Throughfall and Stemflow-Mediated Nutrient Fluxes in a Subtropical Forest of Manipur, Northeast India
Lamabam Usharani *
M. B. College, Imphal-795001, Manipur, India.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
The nutrient cycling in forest ecosystems is significantly influenced by the deposition and movement of nutrients through throughfall and stemflow, which act as pathways for the transfer of elements from the canopy to the soil. The study examines the influx of nutrients (N, P, K, Ca, Mg, Na) in precipitation, throughfall and stemflow from a subtropical forest of Manipur. Rainfall and precipitation flux through the forest canopy viz throughfall and stemflow, were measured. The nutrient concentrations of N, P, K, Ca, Mg and Na were recorded for rainfall, throughfall and stemflow. Leaching accounts and input-output ratios were estimated to assess nutrient retention and loss within the forest ecosystem. It was found that the nutrients increase in the order of N>K>Ca>Mg>Na>P in stemflow, and in throughfall, the nutrients increase in the order of N>K>Ca>Na>Mg>P. Maximum leachability of K is observed. The input-output ratio revealed good retention of nitrogen.
Keywords: Throughfall, stemflow, leaching account, input-output ratio, subtropical forest