Litter accumulation in a Eucalyptus grandis Plantation, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil

Abstract

This study aimed at quantifying the accumulation of litter in formative compartments (bark, branches, leaves, and miscellaneous) above the soil in a 23-year-old Eucalyptus grandis plantation, located on the campus of the Universidade Federal de Santa Maria, Rio Grande do Sul. We installed four parallel plots on the settlement lines, measuring 3.0 m x 6.0 m. In order for litter collection, we utilized a 25 cm x 25 cm iron frame and randomly collected 15 samples of each plot, totaling 60 samples. The burlap consisted predominantly of branches (39%) and miscellaneous (29%) fraction, followed by leaves (23%) and bark (6%). Such accumulation may be associated with the age of the Eucalyptus grandis, the density of the forest, and the stability achieved by the plantation.