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- Title
Litter Fall and Its Decomposition in Sapium sebiferum Roxb.: An Invasive Tree Species in Western Himalaya.
- Authors
Jaryan, Vikrant; Uniyal, Sanjay Kr.; Gupta, R. C.; Singh, R. D.
- Abstract
Recognizing that high litter fall and its rapid decomposition are key traits of invasive species, litter fall and its decay in Sapiumsebiferum Roxb. were studied in Palampur. For this, litter traps of dimension 50 × 50 × 50 cm³ were placed in under-canopy andcanopy gap of the species. Litter fall wasmonitored monthly and segregated into different components. For litter decay studies, litterbags of dimension 25 × 20 cm² with amesh size 2 mm were used and the same were analyzed on a fortnightly basis. Litter fall in bothunder-canopy and canopy gap was highest in November (1.16 Mg ha-1 y-1 in under-canopy and 0.38 Mg ha-1 y-1 in canopy gap) andlowest during March. Litter production in under-canopy and canopy gap was 4.04 Mg ha-1 y-1 and 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-1 in under-canopy and 0.48% day-1 in canopy gap, was also fast. Owing to this the species may be able to modify the habitats to its advantage, as has been reported else where.
- Subjects
PLANT litter decomposition; TALLOW tree; PLANT species; INVASIVE plants; PLANT litter; PLANT canopies; PLANT habitats
- Publication
International Journal of Ecology, 2014, p1
- ISSN
1687-9708
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1155/2014/142429