Leaf litter decomposition in an upper montane rainforest in Sri Lanka

Abstract

Summary In a field study in an upper mountain rain forest in Sri Lanka leaf litter decay rates for nine tree species were measured using the standard litterbag method. The leaf species showed a wide variation in decomposition rates with k values ranging from 0.19 to 9.6 ( t 0.99 values ranging from 0.5 to 24 years), but it was possible to recognize fast, medium and slow decomposition groups. While there were considerable differences in physical and chemical litter properties these were poor predictors of decomposition rates. There was considerable variation in the N, P and lignin contents of mature green leaves and freshly fallen dead leaves of the different tree species. Percent resorption of N varied from 0 (one species) to 56 and of P from 0 (three species) to 73. There were no consistent patterns of nutrient mobilization and net release of N and P in the five leaf litter species studied.