Elevated biomass production in burned natural grasslands in southern India

Aspects related to community metabolism such as biomass production, turnove r rate and time, and disappearance of the above-ground, belowground and lit ter components were compared in burned and unburned sites. System-transfer studies of above-ground and below-ground components are also documented. Th e net primary production of the Kundah grasslands was very high (range 5294 -6962 g/m(2)/yr). The biomass of the community in different compartments, viz. grasses, legumes and "other species", varied considerably over the per iod of observation. Burning decreased total above-ground biomass in the ear ly stages, but significantly improved biomass values in later stages. At th e unburned site, however, the above-ground biomass remained more-or-less st atic. The below-ground biomass, unlike its above-ground counterpart, was no t significantly altered by fire. Litter biomass steadily increased after a burn but remained static in the unburned site. Turnover rate increased in t he burned site and turnover time was reduced.