BIOLOGICAL CYCLING OF MACRO-NUTRIENTS (N, P, K, Ca, Mg, S) IN BRUGUIERA PARVIFLORA DOMINATED MANGROVE FOREST AT KUALA SELANGOR NATURE PARK, MALAYSIA

Abstract

Biological cycling of macro-nutrients (N, P, K, Ca, Mg and S) were studied by synthesizing the previous and new data from Bruguiera parviflora dominated mangroves at Kuala Selangor Nature Park, Malaysia. The total stock and annual accumulation of N, P, K, Ca, Mg and S in plant biomass were 60.11 kg ha-1y-1; 11.48 kg ha-1y-1, 36.25 kg ha-1y-1; 72.75 kg ha-1y-1; 31.32 kg ha-1y-1 and 82.12 kg ha-1y-1 respectively. The annual return of N, P, K, Ca, Mg and S in the form of litter fall were 59.82 kg ha-1, 10.93 kg ha-1, 23.43 kg ha-1, 118.31 kg ha-1, 29.25 kg ha-1 and 54.15 kg ha-1 respectively, which yield the annual uptake of N, P, K, Ca, Mg and S were 119.92 kg ha-1, 22.41 kg ha-1, 59.69 kg ha-1, 191.07 kg ha-1, 60.57 kg ha-1 and 136.26 kg ha-1, respectively. The return/accumulation ratios of N, P, K, Ca, Mg and S showed that accumulation = return for N, return > accumulation for Ca, accumulation > return for P, K, Mg and S. The calculated turnover period of N, P, K, Ca, Mg and S were 10 yr, 10 yr, 15 yr, 6 yr, 10 yr and 14 yr respectively.