BIOGEOCHEMICAL CYCLES IN FORESTS OF THE SIERRA DE BEJAR MOUNTAINS (PROVINCE OF SALAMANCA, SPAIN) - DECOMPOSITION INDEX OF THE LEAF-LITTER

Both leaf and total litter decomposition indices were established in 3 forest ecosystems of the ''Sierra de Bejar'' mountains: a climax Quer cus pyrenaica Willd oak forest, a paraclimax Castanea sativa Miller sw eet-chestnut coppice, and a disclimax Pinus sylvestris L Scots pine fo rest. Higher decomposition rates and higher Jenny's decomposition indi ces were observed in the chesnut leaves than in the oak and pine leave s. Under almost identical climatic conditions, chesnut leaves decompos ed faster than those of oak and Scots pine. Thus, litter accumulation was highest in the pine forest, followed by the oak and chestnut fores ts.