Estimates of biomass and primary productivity in a high-altitude maple forest of the west central Himalayas

Abstract

The paper describes the biomass and productivity of maple (Acer cappadocicum) forest occurring at an altitude of 2,750 m in the west central Himalayas. Total vegetation biomass was 308.3 t ha-1, of which the tree layer contributed the most, followed by herbs and shrubs. The seasonal forest-floor litter mass varied between 5.4 t ha-1 (in rainy season) and 6.6 t ha-1 (in winter season). The annual litter fall was 6.2 t ha-1, of which leaf litter contributed the largest part (59% of the total litter fall). Net primary productivity of total vegetation was 19.5 t ha-1 year-1. The production efficiency of leaves (net primary productivity/leaf mass) was markedly higher (2.9 g g-1 foliage mass year-1) than those of the low-altitude forests of the region. © 2007 The Ecological Society of Japan.