Research Article | Published: 01 September 2008

Litter production in two age groups of nitrogen fixing Acacia auriculiformis A. cunn. ex Benth plantations

Jitendra Kumar

Indian Journal of Forestry | Volume: 31 | Issue: 3 | Page No. 329-335 | 2008
DOI: https://doi.org/10.54207/bsmps1000-2008-3Q9321 | Cite this article

Abstract

In a forest ecosystem, nutrient storage and cycling are effectively balanced by long-term retention in the bole and short-term retention in the twig and leaf. There is a continuous release of nutrients into the soil by the decomposition of fallen litter. Litter production of forest floor is the result of fall of leaves either seasonally or continuous throughout the annual cycle. Periodic collection and quantification of different litter components of 3 years old (Site I) and 6 years old (Site II) monoculture plantations of Acacia auriculiformis have been carried out at Varanasi for two consecutive years. The litter has been separated into phyllode, twig + wood and fruit + inflorescence. The Site I had 5.27 to 6.80 t ha-1yr-1 of which phyllode contributed 72 to 78% and at Site II it was 9.56 to 11.78t ha-1yr-1 where phyllode account for 75-78%.

Keywords

Access Options

250/-

Buy Full Access in HTML Format

Instant access to the full article.

Get access to the full version of this article. Buy Full Access in HTML Format

References

1. Attiwill, P.M., Guthiric, H.B. and Lenning, R. (1978). Nutrient cycling in Eucalyptus oblique (L. Herit) forest. I. Litter production and Nutrient return. For. Sci., 26:79-91.  https://doi.org/10.1071/BT9780079

Google Scholar

2. Bernhard, F. (1970). Etude de la litiere et de sa contribution au cycle des elements mineraux en foret ombrophile de Cote d’Ivoire. Oecologia Plantarum, 5: 247-266.

Google Scholar

3. Bernhard-Reversat, F. (1987). Litter incorporation to soil organic matter in natural and planted tree stands in Senegal. Pedobiologia, 30(6): 401-417.

Google Scholar

4. Bernhard-Reversat, F., Huttel, C. and Lemee, G. (1978). Structure and function of evergreen rain forest ecosystems of the Ivory Coast. In: Tropical forest Ecosystems, UNESCO, Natural Resource Research, Vol. XIV, pp. 557-574.

Google Scholar

5. Bray, J.K. and Gorham, E. (1964). Litter production in forests of the world. Advances in Ecological Research, 2: 101-157.  https://doi.org/10.1016/S0065-2504(08)60331-1

Google Scholar

6. Cornforth, I.S. (1970). Reaforestation and soil nutrient reserves in the humid tropics. Journal of Applied Ecology, 7: 609-615.  https://doi.org/10.2307/2401983

Google Scholar

7. Dantas, M. and Phillipson, J. (1989). Litterfall and litter nutrient content in primary and secondary Amazonian ‘terra firme’ rain forest. J. Trop. Ecol., 5(1): 27-36.  https://doi.org/10.1017/S0266467400003199

Google Scholar

8. Desh Bandhu (1971). A Study of Productive structure of Tropical Dry Deciduous Forest at Varanasi. Ph.D. Thesis, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, U.P., India.

Google Scholar

9. Fronken, M. (1979). Major nutrient and energy contents of the litterfall of a reverine forest of Central Amazonian. Trop. Ecol., 20: 211-224.

Google Scholar

10. Gosz, J.R., Likens, G.E. and Bormann, F.B. (1972). Nutrient content of litterfall on the Hubbard Book Experimental Forests, New Hampshire. Ecology, 53: 769-784.  https://doi.org/10.2307/1934293

Google Scholar

11. Gessel, S.P. and Turner, J. (1976). Litter production in Western Washington Douglast fir stand. Forestry, 49: 63-72.  https://doi.org/10.1093/forestry/49.1.63

Google Scholar

12. Jenny, H., Gessel, S.P. and Bingham, F.T. (1949). Comparative study of decomposition rates of organic matter in temperate and tropical regions. Soil Science, 68: 419-432.  https://doi.org/10.1097/00010694-194912000-00001

Google Scholar

13. John, D.M. (1973). Accumulation and Decay of litter and net production of forest in tropical West Africa. Oikos. 24: 430-435.  https://doi.org/10.2307/3543819

Google Scholar

14. Jordan, C.F. (1971). Productivity of a tropical forests and its relation to a world pattern of energy storage. J. Ecol., 59: 127-142.  https://doi.org/10.2307/2258457

Google Scholar

15. Kimura, M., Funakoshi, M., Sudo, S., Kimura, W., Yamamura, Y. and Honma, S. (1984). Litterfall and reproductive seasonalities in a Leucaena leucocephala forest in Chichijima, Ogasawara (Bonin) Islands. Bot.  Magazine Tokyo, 97: 447-455.  https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02489577

Google Scholar

16. Kira, T., Ogawa, H., Yoda, K., and Ogino, K. (1967). Comparative ecological studies on three main types of forest vegetation in Thailand. IV. Dry matter production with special reference to the khao Chong rain-forest. Nature and Life in South East Asia, 5: 149-174.

17. Klinge, H. and Rodriques, W.A. (1968). Litter production in an area of Amazonia terra firme forest Amazoniana, 1: 287-310.

Google Scholar

18. Lambert, J.D.H., Arnason, J.T. and Gale, J.L. (1980). Leaf litter and changing nutrient levels in a seasonally dry tropical hardwood old forest, Belize, C.A. Plant and Soil, 55: 429-433.  https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02182703

Google Scholar

19. Laudelot, H. and Meyer, J. (1954). II 3les cycles d’ elements mineraux et de motiere organique on foret equatorieale Congo la ise. Int. Congre. Soil Sci. Trans. 5th VII: 267-272.

Google Scholar

20. Lim, M.T. (1987). Litter production in logged-over and primary forests in Ulu Endau, Johore, Malaysia. Malaysian Nature J., 41(2-3): 291-295.

Google Scholar

21. Lugo, A.E., Gonzalez-Liboy, J.A., Cintron, B. and Dugger, K. (1978). Structure, productivity and transpiration of a subtropical dry forest in Puerto Rico. Biotropica. 10: 278-291.  https://doi.org/10.2307/2387680

Google Scholar

22. Malaisse, F. (1978). The Miombo ecosystem. pp. 589-606. In: Tropical forest ecosystem. UNESCO, Natural Resources Research, 14.

Google Scholar

23. Murphy, P.G. and Lugo, A.E. (1986). Ecology of tropical dry forest. Annual Review of Ecology and Systematics, 17: 67-88.  https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev.es.17.110186.000435

Google Scholar

24. Proctor, J. (1983). Tropical forest litterfall. In: S. Sutton, A. Chandwick and T.C. Whitemore (Editors), British Ecological Society Rain Forest Symposium. Blackwell Scientific, Oxford, England.

Google Scholar

25. Rodin, L.E. and Bazilevich, N.I. (1967). Production and Mineral Cycling in Terrestrial Vegetation (English translation ed. G.E. Fogg), Oliver & Boyd, London. 288pp.

Google Scholar

26. Sandhu, J., Sinha, M. and Ambasht, R.S. (1990). Nitrogen release from decomposing litter of Leucaena leucocephala in the dry tropics. Soil Biology and Biochemistry. 22: 859-863.  https://doi.org/10.1016/0038-0717(90)90168-Y

Google Scholar

27. Sharma, E. and Ambasht, R.S. (1987). Litterfall, decomposition and nutrient release in an age sequence of Alnus nepalensis plantation stands in the Eastern Himalaya. J. Ecol., 75: 997-1010.  https://doi.org/10.2307/2260309

Google Scholar

28. Singh, K.P. (1968). Litter production and nutrient turnover in deciduous forests of Varanasi. Proc. Symp. Recent Adv. Trop. Ecol., pp. 655-665.

Google Scholar

29. Singh, R.P. (1974). A Study of Primary Productivity and Nutrient Cycling in Chakia forest, Varanasi. Ph.D. Thesis, Banaras Hindu University, India, 179p.

Google Scholar

30. Singh, R.P. (1979). Primary Production and Energy Dynamica of Tropical Dry Deciduous Forest in Chandraprabha Region, Varanasi. Ph.D. Thesis, Banaras Hindu University, India.

Google Scholar

31. Spain, A.V. (1984). Litterfall and the standing crop of litter in three tropical Australian rain forest. J. Ecol. 72: 647-961.  https://doi.org/10.2307/2259543

Google Scholar

32. Srivastava, A.K. (1992). Biomass, Primary Production and Nitrogen Dynamics in Actinorhizal Casuarina equisetifolia (Forst.) Plantations. Ph.D. Thesis, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, India.

Google Scholar

33. Sugur, G.V. (1989a). Litter production and nutrient cycling of different species under plantation condition, Myforest, 25: 43-49.

Google Scholar

34. Tanpibal, W. and Sahunalu, P. (1981). Litter production and decomposition of Acacia auriculiformis stand planted on the tailing tin-mine soil. Research Note No. 2, Faculty of Forestry Kasetsart University, Thailand (Th, en).

35. Thojib, A. (1981). Litter production and decomposition of some reforestation species on Java. p. 105-111 in observations of agroforestry on Java, Indonesia: Report on an Agroforestry Course organized at forestry faculty, Godjah Mada University, Yogyakarta (ed. Wiersum, K.F.).

Google Scholar

36. Tsai, L.M. (1988). Studies on Acacia magnum in Kemasul forest. Malaysia. Biomass and productivity. J. Trop. Ecol., 4(3): 293-302.  https://doi.org/10.1017/S0266467400002856

Google Scholar

37. Vitousek, P.M. and Sanford Jr., R.L. (1986). Nutrient cycling in moist tropical forest. Annual Review of Ecology and Systematics, 17: 137-167.  https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev.es.17.110186.001033

Google Scholar

38. Whitemore, T.C. (1975). Tropical Rain Forest of the Far East. Oxford University Press, London.

Google Scholar

About this article

How to cite

Kumar, J., 2008. Litter production in two age groups of nitrogen fixing Acacia auriculiformis A. cunn. ex Benth plantations. Indian Journal of Forestry, 31(3), pp.329-335. https://doi.org/10.54207/bsmps1000-2008-3Q9321

Publication History

Manuscript Published on 01 September 2008

Share this article

Anyone you share the following link with will be able to read this content: