Litter production in the Nothofagus forests of Tierra del Fuego, Argentina

• Published in: IOSR Journal of Agriculture and Veterinary Science
• Main Authors: Moretto, Alicia Susana, Mansilla, Paula Romina, Martínez Pastur, Guillermo José, Escobar, Julio Martin
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: IOSR
• Subjects: LITTER PRODUCTION; N. ANTARCTIC; N. BETULOIDES; NOTHOFAGUSPUMILIO; https://purl.org/becyt/ford/4.1; https://purl.org/becyt/ford/4; Antarctic; Austral; Argentina; Martínez; Alicia; Escobar; Mansilla; Antarc*; Antarctica; Tierra del Fuego
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/11336/94989

Differences in the amount of litter-fall in arboreal species constitute an important factor to understand the nutrient cycle inside a managed forest. The objective was to determine the litter production in Nothofaguspumilio (lenga), N. antarctica (ñire) and N. betuloides (guindo) forests in Tierra del Fuego. Litters was collected during the period of highest fall (February-May), sorting its components into leaves, branches, seeds and miscellaneous (flowers, valves, etc.). Leaves represented the most important component, being significantly higher in lenga (79%) than in guindo (65%) or ñire (54%). Seeds also presented bigger differences, showing a behaviour inversely proportional to that of leaves: ñire (8.7%), guindo (3.0%) and lenga (0.8%). No difference was detected in branches and miscellaneous. The studied forest types showed different strategies of energy distribution, for example, being deciduous or evergreen, or of mass seed production in exceptional years. Fil: Moretto, Alicia Susana. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Austral de Investigaciones Científicas; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Tierra del Fuego; Fil: Mansilla, Paula Romina. Universidad Nacional de Tierra del Fuego; . Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Austral de Investigaciones Científicas; Argentina Fil: Martínez Pastur, Guillermo José. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Austral de Investigaciones Científicas; Argentina Fil: Escobar, Julio Martin. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Austral de Investigaciones Científicas; Argentina