Seasonal Fluctuations of Litter Fall in a <i>Chamaecyparis obtusa</i> Plantation

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  • ヒノキ人工林における落葉枝量の季節変化
  • ヒノキ人工林における落葉枝量の季節変化〔英文〕
  • ヒノキ ジンコウリン ニ オケル ラクヨウ シリョウ ノ キセツ ヘンカ エイ

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Abstract

Litter fall was recorded at monthly intervals from August, 1973 to April, 1976 in an 18-year-old Chamaecyparis obtusa stand (as of 1974) planted in Nagoya University Forests at Inabu, Kita-Shitara District of Aichi Prefecture. The fall of Chamaecyparis leaves showed a bimodal seasonal pattern with a sharp depression in December and characterized the seasonal fluctuation of total litter fall. A peak fall of branches during winter months from January to February appeared to be associated with snowfalls. Seasonal trend in the fall of sexual organs was not obvious. The fall of insect bodies had its broad peak in summer. Of the litter components, insect feces showed the strongest seasonal trends in fall. There was a peak in July and a broad depression during months from winter to mid-spring. A difference in fall periodicity between the plant parts and the insect bodies and feces was appreciable. Annual total litter fall was estimated to be 1.8t (dw)/ha•yr of which Chamaecyparis leaves, branches, and insect feces comprised 1.5t (dw)/ha•yr or 83%, 97kg (dw)/ha•yr or 5.5%, and 47kg (dw)/ha•yr or 2.7%. The amount of total litter fall was lower than those reported for other Chamaecyparis stands. The authors estimated the annual losses of leaves due to insect grazing and of aboveground plant parts due to death to be 76kg (dw)/ha•yr and 2.2t (dw)/ha•yr to which leaves contributed 2.Ot (dw)/ha•yr and branches 0.12t (dw)/ha•yr.

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