Evaluación de la producción de hojarasca y del contenido de nutrientes en su fracción dominante en pino (Pinus patula) y aliso (Alnus acuminata) en el sur del Ecuador

Abstract

The study of nutrient cycling through litterfall represents an important approach to understand the functioning of forest ecosystems. The litterfall is the main input of nutrients to the soil in forest environments. In this context, into two Pinus patula Schldl. et Cham. forest plantations and two native Alnus acuminata Kunth. forests, located in the southern Andes region of Ecuador, the production of litterfall. In here, was estimated, the temporal production patterns, were evaluated the nutrient content of the dominant fraction of the collected litterfall was evaluated. For this purpose, this work studied quarterly litterfall production using 16 traps (0.09 m2), both for forest plantations and for native forests in order to collect the forest material. Subsequently it was separation into fractions and chemical analyzes of its dominant fraction. The average litterfall production was 10800 kg ha-1 year-1 and 7218 kg ha-1 year-1 in pine (P. patula) and alder (A. acuminata) respectively. The peak of the greatest litter production was during the period from August to October and the lowest production was from February to April, for forest plantations and for native forests. The dominant fraction corresponded to the dominant leaves of each species, with differences in nutrient concentration, with a higher concentration in alder (A. acuminata), which shows differences in the chemical quality of the leaf component among forest plantations and native forests.