DECOMPOSITION OF <em>MESUA</em> <em>FERREA</em> LITTER IN HUMID TROPICS OF ARUNACHAL PRADESH, INDIA

Abstract

The decomposition dynamics of various types of Mesua ferrea litter were studied in a tropical rain forest zone of the Indian eastern Himalaya, Arunachal Pradesh. The senesced leaves, twigs (< 2 mm) and fruit coat decomposed in a three-phased pattern, while the green leaves showed a two-phased decay pattern. All phases were characterised by a composite linear regression model, Y = a + bX₁ + cX₂ + dX₃..., where Y is the percentage of initial mass remaining, a the Y intercept, b the rate of change in Y with respect to time, c the shift parameter for adjustment of the Y intercept in phase II and d the shift parameter for adjustment of the Y intercept in phase III. The values of c and d were taken as zero, if decay was slow, and/or equal to one, if decay was rapid. The annual decay constant was maximum (0.8) for senesced leaves and minimum (0.4) for twigs. Initial litter chemistry influenced the rate of decomposition of M. ferrea litter.