Litter Decomposition of Indian Science Original

8/13/2019 Litter Decomposition of Indian Science Original

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SEMINAR

TOPIC:

Needle litter decomposition of subtropical pine

forest in relation to climate and litter quality.

Dr. Kh. Ujala DeviDepartment of Botany

Presidency College, Motbung.


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INTRODUCTION

Litter decomposition is a fundamental process in forest

ecosystems, influencing rates of nutrients cycling

and carbon flux.

It is controlled by its litter quality,by the activity of soil

organism and by the physical microenvironment.

The decomposition of needle litter can be divided intotwo phases . In the first phase , decomposition rate

is regulated by the concentration of nutrients in the

litter and in the second phase , lignin decomposition

rate is the regulating factor (Berg and Staaf , 1980).


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The present study aims to :

evaluate the rate of needle litter decomposition.

release of nutrients (N , P , K & Na).

rate of lignin and cellulose in bimonthly intervals.


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Study sites: The present investigation was carried out in two sub-tropical pine forest ecosystem of

Imphal West District.

Site l, Engel ching (Undisturb site) Site II (Disturb site). Located at Tendongyan Village. at Khamran Village

2455N latitude and 9355 E longitude. 2452 N latitude and 9354E longitude

895 m altitude ; Distance 16 km from Imphal. Altitude 960 m from MSL.Distance 12 km from Imphal City


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METHODS:

Litter bag method (Gilbert and Bocock , 1962).

Needle litter ofPinus kesiya were collected from

forest site i and forest site ii .

5 gm of dried needle leaves were kept in nylon litter bags .

Litter bags of nylon net with a mesh size of 1mm and an

over all size of 10cm 10cm were used .

The litter bags were placed randomly on both the forest floor

9 litter bags were collected from each sites at bimonthly intervals .

The recovred litter bags were brought to the laboratory .

The residual material were wash by using water

and removed all the soil particles .Dried in oven at 80C and ground for chemical analysis .Estimation of Nitrogen and phosphorus were determined the method

given by Anderson and Ingram. Potassium and sodium by Flame Photometer.


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Months

Figure 1: Bi-monthly variation of rate of needle litter decomposition (%)

in pine forest site I and forest site II

Rateofdecomposition(%)


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Table 1 : Initial Nitrogen, Lignin to nitrogen ratio ,Cellulose and

Remaining Biomass of pine forest site I and site II .

Forest IN IL IL/IN IC RB

Site I 0.60 27 45 20 2

Site II 0.59 32 54 17 4

IN - Initial nitrogen concentration (%)

IL - Initial Lignin(%)

IL/IN - Initial Lignin to nitrogen ratio

IC - Initial cellulose(%)

RB - Remaining Biomass


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Table 2: Correlation between rate of weight loss and a biotic variables in forest

site I and II (n = 12)

Parameter r Variability %

Forest site I

SM 0.51** 26

ST 0.55** 30

RF 0.42* 18

MAT 0.10* 1

Forest site II

SM 0.51** 26

SM 0.52** 27

RF 0.51* 26

MAT 0.16* 3

* Show significant at P


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Nutrientconcentration(%)

Months

Figure 2: Variation in concentration (%) of nutrients (NPK&Na) during

needle litter decomposition in pine forest site I. and forest site II

Nutrientconcentr

ation(%)

Disturbed Forest (site II )Undisturbed Forest (site I )


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Lignin&Cellulos

e(%)

Months

Figure 3: Variation in lignin and cellulose concentration (%) during needle

litter decomposition in pine forest site I andforest site II

Lignin&Cellulose(%)

Undisturbed Forest (site I )

Disturbed Forest (site II )


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Table 7 : Changes in absolute amount of nutrients (N, P, K & Na) (% remaining) in the

decomposing needle litter in pine forest site I.

Months N P K Na.

August 2004 100 100 100 100

October 108 (+8) 74 (26) 22 (78) 89 (11)

December 103 (5) 73 (1) 27 (+5) 87 (2)

February 2005 93 (10) 73 (0) 30 (+3) 80 (7)

April 99 (+6) 80 (+7) 30 (0) 56 (24)

June 90 (9) 78 (2) 34 (+4) 50 (6)

August 66 (24) 47 (31) 29 (5) 35 (15)

October 42 (24) 28 (19) 17 (12) 25 (10)

December 42 (0) 23 (5) 9 (8) 17 (8)

February 2006 28 (14) 16 (17) 7 (2) 11 (6)

April 16 (12) 9 (7) 4 (3) 8 (3)

June 13 (3) 8 (1) 3 (1) 3 (5)August 5 (8) 3 (5) 1 (2) 1 (2)


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Table 8. Changes in absolute amount of nutrient N, P, K & Na (% remaining)

in the decomposing needle litter in pine forest site II.

Months N P K Na.

August 2004 100 100 100 100

October 118 (+18) 77 (23) 28 (72) 68 (32)

December 116 (2) 80 (+3) 36 (+8) 65 (3)

February 2005 91 (25) 84 (+4) 43 (+7) 84 (+19)

April 115 (+24) 79 (5) 44 (+1) 79 (5)

June 107 (8) 81 (+2) 43 (1) 70 (9)

August 82 (25) 76 (5) 35 (8) 64 (6)

October 53 (29) 34 (42) 18 (17) 37 (27)

December 36 (17) 24 (10) 11 (7) 20 (17)

February 2006 33 (3) 15 (9) 6 (5) 13 (7)

April 19 (14) 11 (4) 5 (1) 8 (5)

June 11 (8) 6 (5) 3 (2) 6 (2)

August 8 (3) 5 (1) 2 (1) 4 (2)


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Conclusion:

In the present study it is found that the rate of needle litterdecomposition in the undisturbed forest is higher than the disturbedforest. So it indicate that undisturbed forest has rich soil fertility thanthe disturbed forest because of the natural decomposition processes.

We should avoid to disturbed the natural forest as can as possible notto give any hindrance to the forest ecological processes.

THANK YOU.

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Litter Decomposition of Indian Science Original