Litterfall Patterns of a Dry Tropical Forest Ecosystem of Central India

Abstract

Litterfall, the organic debris shed by forest vegetation upon the surface of the soil, has long engaged the attention of ecologists. Litter fall represents an essential link in organic production decomposition cycle, and this is a fundamental ecosystem process. Studies on litter production and nutrients release through litter decomposition in forest ecosystems are of great importance to understand the nutrient cycling, energy flow, primary production etc. The litter input or litter fall to the forest floor was measured in different seasons by randomly laying three litter traps (each 50 x 50 x 50 cm size) on the forest floor in each sample plot of different forest types. The total net vegetation production of a given sample plot of forest type had measured by adding the respective production of OS, US and GS vegetation fine root (peak) and leaf litter fall. Total seasonal litter fall varied from 1. 99 Mg ha-1 to 4. 15 Mg ha-1 in different forest types. Litter fall was highest in summer and lowest in rainy season. The litter fall in winter, summer, and rainy seasons varied between 38. 69-42. 77%, 28. 25-32. 66% and 28. 14-29. 10%, respectively to total litter fall of different forest types.