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http://dx.doi.org/10.13047/KJEE.2016.30.1.110

Decomposition and Nutrient Dynamics of Leaf Litter of Camellia japonica L. in Korea  

Cha, Sangsub (Dept. of Life Science, Chung-Ang Univ.)
Lee, Kyung-Eui (Dept. of Life Science, Chung-Ang Univ.)
Lee, Sang-Hoon (Dept. of Life Science, Chung-Ang Univ.)
Choi, Moonjong (Dept. of Life Science, Chung-Ang Univ.)
Shim, Jae Kuk (Dept. of Life Science, Chung-Ang Univ.)
Publication Information
Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology / v.30, no.1, 2016 , pp. 110-117 More about this Journal
Abstract
Litter fall is a source of nutrients and carbon transfer in terrestrial ecosystems. Litter decomposition provides nutrients needed for plant growth, sustains soil fertility, and supplies $CO_2$ to the atmosphere. We collected the leaf litter of evergreen broadleaf tree, Camellia japonica L., and carried out a decomposition experiment using the litterbag method in Ju-do, Wando-gun, Korea for 731 days from Dec 25, 2011 to Dec 25, 2013. The leaf litter of C. japonica remained 42.6% of the initial litter mass after experiment. The decay constant (k) of C. japonica leaf litter was $0.427yr^{-1}$. The carbon content of C. japonica leaf litter was 44.6%, and the remaining carbon content during the decomposition tended to coincide with the changes in litter mass. The initial nitrogen and phosphorus content was 0.47% and 324.7 mg/g, respectively. The remaining N in decaying litter increased 1.66-fold in the early decomposition stage, then gradually decreased to 1.18-fold after 731 days. The content of P showed the highest value (1.64-fold of initial content) after 456 days, which then fell to a 1.15-fold after 731 days. The remaining Ca, K, Mg and Na content in C. japonica leaf litter tended to decrease during decomposition. The remaining K showed a remaining mass of 8.9% as a result of rapid reduction. The initial C/N and C/P ratio of C. japonica leaf litter was 94.87 and 1368.5, respectively. However, it tended to decrease as decomposition progressed because of the immobilization of N and P (2.78 and 2.68-fold of initial content, respectively) during the leaf litter decaying. The study results showed that N and P was immobilized and other nutrients was mineralized in C. japonica leaf litter during experimental period.
Keywords
Camellia japonica L.; EVERGREEN BROADLEAF; LITTER DECOMPOSITION; DECOMPOSITION CONSTANT; NUTRIENT DYNAMICS;
Citations & Related Records
Times Cited By KSCI : 8  (Citation Analysis)
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