Quantity and quality of litter-fall in young European beech (Fagus silvatica L.) stands in localities naturally dominated by broadleaves

摘要

The objectives of the presented study were to detect quantity and quality of litter-fall in young European beech stands in two different localities (mountains and lower altitudes), which are typical for forests naturally dominated by broadleaves. Theannual amount of litter-fall in the young beech stands investigated varied in Stand A (mountain location) at the age of 18 - 25 years from 2 200 to 5 300 kg.ha~(-1) and in Stand B (lower location) at the age of 29 - 35 years from 3100 to 5800 kg.ha~(-1).Per hectare the nutrient content in the litter fall was approximately 40 kg of Nitrogen, 6 kg of Phosphorus, 14 kg of Potassium, 60 kg of Calcium and 7 kg of Magnesium per year. The annual amount of litter-fall was significantly influenced by climatological factors - late frost and a warmer spring and early summer contributed to a lower amount of annual leaf biomass of the young beech stands investigated here.