Aspects of productivity and nutrient cycling of poplar (Populus deltoides Marsh) plantation in the moist plain area of the Central Himalaya
Abstract
We studied the productivity and nutrient cycling in a 9-year-old poplar plantation raised m Tarai belt (low lying lands with high water table) of the Central Himalaya. The total vegetation biomass and net primary productivity was 195.4 t ha-1 and 23.4 t ha-1 yr-1, respectively. Of the total biomass and NPP, tree layer accounted for 96.6% and 88.5%. respectively. The concentration of nutrients (NPK) in P. deltoides was highest (0.18-2.24%) in foliage and lowest (0.02-0.18%) in bole wood component. The standing state of nutrients (NPK) ranged from 82 to 845 kg ha-1. The forest floor was maximum 9.7 t ha-1 in winter and minimum 2.8 t ha-1 in the rainy season. The annual litter fall was 83 t ha-1 yr-1. The mean nutrients returned annually to soil in litter fall was 148.2 kg N. 15.6 kg P and 86.3 kg K year-1. Of these nutrients, tree litter fall accounted for about 71 to 88%. The turnover rate and turnover rime of nutrients (NPK) in the forest floor of poplar plantation ranged from 0.71 to 0.77 and 1.30 to 1.41 years, respectively.© PRUNELLA Publishers
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