Decomposition
and Nutrient Dynamics in Oak and Mixed-Hardwood Litter in Mt. Kyebang Forest
Ecosystem
Kim, Choonsig,
Young-Kul Kim, Jong-Hwan Lim, Joon-Hwan Shin, and Jeong-Soo Oh
Forest
Research Institute, Seoul 130-012, Korea
Patterns
of mass loss and nutrient release from decomposing oak and mixed hardwood
litter in natural hardwood forest in Mt. Kyebang, Kwangwon-do were examined
using litter bags placed on the forest floor during 28 months. Mass loss rates
were significantly higher in the mixed litter than in the oak litter types
during the study period. Mass loss rates from decomposing litter were about 34%
yr-1 in the oak litter and 42% yr-1 in the mixed litter types. Nutrient
concentrations such as nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, and magnesium from
decomposing litter were also higher in mixed litter than in oak litter types
during the study period. However, calcium concentrations from decomposing
litter after one year were generally higher in oak litter than in mixed litter
types. Nutrient concentrations (N, P, Ca, Mg) except for potassium increased
compared with initial concentration of litter, while potassium concentrations
dropped rapidly during the first 5 months and then stabilized. The results
indicate that the results obtained from single species in mixed hardwood forest
ecosystem should be applied with caution because of the potential differences
between mass loss and nutrient release in decomposing litter types.