scholarly journals Litter Fall and Its Decomposition inSapium sebiferumRoxb.: An Invasive Tree Species in Western Himalaya

2014 ◽  
Vol 2014 ◽  
pp. 1-7
Author(s):  
Vikrant Jaryan ◽  
Sanjay Kr. Uniyal ◽  
R. C. Gupta ◽  
R. D. Singh
Keyword(s):  
Mixed Forest ◽  
Mesh Size ◽  
Western Himalaya ◽  
Canopy Gap ◽  
Litter Production ◽  
Sapium Sebiferum ◽  
Litter Fall ◽  
Conifer Forest ◽  
Litter Bags ◽  
Rapid Decomposition

Recognizing that high litter fall and its rapid decomposition are key traits of invasive species, litter fall and its decay inSapium sebiferumRoxb. were studied in Palampur. For this, litter traps of dimension 50 × 50 × 50 cm3were placed in under-canopy and canopy gap of the species. Litter fall was monitored monthly and segregated into different components. For litter decay studies, litter bags of dimension 25 × 20 cm2with a mesh size 2 mm were used and the same were analyzed on a fortnightly basis. Litter fall in both under-canopy and canopy gap was highest in November (1.16 Mg ha−1 y−1in under-canopy and 0.38 Mg ha−1 y−1in canopy gap) and lowest during March. Litter production in under-canopy and canopy gap was 4.04 Mg ha−1 y−1and 1.87 Mg ha−1 y−1, respectively. These values are comparable to sal forest (1.7 t C ha−1 y−1), chir pine-mixed forest (2.1 t C ha−1 y−1), and mixed oak-conifer forest (2.8 t C ha−1 y−1) of the Western Himalaya. The decay rate, 0.46% day−1in under-canopy and 0.48% day−1in canopy gap, was also fast. Owing to this the species may be able to modify the habitats to its advantage, as has been reported elsewhere.

scholarly journals Effects of water content and mesh size on tea bag decomposition

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Taiki Mori ◽  
Ryota Aoyagi ◽  
Hiroki Taga ◽  
Yoshimi Sakai
Keyword(s):  
Water Content ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Mixed Forest ◽  
Mesh Size ◽  
Decomposition Rates ◽  
Litter Bags ◽  
Essential Information ◽  
Litter Bag ◽  
Rooibos Tea ◽  
Water Contents

AbstractThe tea bag method was developed to provide uniform litter bags that enable comparison of organic matter decomposition rates on a large scale. However, it remains uncertain whether tea bag decomposition in response to wetness is representative of that of natural litters. We performed incubation experiments to examine whether the effect of soil water on tea bag decomposition becomes inhibitory at higher water contents, as was demonstrated in natural leaf litters. In addition, we performed field studies in a mixed forest and cedar plantation in Japan to compare two litter bag mesh sizes: 0.25-mm mesh, the size previously used by a major manufacturer of tea bags (Lipton), and nonwoven bags with mesh sizes finer than 0.25 mm, which are currently produced by Lipton. Both green tea and rooibos tea exhibited higher decomposition rates at higher water contents, but decomposition was inhibited at the highest water content, consistent with conceptual models of natural litters. The nonwoven tea bags did not show lower decomposition rates, despite the finer mesh size. Rather, the nonwoven rooibos tea bags exhibited slightly higher decomposition rates than the 0.25-mm mesh bags in the cedar plantation, possibly due to a greater abundance of microorganisms that decompose litters in the nonwoven bags, due to the decrease in predation by mesofauna. Our findings provide essential information for future studies of tea bag decomposition.

Biomass and nutrients in regenerating woody vegetation following whole-tree and conventional harvest in a northern mixed forest

1988 ◽  
Vol 18 (11) ◽  
pp. 1427-1436 ◽  
Author(s):  
O.Q. Hendrickson
Keyword(s):  
Woody Plants ◽  
Mixed Forest ◽  
Woody Biomass ◽  
Litter Production ◽  
Litter Fall ◽  
N Accumulation ◽  
Nutrient Contents ◽  
Tree Methods ◽  
Populus Spp ◽  
Whole Tree

Biomass and nutrient contents of regenerating woody plants and litter fall were measured after a northern mixed conifer–hardwood forest was harvested by conventional and whole-tree methods. Before harvest, the central Ontario study site was occupied by a 95-year-old pine (Pinusresinosa, P. strobus) and aspen (Populustremuloides, P. grandidentata) stand growing on gently rolling, gravel-free outwash sands. Four years after harvest, aspen abundance increased 100-fold in both harvested areas, with higher densities after whole-tree harvest (WTH) (4.1 stems/m2) than after conventional harvest (CH) (2.7 stems/m2). No self-thinning of aspen occurred between 2 and 4 years after harvest. Total aboveground woody biomass accumulated at 2.0 t•ha−1•year−1 in the WTH area and 1.5 t•ha−1•year−1 in the CH area; the preharvest rate was 2.0 t•ha−1•year−1. Peak autumn litter production occurred earlier in the harvested areas than in an adjacent uncut area. Cycling of N and K in litter fall returned to preharvest rates after 4 years. Cycling of Ca in litter fall was lower after WTH than after CH. Vegetation uptake of N and K (litter fall plus woody biomass) in the harvested areas in year 4 exceeded the preharvest value. Increased N accumulation in woody biomass (3.0 kg•ha−1•year−1 before harvest, 10.6 kg•ha−1•year−1 after WTH) would place a relatively greater demand on forest floor N pools in the WTH than in the CH area owing to lack of N input in logging slash. Although WTH did not reduce initial rates of biomass production, Populus spp. had lower concentrations of N, Ca, and Mg in the WTH area than in the CH area. There may be a danger that WTH on less fertile sites in the region will produce dense, unproductive aspen stands with low rates of self-thinning.

scholarly journals Post-fire consequences for leaf breakdown in a tropical stream

2019 ◽  
Vol 31 ◽  
Author(s):  
Renan de Souza Rezende ◽  
Cristiano Queiroz de Albuquerque ◽  
Andrezza Sayuri Victoriano Hirota ◽  
Paulo Fernandes Roges Souza Silva ◽  
Ricardo Keichi Umetsu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Leaf Litter ◽  
Fungal Biomass ◽  
Mesh Size ◽  
Fire Effects ◽  
Dry Mass ◽  
Tropical Stream ◽  
Fire Event ◽  
Litter Bags ◽  
Fine Mesh ◽  
Post Fire Effects

Abstract Aim Wildfire is a natural pulsed disturbance in landscapes of the Savannah Biome. This study evaluates short-term post-fire effects on leaf litter breakdown, the invertebrate community and fungal biomass of litter from three different vegetal species in a tropical stream. Methods Senescent leaves of Inga laurina, Protium spruceanum and Rircheria grandis (2 ± 0.1 g dry mass) were individually placed in litter bags (30 × 30 cm: 10 mm coarse mesh and 0.5 mm fine mesh) and submerged in the study stream before and after fire. Replicate bags (n = 4; individually for each species, sampling time, fire event and mesh size) were then retrieved after 20 and 40 days and washed to separate the invertebrates before fire event and again immediately after fire. Disks were cut from leaves to determine ash-free dry mass, while the remaining material was oven-dried to determine dry mass. Results The pre-fire mean decomposition coefficient (k = -0.012 day-1) was intermediate compared to that reported for other savannah streams, but post-fire it was lower (k = -0.007 day-1), due to decreased allochthonous litter input and increased autochthones production. Intermediate k values for all qualities of litter post-fire may indicate that fire is equalizing litter quality in the stream ecosystem. The abundance of scrapers was found to be more important than fungal biomass or shredder abundance, probably due to their functioning in leaf fragmentation while consuming periphyton growing on leaf litter. Conclusions Theses results indicate that fire can modify the relationships within decomposer communities in tropical stream ecosystems.

scholarly journals Contributions of organic matter and nutrients via leaf litter in an urban tropical dry forest fragment

2018 ◽  
Vol 66 (2) ◽  
pp. 571 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jeiner Castellanos-Barliza ◽  
Juan Diego León-Peláez ◽  
Rosalba Armenta-Martínez ◽  
Willinton Barranco-Pérez ◽  
William Caicedo-Ruíz
Keyword(s):  
Organic Matter ◽  
Leaf Litter ◽  
Tropical Dry Forest ◽  
Soil Surface ◽  
Dry Forest ◽  
Litter Production ◽  
Forest Fragment ◽  
Litter Bags ◽  
One Year ◽  
Degraded Ecosystems

The litterfall and decomposition represent the main transfer of organic matter and nutrients from the vegetation to the soil surface and determine positive trajectories in the process of rehabilitating and restoring degraded ecosystems. The aim of this study was to evaluate the contributions of organic materials and nutrients through the characterization of fine litter in an urban dry forest fragment. Litter production was monitored for one year by collecting 29 traps (0.5 m2). To evaluate leaf nutrient resorption, green leaves were collected from 5-10 individuals that represented the dominant tree species. Litter-bags (20 x 20 cm, 2 mm pore) were used for six months to evaluate the decomposition of leaf litter. Annual fine litter production was found to be 8 574 kg ha-1, with the Cordia alba species contributing the most leaf litter (1 134 kg ha-1) and nutrients (N: 6.16; P: 0.21; Ca: 4.72; Mg: 0.47; K: 1.27 kg ha-1). Decomposition rates (k constant) followed the decreasing order: C. alba (k: 4.6) > Machaerium milleflorum (k: 3.5). M. milleflorum and Albizia niopoides presented a pattern of rapid N and P release in the first 30 days, with more than 80 % and 60 % released from M. milleflorum and C. alba, respectively, by the end of the experiment. The litterfall monitoring carried out in this urban dry forest fragment revealed some important aspects of the functioning of an ecosystem as seriously threatened as the tropical dry forest. Rev. Biol. Trop. 66(2): 571-585. Epub 2018 June 01. 

Seasonal effects on litterfall in a Hong Kong mixed forest

1985 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 55-64 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paul K. S. Lam ◽  
David Dudgeon
Keyword(s):  
Hong Kong ◽  
Climatic Factors ◽  
Mixed Forest ◽  
Seasonal Distribution ◽  
Seasonal Effects ◽  
Litter Production ◽  
Leaf Fall ◽  
Organic Debris ◽  
Woody Litter ◽  
Nutrient Economy

ABSTRACTAn investigation of seasonal rates of litter production in a mixed forest, Hong Kong Island, was undertaken from October 1982 to January 1984. Total annual litterfall amounted to 1218.96 g m−2 yr−1, comprising 68.6% leaves, 18.9% woody material, and 12.5% fruits, seeds and insect frass. 398.70 g m−2 of litter was recorded immediately after a severe typhoon (9 September 1983). Rates of leaf-fall and organic debris production were correlated with prevailing temperature and rainfall. Leaf-fall peaked in January 1983, March to July 1983, and in September 1983 after the typhoon, while large amounts of insect faeces were collected in May and June. Woody litter production rates were correlated with temperature and rainfall recorded in previous months. Woody litterfall exhibited no obvious periodicity but was slightly increased during March and April. The seasonal distribution of litterfall is discussed in relation to climatic factors and habitat nutrient economy.

Comparative study on litter production and nutrient return to soil in Tarai and Hill Sal (Shorea robusta Gaertn.) forests of eastern Nepal

2018 ◽  
Vol 28 (1) ◽  
pp. 11-19 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. P. Bhattarai ◽  
T. N. Mandal
Keyword(s):  
Comparative Study ◽  
Tree Species ◽  
Winter Season ◽  
Forest Litter ◽  
Tropical Region ◽  
Litter Production ◽  
Species Variation ◽  
Litter Fall ◽  
Nutrient Return ◽  
Sal Forest

Litter production and nutrient return to soil through litter fall is important pathway for the regulation of nutrient cycling and primary production of the forest. Litter fall dynamics is generally influenced by phenology of tree species, seasons and altitude of the forest stand. As most of the information on litter production are from temperate and dry tropical region. A comparative study on litter production and nutrient return were conducted in Terai Sal forest (TSF) and Hill Sal forest (HSF) located in moist tropical region of eastern Nepal. Litter samples were collected from the litter traps (1m × 1m size) placed randomly in the forest. Collection was done at two months interval for one year. Annual litterfall in TSF (8.82 Mg ha-1y-1) was significantly (p < 0.001) higher than in HSF (7.18 Mg ha-1y-1).There was distinct seasonality in litter production. In TSF and HSF, litterfall was maximum in the summer (6.57 Mg ha-1 and 5.05 Mg ha-1, respectively) and minimum in winter season (0.86 Mg ha-1 and 0.72 Mg ha-1, respectively). Amount of nutrient return to forest soil through litter fall (kg ha-1 y-1) was higher in TSF (72.44 N, 6.80 P and 33.23 K) than HSF (54.31 N, 4.84 P and 22.23 K). The difference in litter production between these two forests was influenced by the phenology of dominant tree species, variation in altitude and seasons. Nutrient return through litter fall is a great input of nutrients in soil which is required for production process. Thus, litter constitutes a significant role in forest management.Banko JanakariA Journal of Forestry Information for NepalVol. 28, No. 1, 2018, page: 11-19

Early responses of elevated nutrient input on above-ground net primary production of a lower-montane tropical forest in Uganda

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Raphael Manu ◽  
Marife D. Corre ◽  
Edzo Veldkamp ◽  
Oliver van Straaten
Keyword(s):  
Primary Production ◽  
Tropical Forest ◽  
Tropical Forests ◽  
Net Primary Production ◽  
Forest Growth ◽  
Nutrient Addition ◽  
Litter Production ◽  
N Addition ◽  
Litter Fall ◽  
Montane Tropical Forest

&lt;p&gt;Nutrient availability in tropical forest ecosystems plays a critical role in sustaining forest growth and productivity. Observational evidence for nutrient limitations on net primary productivity (NPP) in the tropics is rare yet crucial for predicting the impacts of human-induced changes on tropical forests, particularly for underrepresented tropical regions in Africa. In an ecosystem-scale nutrient manipulation experiment, we assessed the response of different components of above-ground net primary production (ANPP) to nutrient addition of nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), potassium (K) and all possible combinations (NP, NK, PK, and NPK) at rates of 125 kg N ha&lt;sup&gt;-1&lt;/sup&gt;yr&lt;sup&gt;-1&lt;/sup&gt;, 50 kg P ha&lt;sup&gt;-1&lt;/sup&gt; yr&lt;sup&gt;-1&lt;/sup&gt; and 50 kg K ha&lt;sup&gt;-1&lt;/sup&gt;yr&lt;sup&gt;-1&lt;/sup&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;We established 32 (8 treatments &amp;#215; 4 replicates) experimental plots of 40 &amp;#215; 40 m&lt;sup&gt;2&lt;/sup&gt; each and measured stem growth of over 15,000 trees with diameter at breast height (dbh) &amp;#8805; 1 cm as well as litter production and above-ground woody biomass production (AWBP), of a lower-montane tropical forest (1100 m a.s.l.) in northwestern Uganda.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;After 18 months of nutrient addition, we found that different aspects of ANPP, including litter production and AWBP are controlled by multiple soil nutrients. Specifically, we measured higher total fine-litter production in the N (13.6 &amp;#177; 1.4 Mg ha&lt;sup&gt;-1 &lt;/sup&gt;yr&lt;sup&gt;-1&lt;/sup&gt;) and K (13.3 &amp;#177; 1.8 Mg ha&lt;sup&gt;-1 &lt;/sup&gt;yr&lt;sup&gt;-1&lt;/sup&gt;) addition plots than the control (11.1 &amp;#177; 0.6 Mg ha&lt;sup&gt;-1 &lt;/sup&gt;yr&lt;sup&gt;-1&lt;/sup&gt;) plots. Both reproductive litter (flowers and fruits; 10% of total fine-litter fall) and leaf litter (62% of total fine-litter fall) significantly increased with K addition. In general, fine-litter production in our plots is higher than what has been reported so far for lower-montane tropical forests. Increased AWBP is associated with N addition plots. The response of trees to nutrient addition however, varied with tree sizes. Trees with dbh between 10 &amp;#8211; 30 cm increased significantly in AWBP under PK addition. There was no effect of nutrient addition associated with either smaller (1 &amp;#8211; 10 cm dbh) or larger trees (dbh &gt; 30 cm). The medium-sized trees which may have experienced resource competition but have now transitioned into the canopy layer (exposed to sunlight) are able to use additional nutrient for active growth. In contrast, bigger trees may allocate extra nutrient for reproduction and leaf-vitality, while smaller trees remain shaded, co-limited by sunlight and therefore unable to utilize increased available nutrients for stem diameter growth. ANPP increased by 39% with N addition and marginally by 23% with K additions relative to the control. In conclusion, our experiment provides evidence of N and potentially K limitation of ANPP in this lower-montane tropical forest, and highlights that, in a highly diverse ecosystem different components of ANPP may be regulated by multiple nutrients.&amp;#160;&lt;/p&gt;

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