FINE LITTERFALL AND NUTRIENT DYNAMICS DURING FOREST REGROWTH IN THE HUMID SUBTROPICS OF NORTH-EASTERN INDIA

Fine litterfall and nutrient return patterns were studied in three sub tropical humid forest stands (7-, 13- and 16-year old), regrowing afte r selective tree cutting in north-eastern India. The seasonality of fi ne litterfall was unimodal, with a peak during spring and a trough dur ing rainy season in the forest regrowths of three different ages. The rate of fine litterfall increased with increasing basal area of the wo ody vegetation during forest regrowth. Leaf litter accounted for 83% o f the total litterfall. N concentration was maximum during autumn and minimum during rainy season; nutrient concentrations were highest in t he leaf litter. Seasonal variation in P concentration was small. Maxim um and minimum input of N and P to the forest floor through fine litte r coincided with the respective periods of litter production. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science B.V.