Leaf Litter Decomposition of Indigenous Tree Plantations at Thong Pha Phum Plantation, Kanchanaburi Province

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Piteekorn Supawong
Roongreang Poolsiri
Chiawchan Piboon

Abstract

Leaf litter decomposition of indigenous tree plantations was carried out at Thong Pha Phum plantation, Kanchanaburi province. Four tree species were used in the experiment, i.e., Tectona grandis Linn. f., Xylia xylocarpa Taub var. kerrii Nielson, Hopea odorata Roxb. and Dipterocarpus alatus Roxb. ex G. Don. The objectives were to study the rates and nutrient releases of four indigenous tree species leaf litter decomposition. The study was conducted between March
2006 and February 2007. Leaf decomposition was evaluated through the litterbag technique and placed on the forest floor. At the end of each month, 3 litterbags of each tree species were collected for dry weight loss and release nutrient determination. The results showed that mean rates of leaf litter decomposition of T. grandis,X. xylocarpa, H. odorata and D. alatus were 73.79, 43.73, 67.96, 57.68% yr-1, respectively. The annual decay constant (k) of the four tree species were 1.3392, 0.5750, 1.1382 and 0.8599, respectively. The concentration of nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P) and calcium (Ca) of T. grandis, X. xylocarpa, H. odorata and D. alatus showed trend decreasing in the beginning and showed increasing trend later. Meanwhile, potassium (K) and magnesium (Mg) were dramatically decreasing in the beginning and were slightly decreasing later. The initial nutrient content of T.grandis was N > Ca > K > Mg > P and X. xylocarpa, H. odorata and D. alatus of those were N > Ca > Mg > K > P. At the end of study found that total nutrient turnover of T. grandis was N > K > Ca > Mg > P, meanwhile X. xylocarpa and H. odorata were N > Ca > Mg > K > P and D.
alatus was N > K > Mg > Ca > P.

Article Details

How to Cite
Supawong, P., Poolsiri, R., & Piboon, C. (2016). Leaf Litter Decomposition of Indigenous Tree Plantations at Thong Pha Phum Plantation, Kanchanaburi Province. Thai Journal of Forestry, 35(1), 74–85. Retrieved from https://li01.tci-thaijo.org/index.php/tjf/article/view/248154
Section
Original Articles

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