BIOMASS, LITTERFALL AND NUTRIENT CONTENT IN CASTANEA-SATIVA COPPICE STANDS OF SOUTHERN EUROPE

Aboveground biomass and nutrient content, litterfall and nutrient retu rn to the soil were studied in Castanea sativa Mill forests near Salam anca (Spain), Montpellier (France) and Catania (Italy). Best regressio n equations for the aboveground biomass were obtained by applying the allometric Y (biomass) = aX (DBH)(b) method. The three different regre ssion equations were very similar, especially when comparing the Itali an and French sites. The main source of difference concerned the diffe rent DBH repartition for trees at the six sites. Litter production was higher in the Spanish stand than in the Italian stands. N, Ca and Mg recycled in the same proportion in all stands. In contrast, twice as m uch P and K was recycled in the Italian stands than in the Spanish sta nd.