Authors:Upadhyaya, K; Arunachalam, A; Arunachalam, K; Das, A.K
Abstract:A detailed study on the biomass and productivity offour important bamboo species, Bambusa balcooa, B. pallida, Phillostachys bambusoides, Arundinaria racemosa growing at different altitudinal regimes in Arunachal Pradesh was carried out The biomass ofrespective bamboo components per culm increased with age except in case of P. bambusoides where the culm and branch biomass declined from 2-year to ~3-year old culm. Among the species, the total aboveground biomass was in the sequence of B. balcooa >B. pallida >P. bambusoides >A racemosa. Biomass allocation was maximum in culms (64-81 %) and minimum in leaves (5-15%), except in P. bambusoides in which minimum allocation of biomass was estimated in its branches (12%). At lower altitudes (in B. balcooa and B. pallida) foliage biomass was significantly lower as compared to the higher altitude species (P. bambusoides and A racemosa). B. balcooa had the highest annual litter biomass (24.2 t ha"Y"), followed by B. pallida (15.3 t ha"y-I), P. bambusoides (5.68 t ha·1y.l) and A racemosa (1.76 t ha·'y-'). However, litter as per cent of total aboveground biomass was greater in A racemosa (9.79%) and lower in B. balcooa (6.41 %). Maximum total biomass productivity was obtained from B. balcooa (240.38 t ha·1y.l), followed by B. pallida (114.31 t ha·1y.I), P. bambusoides (58.36 t ha·'y·l) and the minimum was recorded inA racemosa (12.19 t haly.I).
Keywords:altitude; biomas