<em>PINUS</em> <em>PATULA</em> PLANTATIONS IN KUMAUN HIMALAYA. I. DRY MATTER DYNAMICS

Abstract

The present paper reports on the biomass, forest floor biomass, litterfall and net prinmry productivity in different aged plantations of Pinus patula in Kumaun Himalaya. Biomass increased from 108.9 t ha^-1 at a stand age of 15 years to 151.3 t ha^-1 at 21 years. The forest floor biomass was 6.9 t ha^-1 at 15-y-old and 8.9 t ha^-1 at 21-y-old plantations. Annual litterfall ranged from 2t ha^-1 at 15 years to 3 t ha^-1 at 21 years. Net primary productivity was 13.5 t ha^-1 y^-1 a t age 21 and 12.1 t ha^-1 y¹ at 15 years. The biomass accumulation ratio of these plantations was between 10.3 and 12.7.