Scholarly record
STOCKS OF CHEMICAL ELEMENTS IN LITTERFALL IN BEECH (FAGUS SYLVATICA L.) FORESTS IN WESTERN STARA PLANINA
Abstract
The litterfall (fallen leaves, flowers, fruits and twigs) in the forests represents part of dead plant mass. The quantity and quality of litterfall in forests plays an important role in their state. Through it, a large part of chemical elements is returned to the cycle of the ecosystem, it is an essential carbon depot, it affects regeneration, soil moisture, fertility, composition, fauna and flora. The study presents data on stocks of chemical elements in annual literfall of Western Stara planina. The sample plots are located on the territory of the Petrohan LTER site. The average total quantity of litterfall was 481.17 g.m-2. The leaves were 54%, cupulas were 23%, seed were 21% and the fraction of branches had the smallest share - from 2%. The total annual amount of elements returned to the beech forest ecosystem with leaves was 1569.42 kg.ha-1, of which macroelements are 1560.98 kg.ha-1, and microelements - 8.46 kg.ha-1. The predominant elements were: carbon - about 80%, hydrogen - about 13%, nitrogen - 3% and calcium - 2%. The remaining elements were represented in very small amounts - less than 1%. Microelements were presented in the following sequence: Mg >Mn >Fe >Zn >Pb >Cu. 790.88 kg.ha-1 elements were returned annually through the seeds and 582.21 kg.ha-1 elements were annually returned through the cupules.
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References14
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