Title: Nutrient Dynamics of Litterfall in A Mixed Forest of Cunninghamia lanceolata and Tsoongiodendron odorum
Abstract: This paper deals with nutrient characteristics and dynamics of litterfall in a 27-year-old mixed forest of Cunninghamia lanceolata and Tsoongiodendron odorum, compared with a pure stand of Cunninghamia lanceolata, located in Xinkou Teaching Forest Farm, Sanming of Fujian province. The results show that mean concentrations of N, P and K elements of litterfall were almost in the order of N>K>P both species and fractions. The mean concentrations of N and K of litterfall in the mixed stand were higher but P slightly lower than those in the pure stand, and the mean concentrations of N and P of litterfall of Tsoongiodendron odorum were higher than those of Cunninghamia lanceolata in both stands, with the concentration of K higher than that of the pure stand but lower than that of the mixed stand. The monthly dynamics of concentration of N, P and K of litterfall were different in all fractions of different species. The annual nutrient return through litterfall amounted to 48.528 kg · hm~(-2) N, 2.324 kg · hm~(-2) P and 19.843 kg · hm~(-2) K in the mixed stand and 37.163 kg · hm~(-2) N, 2.339 kg · hm~(-2) P and 18.406 kg · hm~(-2) K in the pure stand. Nutrient return peaked in March, August and December in both stands with N and P highest in March and K highest in December. Total return of N in the mixed stand was obviously higher than that in pure stand, which benefitted the maintenance of long-stand, which benefitted the maintenance of long - term site fertility in mixed stand. Seasonal dynamics of total N, P and K return of the mixed stand litterfall, which in the order of winter>spring>summer>autumn, winter or spring>summer>autumn and winter>autumn>spring>summer, respectively, agreed with the dynamics of nutrient return of Cunninghamia lanceolata litterfall in the mixed stand.
Publication Year: 2002
Publication Date: 2002-01-01
Language: en
Type: article
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