly affecting the activity and community decomposition of the decomposer organisms.
The literature on organic matter decomposition has focused on the topic of photodegradation, which is widely studied in arid environments. Studies on the influence of sun’s radiation on the decomposing organic matter have only been examined in habitats with low-statute vegetation such as the dry areas ( Komar & Beattie, 1998) . The studies have focused on the impact of direct sunlight on decomposers in a temperate climate. In this regard, this experiment is conducted by focusing on how the sun’s UV radiation influences the rate of decomposition in a mild climate. This is because organic matter decomposition can be extremely variable depending on the environment of an area, and the factors influencing decay can vary ( Pancotto et al., 2005) .
Over the years, considerable progress has been made in developing a mechanism to understand factors influencing decomposition. Several studies have shown that direct sunlight can accelerate the litter mass loss in the process of photodegradation due to the ultraviolet radiation from the sun ( Komar & Beattie, 1998) . However, the research has limited its focus on the arid areas with little experiments conducted in the terrestrial ecosystems. The purpose of this experiment was to examine how exposure to solar radiation affects cadaver decomposition in a terrestrial ecosystem. It also aimed at testing how the spectral composition of received solar radiation on the decomposition of organic materials in an ecosystem. The experiment hypothesizes that direct sunlight exposure increases the rate of a decomposing or avian cadaver in a temperate region.
Materials and Methods
This experiment was conducted using decomposing materials to test the effects of direct sunlight on its decomposition. An avian cadaver was used in the experiments acting as samples placed in two ecosystems with varying environmental conditions ( McCallister et al., 2005) . The research was done using a quasi-experimental design where the samples are divided into two groups, one serving as an experimental group and the other as a control group. Each group had a sample cadaver to monitor over four weeks by measuring the dry mass and comparing it with the other group. The dry mass of these samples was determined by weighing them using a portable weigh scale every week.
In the experimental group, researchers placed the avail cadaver sampler in a strategic position that allows exposure to direct sunlight and experience the UV rays from the sun. This was done to ensure adequate sunlight hits the sample during the day while affecting the soil temperatures that are also influencing the decomposition process ( McCallister et al., 2005) . The matter is not buried into the soil to allow for exposure to sunlight while allowing other abiotic factors such as oxygen and humidity to influence the decomposition. In this group, the sample was placed in an environment with natural climate conditions that includes direct sunlight. The location of the experiment considered factors such as direct sunlight without blocking from trees or any buildings. The site was also protected from interference and allowed both biotic and abiotic conditions to take the order naturally.
On the contract, the control sample of an avail cadaver was strategically placed in an area where there was no direct sunlight or other abiotic and biotic factors working on it. This sample could act as a control group to compare with the experimental sample for data analysis and conclusion. In this control group, the avian cadaver sample was controlled by reducing access to direct sunlight or other biotic and abiotic factors and determine the rate and pattern of decomposition. During the third day of the experimentation period, the researchers monitored the decomposing nature of the avian cadaver by measuring the weights of the samples ( McCallister et al., 2005) .
The experiment was conducted at a modern agricultural research and development base that has an oceanic-temperate with relative temperatures. The study conducted a randomized clinical trial that lasted a whole month to help quantify the problem and get numerical data for making conclusions. The results were then calculated to determine the effect of direct sunlight on the decomposition of organisms in the ecosystem. The researchers employed a comparative study of two groups with different environmental conditions ( McCallister et al., 2005) . The cadaver in each group was homogenous in terms of the size, shape as well as the nature of decomposition to ensure they are all fresh. The use of similar samples was needed to eliminate any risk of bias that could favour a particular.
The data from the study comes from a two-phase experiment, where the first involves exposing the organic matter to direct sunlight and the controlled sample hidden from direct sunlight. The study involved manipulating the duration of natural sunlight exposure to the avian cadaver in the experimental group. Researchers monitored the amount of time the samples were exposed to direct sunlight in the experimental group versus shade in the control group. The researchers then assessed the effects of direct sunlight on biomass loss of the organic matter in comparison to the controlled group ( McCallister et al., 2005) .
Data analysis for the experiment involved the use of analytical tools to ensure the accuracy of the collected data. A single variable logistic regression model was used for analyzing continuous factors in the experiment that includes generalized estimation of the equations. At the same time, researchers measured the mass loss from each sample after one month of monitoring the decomposition to determine the rates of degradation. A two-way ANOVA model was used in testing the mass of each sample separately due to the differing decomposing conditions. Data analysis also involved checking the homoscedasticity of variance when performing the statistical analysis ( McCallister et al., 2005) .
Results
The results of the experiment showed that direct sunlight has a higher impact on avian decomposition. The two samples of avian cadaver had different decomposing rates and patterns, thus confirming the initial hypothesis on the influence of direct sunlight and UV radiation. During the one month of decomposing, the sample placed in direct sunlight lost the most significant proportion of its dry mass compared to the one in the control group hidden from direct sunlight. The experimental sample exposed to direct sunlight showed a more substantial biomass loss after one month of exposure compared to the controlled sample protected from direct sunlight ( Pancotto et al., 2005) .
After a one month of experimentation, the mass losses of the avian cadaver in the experimental group was less than that of the sample in a controlled group. After two weeks of monitoring the experiment, the experimental sample placed in direct sunlight had lost 50 per cent of its dry mass, while the control sample had only lost 30 per cent of its dry mass. By the time of its final collection after four weeks, over 70 per cent of the avian dry mass was lost compared to the control sample. This suggested different effects of sunlight on the decomposition of organic matter, which differ depending on the conditions of the soil and the environment.
The UV exposure on organic matter increased the decomposition of an avian cadaver with faster biomass loss compared to the lack of direct sunlight exposure. It affected both the speed and pattern of decomposing due to the effect of UV radiation on the organic matter compared to the sample in the control group ( Pancotto et al., 2005) . Results from the two groups after one month of monitoring showed that a sample in the experimental group had decomposed and almost disentangled with little body mass, while the sample in the control group was still 50 per cent intact and a larger dry mass.
There was an effect of direct sunlight on the speed of decomposition that was revealed in the patterns of dissolution between the two samples. This was shown from tests on the soil temperature between the two groups. The soil temperature was high in the experimentation group that was exposed to direct sunlight, which increased the rate of decomposition as measured by the body mass. This was different from the experimental group that experienced lower temperatures from direct sunlight. The lack of direct UV rays on the control sample played a role in the rate of decomposition as well as its patterns of decomposing ( Pancotto et al., 2005) .
Discussion and Conclusion
This study showed the importance of sunlight on terrestrial ecosystem processes of synthesis and decomposition. It has demonstrated the importance of soil temperature on the rate of decay, where a high soil temperature speeds the decomposition rate of cadavers. At the same time, the study has shown the impact of direct sunlight on organic matter distribution ( Pancotto et al., 2005) . From the findings, samples in the control group that were placed away from direct sunlight took longer to decompose compared to samples placed on direct sunlight.
Partly in agreement with the hypothesis of this study, the results suggested that direct sunlight influences the faster decomposition of organic matter in an ecosystem. The researchers found out that direct sunlight increases the disintegration of the avian corpse due to the effect of UV rays on the soil and the component ( McCallister et al., 2005) . The main findings of this experiment confirmed the expectations that organic matter decomposition would be significantly affected by solar radiation from the sunlight. The avian corpse used as a sample for measuring the effect of the sun on decomposition lost the highest mass when exposed to full-spectrum UV radiation.
The findings from this study agree with previous work regarding factors affecting decomposition by showing how direct sunlight speeds decomposition. These findings present similar results from past studies that have confirmed the influence of direct sunlight on decomposition ( Komar & Beattie, 1998) . It resembles findings from previous researches that show how UV rays from direct sunlight affect the rates of decay within an ecosystem. The work showed that organic matter decomposition in the terrestrial ecosystem is influenced by factors such as soil temperature and UV radiation from sunlight. These factors modulate microbial and other decomposer activity, thus mediating the process of organic matter and the rate of decomposition ( Pancotto et al., 2005) . The temperature has been documented as a variable in regulating microbial activity through its effect on enzyme kinetics.
The findings of this experiment are consistent with a model of organic decomposition that is affected by climate and weather conditions. Therefore, the differences in litter quality, microbial activity, and abiotic conditions do not fully account for the decomposition rates of organic matter, with the study emphasizing the importance of sunlight in the decomposition ( Pancotto et al., 2005) . The study tested the role of direct sunlight as a driver of decay on avian cadaver compared to a sample without direct sunlight. Decomposition rates are determined by the exposure to sunlight, where the speed is low under low temperatures and inadequate exposure to direct sunlight. Similarly, the results from this experiment suggest that increasing the soil temperatures results in an exponential increase in decomposition rates of the avian cadaver ( Pancotto et al., 2005).
At the same time, the findings from this study have shown that the ecological relevance of sunlight is not limited to dry conditions receiving high ultraviolet radiation from the sun. This paper examined the extent to which photodegradation and its interaction with decomposer organisms contribute to the process of decomposition; and how it influences the speed of decomposing. The UV radiation from the sun is crucial in the dissolution due to its effects on the organic matter. It is shown to influence and accelerate the decomposition process through photodegradation, which is an ensemble of direct and indirect methods ( Pancotto et al., 2005) .
UV rays from the sun are an important factor in global climate change as they help accelerate the decomposition of organic matter in the ecosystem. The disintegration of litter and other organic matter appears to be sensitive to the effects of direct sunlight. As a result, this study is an excellent addition to the measures on environmental sustainability and climate change ( McCallister et al., 2005) . The findings of this study can be applied by ecologists looking to increase the speed of decomposing materials. Understanding the mechanisms of decomposition increases the knowledge of the dynamics and functioning of the ecosystems.
However, although valuable conclusions are obtained from this experimentation that explains the role of direct sunlight on avian cadaver decomposition, there are potential limitations associated with this study. The first limitation is the use of limited avian cadavers that could affect the experiment in the event of destruction. Secondly, the study relied on the assumption that there will be direct sunlight throughout the 30 days of researching to facilitate faster decomposition. This was a limitation because there were days when sunlight was minimal, and therefore its impact on the sample was limited. The reliability of direct sunlight was an assumption that could affect the authenticity of this experiment when compared to studies conducted in arid areas with sustained rates of sunlight ( Komar & Beattie, 1998) .
References
Komar, D., & Beattie, O. (1998). Effects of carcass size on decay rates of shade and sun-exposed carrion. Canadian Society of forensic science journal , 31 (1), 35-43.
McCallister, S. L., Bauer, J. E., Kelly, J., & Ducklow, H. W. (2005). Effects of sunlight on the decomposition of estuarine dissolved organic C, N and P and bacterial metabolism. Aquatic Microbial Ecology , 40 (1), 25-35.
Pancotto, V. A., Sala, O. E., Robson, T. M., Caldwell, M. M., & Scopel, A. L. (2005). Direct and indirect effects of solar ultraviolet‐B radiation on long‐term decomposition. Global Change Biology , 11 (11), 1982-1989.
