In the present study we describe biomass, productivity, and nutrient cycling in an 8-year-old Eucalyptustereticornis Sm. (Eucalyptus hybrid) plantation and compare them with those of a Populusdeltoides Bartr. plantation of the same age and area, a natural sal (Shorearobusta Gaertn. F.) forest, and other natural forests of the central Himalaya. The total vegetation biomass of the Eucalyptus plantation (126.7 t•ha−1) was lower than that of the P. deltoides plantation (176 t•ha−1) and natural forests (163.4–786.7 t•ha−1). The net primary productivity of the Eucalyptus plantation (23.4 t•ha−1•year−1) was similar to that of the P. deltoides plantation (25 t•ha−1•year−1) and the natural sal forest (22 t•ha−1•year−1). The net nutrient uptake of Eucalyptus was lower than that of Populus plantation and natural forests.
Net primary productivity and its partitioning in response to precipitation gradient in an alpine meadow
