SITE EFFECTS ON WOODY AND LEAF LITTERS DECOMPOSITION IN A TROPICAL RAIN FOREST, PENINSULAR MALAYSIA: PRELIMINARY RESULTS

摘要

Woody (Macaranga gigantea, Acacia mangiurri) and leaf (Santiria laevigata, Endosppermum Diadinum) litter bags were set up at different sites (hillslope, riparian zone, stream, landing and logging road) in Bukit Tarek Experimental Watershed of tropical rain forest. Macaranga gigantea decomposed much more quickly, on average, than did Acacia mangium. Decomposition rate of Endosppermum Diadinum was in the following order of magnitude: riparian > hillslope > logging road, landing > stream. In contrast, decomposition of Santiria laevigata in the stream was more rapidly than any other sites. We discussed that the difference of decomposition rate among the sites under the different environments (e.g., air and soil temperature; soil moisture; canopy openness; organic soil layer).