highly significantP < 0.001
Samples from August 2004 exhibited a significantly higher carbon fraction ( t -test: t = 2.31; P = 0.02; df = 32) but a highly significant lower mass ( t -test: t = −4.76; P < 0.001; df = 32) resulting in highly significant lower litter carbon stocks ( t -test: t = −7.21; P < 0.001; df = 32), as compared to samples from March 2005 ( Fig. 5 ).