... decomposition rate-constants (Olson 19 63) . In general, as theNPP of old- growth forests increases, the live biomass, and the input of mortalityincreases. Thus, more productive old- growth forests can ... amounts of woody detritus in old- growth forests and thenC. Wirth et al. (eds.), Old Growth Forests, Ecological Studies 207, 159DOI: 10.1007/978 3 540‐92706‐8 8,# Springer Verlag Berlin Heidelberg ... reduction in NPP or an increase in decom-position rate-constants as forests age could lead to mid-successional forests havingmore woody detritus than old- growth forests. Repeated disturbance was...