Litter production and nutrient input via litterfall in Quercus mongolica forest at Mt. Worak National Park

AbstractMegaherbivores play a central role in the evolution and functioning of ecosystems. In tropical forests elephant species are some of the few remaining megaherbivores. Through elephant foraging, nutrients that would be locked in leaves and stems, taking months or years to decay, are quickly liberated for use. In 10 experimental sites in Kibale National Park, Uganda, we set up 10 pairs of plots (4 × 4 m), each pair involved one treatment, elephant dung addition, and one control. After 1 y, we quantified growth (height and leaf number) and survival of young light-demanding (12) and shade-tolerant (19) plant species (439 stems in total). In general, the addition of elephant dung did not increase seedling growth, and it only increased the number of leaves in shade-tolerant plants with a large initial number of leaves. Researchers have speculated that the loss of elephants would shift the composition of African forests to slow-growing tree species. However, this is not supported by our finding that shows some slow-growing shade-tolerant plants grew more new leaves with additional nutrient input from elephant dung, a condition that would occur if elephant numbers increase.

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Litter Production and Soil Organic Carbon Dynamincs of Pinus densiflora, Quercus mongolica and Robinia pseudo-acacia Forests in Mt. Nam

Environmental Biology Research ◽

10.11626/kjeb.2013.31.2.087 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 31 (2) ◽

pp. 87-95 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Heon-Mo Jeong ◽

◽

Hae-Ran Kim ◽

Dong-Hoon Shin ◽

Kyoung-Mi Lee ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Organic Carbon ◽

Soil Organic Carbon ◽

Pinus Densiflora ◽

Litter Production ◽

Quercus Mongolica

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Long term decomposition and nutrients dynamics of Quercus mongolica and Pinus densiflora leaf litter in Mt. Worak National Park

Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology ◽

10.13047/kjee.2014.28.5.566 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 28 (5) ◽

pp. 566-573 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Ho-Yeon Won ◽

◽

Deok-Ki Kim ◽

Kyu-Jin Lee ◽

Sang-Bong Park ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Leaf Litter ◽

National Park ◽

Pinus Densiflora ◽

Quercus Mongolica

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Litter Production and Nutrient Contents of Litterfall in Oak and Pine Forests at Mt. Worak National Park

Journal of Ecology and Environment ◽

10.5141/jefb.2007.30.1.063 ◽

2007 ◽

Vol 30 (1) ◽

pp. 63-68 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Hyeong-Tae Mun ◽

Song-Ja Kim ◽

Chang-Hwan Shin

Keyword(s):

National Park ◽

Pine Forests ◽

Litter Production ◽

Nutrient Contents

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Litterfall and Nutrient Returns in the Rainforest of Southwestern Cameroon: Some Implications for Tropical Forest Productivity

Environment and Natural Resources Research ◽

10.5539/enrr.v8n3p25 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 8 (3) ◽

pp. 25

Author(s):

Mary E. Ngaiwi ◽

Ernest L. Molua ◽

Andrew E. Egbe

Keyword(s):

Leaf Litter ◽

National Park ◽

Nutrient Dynamics ◽

Soil Nutrient ◽

Forest Productivity ◽

Nutrient Inputs ◽

Nutrient Input ◽

Constant Weight ◽

Nutrient Retranslocation ◽

Baseline Information

Understanding litterfall and macronutrients in the rainforest ecosystem gives baseline information on nutrient dynamics. Litterfall and macronutrients return were studied for 12 months from November 2011 to October 2012 in a 50 ha plot in the Takamanda National Park, South-western Cameroon. This study evaluates the pattern and quantity of litterfall, with implications for forest productivity. It thus assesses the macronutrient concentrations, nutrient inputs into the surface soil, nutrient retranslocation by some key tree species and some physicochemical properties of the soil in the study site. Litter traps where placed randomly in the study plot. Litter was collected every fortnight sorted and air-dried after which they were oven dried at 70°C to constant weight. Soils were sampled from three flanks at depths of 0-10cm, 10-20cm and 20-30cm. Percentage retranslocation or accumulation before leaf fall was calculated from freshly fallen litter and mature green leaf. Total annual litterfall was 5.46 t/ha/yr and this varied with the seasons. Leaf litter contributed 90.9% of total litterfall. The concentration of N and Ca was higher than other nutrient elements Mg, K, P in all litter fragments. Nitrogen had the highest total nutrient input with the following pattern N>Ca>K>Mg>P (85.36 kg/ha/yr> 56.71 kg/ha/yr> 23.1 kg/ha/yr> 17.32 kg/ha/yr> 4.27 kg/ha/yr) respectively.Pterocarpus soyauxii had the highest retranslocation percentages for all the macronutrients studied compared to Afziliabipidensis and Terminalia ivorensis. It was observed that Terminalia ivorensis could be a good nutrient recycler that could be used to improve on degraded soils. It was however observed that Ca and Mg tend to accumulate in leaf litter for all the three species.

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