New Zealand Journal of Botany abstracts

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Aspects of litter production in a New Zealand lowland podocarp/broadleaf forest

P. E. COWAN
D. C. WADDINGTON
M. J. DANIEL
B. D. BELL*

Ecology Division, DSIR
Private Bag, Lower Hutt, New Zealand

Abstract Litter-fall was collected monthly for 16 months in 69 funnels of 0.0625 m2 catching area on two 2.25 ha sites in lowland podocarp/broadleaf forest in the Orongorongo Valley, near Wellington, New Zealand. At both sites, litter fell throughout the year, with most leaves falling in summer, fruits in autumn, and twigs in spring. Seasonal patterns of leaf-fall were examined for seven species of trees. Five of the seven showed a summer peak of leaf- fall and two an autumn peak; all seven shed fewest leaves in winter. Leaf, fruit, and flower production differed mark- edly between sites. Total annual leaf and flower fall at one site (area A) was estimated at 3026 kg/ha, with 260 kg/ha of fruit and seeds and 1234 kg/ha of twigs < 28 cm long. At a second site (area B), leaf and flower fall was 20% less, fruit and seed fall 60% less, and twig fall 22% less. Implications of the differences between these two areas are discussed in relation to the ecology of brushtail possums there.

Keywords Forest ecology; litter-fall; biomass; seasonality; Trichosurus vulpecula

Received 13 June 1984; accepted 3 October 1984
New Zealand Journal of Botany, 1985, Vol. 23: 191-199
OO28-825X/85/23O2-O191$2.5O/O © Crown copyright 1985

PDF file of entire paper: medium quality (638K); (scanned from paper original: notes about this process)

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