Authors:Nath, A.J; Das, A.K
Abstract:Schizostach)'1lI1l dllllooa is a priority bamboo species having limited distribution in forest tracts ofNorth East India to Bangladesh, Nepal. Bhutan and Myanmar. Little is known about its ecological role in forest ecosystem. Since the analysis of litter quality, litter decomposition and the pattern of nutrient release is fundamental for understanding the soil fertility management in any ecosystem, study was carried out in the humid tropical forests at Cachar, Assam, North East India to understand the pattern of litter decomposition with the following objectives: (i) initial chemistry of leaf and sheath litter, (ii) litter mass loss and proximate carbon functions, and (iii) pattern of nutrient release from the leaf and sheath litter. Decomposition losses of leaf and sheath litter of S. dullooa were quantified using Iitterbag technique. Leaf litter had the higher concentration of N, P and K, whereas the sheath litter had higher carbon. a..<;h free mass and cellulose. Weight loss expressed as percentage of the original dry weight, decreased exponentially with time and the equations for leaf and sheath litter may be given as Y = 175.38 e "'3048" r::e: 0,9689 and Y = 139.55 e .02674\ r = 0.9798 respectively. Sheath litter had the slower mass loss rate than leaf litter but characterized by higher CIN, UN and UP values. The pattern of N release was biphasic, and following the initial accumulation phase P concentration exhibits a decrcasing trend, while release of K occurred at all the stages of decomposition. The concentration of organic compounds in leaf and sheath litter declined during the decomposition process. The ecological significance of maintenance of soil fertility through litter decomposition is also discussed.
Keywords:ash; carbon; carbon-nitrogen ratio; cellulose; decomposition; forest litter; forest