Nutrient return through leaf litter decomposition of common cropland agroforest tree species of Bangladesh

Type Journal Article - International Research Journal of Biological Sciences
Title Nutrient return through leaf litter decomposition of common cropland agroforest tree species of Bangladesh
Author(s)
Volume 3
Issue 9
Publication (Day/Month/Year) 2014
Page numbers 82-88
URL http://www.researchgate.net/profile/Mahmood_Hossain/publication/267391591_Nutrient_Return_through_Le​af_Litter_Decomposition_of_Common_Cropland_Agroforest_Tree_Species_of_Bangladesh/links/544e4b670cf2b​ca5ce904e65.pdf
Abstract
Cropland agroforestry is an important production system in Bangladesh. Melia azadirachta, Azadirachta indica, Eucalyptus camaldulensis, Swietenia macrophylla, Mangifera indica, Zizyphus jujuba, Litchi chinensis, Albizia saman, Artocarpus heterophyllus, Acacia auriculiformis, Dalbergia sissoo and Khaya anthotheca are common in the cropland agroforest of Bangladesh and have been selected for this study. This study focused on the mass loss of leaf litter and nutrient (N, P and K) addition in soil through the microbial decomposition of leaf litter of the selected cropland agroforest tree species of Bangladesh. Leaf litter decomposition experiment was conducted using litter bag technique both in dry and wet season in a controlled environment. The mass loss was found the highest (57% and 63%) for M. azadirachta followed by E, camaldulensis (50% and 56%), A. indica (53% and 58%) and the lowest (11% and 19%) was found for L. chinensis in dry and wet season respectively. The highest rate of decomposition (0.32 g/day and 0.35 g/day) was observed for M. azadirachta and the lowest (0.06 g/day and 0.10 g/day) was detected for L. chinensis. Significant (p=0.05) differences were observed among the mass loss of leaf litter and N, P and K concentration of decomposed soil of the studied species between dry and wet season. The decay constant (k) was found the highest for M. azadirachta (0.005 and 0.005) followed by E. camaldulensis (0.004 and 0.005), A. indica (0.004 and 0.005) and the lowest for L. chinensis (0.001 and 0.001) in dry and wet season respectively. A similar pattern of nutrient concentration (P> K> N) in the decomposed soil of the entire studied tree species were observed. Among the considered cropland agroforest tree species, M. azadirachta was found to be the best followed by, E. camaldulensis, L. chinensis and A. heterophyllus in terms of N, P and K return.

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