Leaf Litter Decomposition of two Central Himalayan Oaks
Kirtika Padalia1 * , Rajendra Singh Parihaar1 , Nidhi Bhakuni 1 and Bhawana Kapkoti1
1
Department of Botany,
DSB Campus,
Kumaun University,
Nainital,
263002
India
http://dx.doi.org/10.12944/CWE.10.2.16
The study was conducted in two natural oak forest of Nainital (Uttarakhand) India, during 2012-2013 to determine the weight loss pattern in leaf litter of two Central Himalayan Oaks (i.e., Quercus leucotrichophora A. Camus. and Quercus floribunda Lindl.) with the help of litter bag technique. The present study concluded that weight loss proceeded throughout the study period and relatively higher within 60 days after the placement of litter bags into the soil. Among these two species, higher weight loss observed in Q. floribunda as compared to Q. leucotrichophora across both the sites. Within 365 days, average weight loss observed about 60% in Q. leucotrichophora and 62% in Q. floribunda. Decay rate coefficient rate ranged from 0.0596- 0.0014 for Q. leucotrichophora while it varies from 0.0558 to 0.0013 for Q. floribunda. The monthly relative decomposition rate (RDR) ranged between 0.0598-0.0014 g/g/day and 0.0208-0.0050 g/g/day for Q. leucotrichophora and Q. floribunda, respectively. Climatic factors (rainfall, temperature and relative humidity) also influenced the rate of decomposition.
Copy the following to cite this article:
Padalia K, Parihaar R. S, Bhakuni N, Kapkoti B. Leaf Litter Decomposition of two Central Himalayan Oaks. Curr World Environ 2015;10(2) DOI:http://dx.doi.org/10.12944/CWE.10.2.16
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Padalia K, Parihaar R. S, Bhakuni N, Kapkoti B. Leaf Litter Decomposition of two Central Himalayan Oaks. Curr World Environ 2015;10(2). Available from: http://www.cwejournal.org/?p=12627
