NITROGEN AND PHOSPHORUS LEACHING DURING THE DECOMPOSITION OF BROADLEAF FOREST LITTER

摘要

The rate of broadleaf forest litter decomposition as well as leaching of nitrogen and phosphorus was estimated, on two plots situated in an about 150-year old oak-hornbeam tree stand. In both ecosystems the rate of production and decomposition of litter was approximately the same. There was evidence of the dependence of the decomposition rate on the total precipitation in the vegetative season. The determined quantity of nitrogen leached in the process of litter decomposition reached 50 - 100 kg perha in wet years and about 30 kg per ha in dry years. Quantities of phosphorus leached from decomposed litter oscillate between 4 - 6 kg per ha in wet years and 1 - 3 kg per ha in dry years.