TY - JOUR AU - A. Arunachalam, PY - 2022/08/03 Y2 - 2024/03/28 TI - LITTER DECOMPOSITION AND NUTRIENT MINERALIZATION DYNAMICS IN TWO BAMBOO SPECIES GROWING IN A 9-YEAR-OLD “JHUM” FALLOW JF - Journal of Tropical Forest Science (JTFS) JA - JTFS VL - 17 IS - 1 SE - Articles DO - UR - https://jtfs.frim.gov.my/jtfs/article/view/1141 SP - 33-44 AB - <p>Patterns of litter decay and nutrient mineralization rates of<em>&nbsp;</em>leaf and scale-leaf of <em>Bambusa balcooa </em>and B<em>. pallida </em>were determined using the litter-bag technique in a 9-year-old ‘jhum” fallow in the humid tropics of north east India. C concentration was higher in leaf and scale-leaf litters of B. <em>pallida, </em>while N and lignin concentrations were greater in <em>B. balcooa </em>litter. Both leaf and scale-leaf litters of <em>B. </em><em>balcooa </em>and <em>B. pallida </em>showed similar decomposition patterns. The daily decay constants did not differ significantly between the two litter types and bamboo species studied. Nonetheless, mass-loss rates during decomposition of the leaf and scale-leaf litters of both species showed positive correlations with incubatioan period (the time after burying the samples in the soil) . In general, until 120 days of&nbsp; in cubation, there was N immobilization and later during the study period rapid mineralisation occurred. The release of N from&nbsp; <em>B. pallida </em>litter was greater than from <em>B. balcooa&nbsp;</em>as per <em>k<sub>N</sub> </em>value. P was initially being immobilized followed by a gradual mineralization after 120 days of litter decomposition in <em>B. balcooa</em><em>. </em>In <em>B. balcooa</em><em>, </em>no definite pattern was observed. The rate of weight loss and N release showed significant positive relationships with lignin and N concentrations and lignin/N, C/P and N /P ratios, and negative relationships with C and P concentratitons and C/N ratio. However, mineralizatican rates of P did not show significant correlations with most chemical compositions of the litter except with initial P concentration, and lignin /N and f//P ratios.</p> ER -