LITTER PRODUCTION IN FORESTS OF THE WORLD
131
although for Pagus silvatica the data fiom nineteenth- and twentiethcentury authors require separate consideration. The data for Pinus
silvestris provide the clearest indication of a site effect, with litter production on the poorest site (V) one-third that on the best site (I). The
intermediate site class (111) produces two-thirds as much littgr as the
best class.
Data of Bonnevie-Svendsen and Gjems (1957) also indicate higher
litter-fall on more fertile soils in Norway. Mean litter production for
Larix spp. is 1-6 t/ha on iron-podzol and 2.8 t/ha on transitional and
brown-earth soils. For Picea abies the corresponding figures are 2.0 t/ha
and 3.2 t/ha respectively.
4. Soil moisture
Litter data from Ebermayer (1876) for Pinus silvestris and Picea
abies are shown in Table XV from mesic and dry soil moisture sites.
TABLE XV
Litter Production and Soil Moisture in German Forests*
Species
Soil
No. of
Total litter
moisture
sites
(metric tons/ha/yr)
Pin- silvestris
Mesic
6
4.0
Picea abies
Mesic
31
3.8
Picea abies
Dry
2
2.3
Pinw silvestris
Dry
11
3.5
* From data in Ebermayer (1876).
The decrease in litter-fall from mesic to dry conditions is especially
marked for Picea, a mesic species, and less noticeable for Pinus, which
tends to occur more often on exposed dry sites.
c. TREATMENT
1. Plantations and Native Forests
Only one study (Ohmasa and Mori, 1937) gives sufficient data to
allow comparisons of litter-fall in natural forest stands and plantations.
In both Chamaecyparis obtusa and Pinus densijiora there is no significant
difference between mean litter-fall in plantaJion and forest. Investigation by Mitchell (private communication) of a variety of indigenous
Malayan species yields a mean value of 8-7 t/ha for natural communities
and 10.6 tiha for plantations, not necessarily of the same species.
2. Influence of Tree Density and Basal Area
Within closed-canopy forests litter production appears to be little
affected by differences in tree density, as shown in Table XVI. Com-
131
although for Pagus silvatica the data fiom nineteenth- and twentiethcentury authors require separate consideration. The data for Pinus
silvestris provide the clearest indication of a site effect, with litter production on the poorest site (V) one-third that on the best site (I). The
intermediate site class (111) produces two-thirds as much littgr as the
best class.
Data of Bonnevie-Svendsen and Gjems (1957) also indicate higher
litter-fall on more fertile soils in Norway. Mean litter production for
Larix spp. is 1-6 t/ha on iron-podzol and 2.8 t/ha on transitional and
brown-earth soils. For Picea abies the corresponding figures are 2.0 t/ha
and 3.2 t/ha respectively.
4. Soil moisture
Litter data from Ebermayer (1876) for Pinus silvestris and Picea
abies are shown in Table XV from mesic and dry soil moisture sites.
TABLE XV
Litter Production and Soil Moisture in German Forests*
Species
Soil
No. of
Total litter
moisture
sites
(metric tons/ha/yr)
Pin- silvestris
Mesic
6
4.0
Picea abies
Mesic
31
3.8
Picea abies
Dry
2
2.3
Pinw silvestris
Dry
11
3.5
* From data in Ebermayer (1876).
The decrease in litter-fall from mesic to dry conditions is especially
marked for Picea, a mesic species, and less noticeable for Pinus, which
tends to occur more often on exposed dry sites.
c. TREATMENT
1. Plantations and Native Forests
Only one study (Ohmasa and Mori, 1937) gives sufficient data to
allow comparisons of litter-fall in natural forest stands and plantations.
In both Chamaecyparis obtusa and Pinus densijiora there is no significant
difference between mean litter-fall in plantaJion and forest. Investigation by Mitchell (private communication) of a variety of indigenous
Malayan species yields a mean value of 8-7 t/ha for natural communities
and 10.6 tiha for plantations, not necessarily of the same species.
2. Influence of Tree Density and Basal Area
Within closed-canopy forests litter production appears to be little
affected by differences in tree density, as shown in Table XVI. Com-