Litter Production in Forests of the Worldt
J . R O G E R B R A Y
Grasslands Division. D.S.I.R., Palmerston North.
New Zealand
and
E V I L L E G O R H A M
Botany Department. University of Minnesota.
Minneapolis. Minn., U . S. A .
.
I . Introduction ........................................................ 101
I1 . SourcesofData ...................................................... 104
A . UnpublishedStudybyJ.R.Bray ................................... 104
B . WorldReview .................................................... 106
I11 . Selection and Presentation of Data ..................................... 107
A . Criteriafor Acceptance ............................................ 107
B . Arrangement ..................................................... 108
IV . Litter Components ................................................... 118
A . Detailed Litter Separation ......................................... 118
B . Percentage of Non-Leaf Litter ...................................... 118
C . Understory Litter ................................................ 119
D . MineralMaterial .................................................. 121
E . OrganicMaterial .................................................. 125
V . Factors Affecting Litter-Fall .......................................... 125
A . Evergreen Gymnosperm and Deciduous Angiosperms ................. 125
B . Environment ..................................................... 127
C . Treatment ....................................................... 131
D . TheTimeFactor ................................................. 133
VI . StandingCropofLeaves .............................................. 142
A . SeasonalChanges-Intrinsic ...................................... 142
B . Seasonal Changes - Extrinsic ....................................... 144
C . MagnitudeofLeafCrops ........................................... 144
VII . Leaf Litter as an Index to Net Production ............................... 147
References ................................................................ 152
I . INTRODUCTION
The organic debris shed by forest vegetation upon the surface of the
soil has long engaged attention . I n the past. branches and twigs were
staff of the University of Toronto. Canada .
t This study formed part of the authors’ research programmes while they were on the
J . R O G E R B R A Y
Grasslands Division. D.S.I.R., Palmerston North.
New Zealand
and
E V I L L E G O R H A M
Botany Department. University of Minnesota.
Minneapolis. Minn., U . S. A .
.
I . Introduction ........................................................ 101
I1 . SourcesofData ...................................................... 104
A . UnpublishedStudybyJ.R.Bray ................................... 104
B . WorldReview .................................................... 106
I11 . Selection and Presentation of Data ..................................... 107
A . Criteriafor Acceptance ............................................ 107
B . Arrangement ..................................................... 108
IV . Litter Components ................................................... 118
A . Detailed Litter Separation ......................................... 118
B . Percentage of Non-Leaf Litter ...................................... 118
C . Understory Litter ................................................ 119
D . MineralMaterial .................................................. 121
E . OrganicMaterial .................................................. 125
V . Factors Affecting Litter-Fall .......................................... 125
A . Evergreen Gymnosperm and Deciduous Angiosperms ................. 125
B . Environment ..................................................... 127
C . Treatment ....................................................... 131
D . TheTimeFactor ................................................. 133
VI . StandingCropofLeaves .............................................. 142
A . SeasonalChanges-Intrinsic ...................................... 142
B . Seasonal Changes - Extrinsic ....................................... 144
C . MagnitudeofLeafCrops ........................................... 144
VII . Leaf Litter as an Index to Net Production ............................... 147
References ................................................................ 152
I . INTRODUCTION
The organic debris shed by forest vegetation upon the surface of the
soil has long engaged attention . I n the past. branches and twigs were
staff of the University of Toronto. Canada .
t This study formed part of the authors’ research programmes while they were on the