Research Article | Published: 01 December 2004

Litter production and nutrient concentration by the growing Albizia amara (Roxb.) Boiv. trees in a Silvopastoral system

Vinod Kumar and M. M. Roy

Indian Journal of Forestry | Volume: 27 | Issue: 4 | Page No. 367-371 | 2004
DOI: https://doi.org/10.54207/bsmps1000-2004-170VHU | Cite this article

Abstract

Litter fall and nutrients return by eight year old trees of Albizia amara in a silvopastoral system on degraded shallow soils of Jhansi was assessed. The average litter production was 6.08 t/ha/yr of which major proportion was leaf (84.2 %) followed by branch (12.8 %), miscellaneous (1.8 %) and pod (1.2 %). The litter fall was recorded throughout the year; highest litter production was recorded in the month of February (1.5 t/ha), followed by January (0.87 t/ha) and April (0.72 t/ha). The total litter production was significantly correlated with leaf litter (r = 0.96) and branch litter (r = 0.89). No significant correlation was found between climatic parameters and leaf litter. However, branch litter production was negatively correlated with the average minimum temperature (r = 0.55). Among different litter parts, highest concentration of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium was found in pod followed by leaf, miscellaneous and branch. Potential nutrient return to the system on account of tree litter produced by this species, computed on an annual basis, was 77.8 kg/ha nitrogen, 49.6 kg/ha potassium and 3.9 kg/ha phosphorus.

Keywords

Access Options

250/-

Buy Full Access in HTML Format

Instant access to the full article.

References

1. Anon. (1995). Official Methods of Analysis (Part 3). Association of Official Analytical Chemists, Arlington (USA): 35 p.

Google Scholar

2. Anon. (1985). The Wealth of India - Raw Materials (Vol 1A). Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, New Delhi : 123-125 p. 

Google Scholar

3. Bray, J.R. and Gorham, E. (1964). Litter Production in Forests of the World. Adv. Ecol. Res., 2: 102-157.  https://doi.org/10.1016/S0065-2504(08)60331-1

Google Scholar

4. Briggs, S.V. and Maher, M.T. (1983). Litter Fall and Leaf Decomposition in River Red Gum (Eucalyptus camaldulensis) Swamp. Australian J. Bot., 31: 307-316.  https://doi.org/10.1071/BT9830307

Google Scholar

5. Dunham, K.M. (1989). Litter Fall, Nutrient Release and Production in Acacia albida Woodland in Zimbabwe. J. Trop. Ecol., 5: 227-238.  https://doi.org/10.1017/S0266467400003515

Google Scholar

6. George, M. (1982). Litter Production and Nutrient in Eucalyptus hybrid Plantation. Indian For., 108(4): 253-259.

Google Scholar

7. George, M. (1986). Nutrient Uptake and Cycling in a Young Eucalyptus hybrid Plantation. My Forest, 22: 19-26.

Google Scholar

8. Hosur, G.C.; Dasog, G.S. and Satyanarayana, T. (1997). Litter Production and Nutrient Return of Different Tree Species Under Plantation Conditions. Indian J. For., 20: 231-235.

Google Scholar

9. Mac Dicken, K.G.; Wolf, G.V. and Briscoe, C.B. (eds.) (1991). Standard Research Methods for Multipurpose Trees and Shrubs. WIIAD, Arlington (USA): 91 p.

Google Scholar

10. Mc Shane, M.C.; Carlile, D.W. and Hinds, W.T. (1983). The Effect of Collector Size on Forest Litter Fall Collection and Analysis. Canadian J. For. Res., 13: 1037-1042.  https://doi.org/10.1139/x83-138

Google Scholar

11. Olson, J.S. (1963). Energy Storage and the Balance of Producers and Decomposers in Ecological Systems. Ecology, 44: 322-331.  https://doi.org/10.2307/1932179

Google Scholar

12. Pande, P.K. and Sharma, S.C. (1986). Seasonality and Pattern in Leaf Fall and Litter Accumulation on the Forest Floor in Plantation of Demonstration Area at Dehra Dun. Indian For., 112: 328-340.

Google Scholar

13. Singh, P. and Roy, M.M. (1993). Silvipastoral System for Ameliorating Productivity of Degraded Lands in India. Ann.For., 1: 61-73.

Google Scholar

14. Singh, P.; Pathak, P.S.; Upadhyay, V.S. and Gupta, S.K. (1992). IDRC Silvipasture Operational Research Project. Xth Annual Report. IGFRI, Jhansi: 51 p.

15. Skerman, P.J.; Cameron, D.G. and Riveros, F. (1988). Tropical Forage Legumes. FAO, Rome: 532 p.

Google Scholar

16. Sugur, G.V. (1989). Litter Production and Nutrient Cycling of Different Species Under Plantation Conditions. My Forest, 25: 43-49.

Google Scholar

17. Toky, O.P. and Singh, V. (1993). Litter Dynamics in Short Rotation High Density Plantation in an Arid Region of India. Agric. Ecosystem Envir., 45: 129-145.  https://doi.org/10.1016/0167-8809(93)90064-V

Google Scholar

18. Varshney, V.K. and Garg, R.K. (1996). Litter Production Pattern in Albizia lebbeck Plantation Stand at Hissar. Indian For., 122: 813-816.

Google Scholar

About this article

How to cite

Kumar, V. and Roy, M.M., 2004. Litter production and nutrient concentration by the growing Albizia amara (Roxb.) Boiv. trees in a Silvopastoral system. Indian Journal of Forestry, 27(4), pp.367-371. https://doi.org/10.54207/bsmps1000-2004-170VHU

Publication History

Manuscript Published on 01 December 2004

Share this article

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