CHANGES IN MASS AND NUTRIENTS DURING DECOMPOSITION OF LEUCAENA LEUCOCEPHALA AND CYMBOPOGON CITRATUS AND THE EFFECT OF SUBSTRATE QUALITY, WEATHER VARIABLES AND SOIL VARIABLES ON MASS LOSS DURING DECOMPOSITION IN A SEMI-ARID ECOSYSTEM, MADURAI, INDIA

Abstract

The study of leaf litter decomposition in a semi-arid ecosystem, Madurai, using litterbags showed a reduction in the dry mass of Leucaena leucocephala by 70% and Cymbopogon citratus by 63% after one year of exposure. Initial chemical characteristics differed. Linear decay function and exponential decay function provided satisfactory fits to litter data. Different elements (C, N, P, K, Na, Mg, Mn, Cu, Zn, Pb) have different patterns of release over time and the gains and losses of mineral elements from litter over the time intervals are compared. Variations in leaf litter over the time intervals are compared. Variations in leaf litter disappearance are related to substrate quality, environmental and soil variables . The analysis indicated that C, K, Na, Mg for substrate quality; relative humidity for environmental variables; and soil temperature for soil variables were strongly correlated.