Litter Decomposition and Nutrient Release in Ban Nong-Tin Community Forest, Phapayom District, Phatthalung Province

Abstract

     The Objective of this study was to estimate litter decomposition and nutrient ralease in
Ban Nong-Tin Community Forest, Phapayom District, Phatthalung Province. Litter bags with the dimension of 20x30 cm containing 10 grams of litter were buried (10 cm of soil depth). The decomposing litter was collected on week 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 8, 10 and 12 respectively, to analyze for litter decomposition and nutrient release. The results showed that the decomposition rate of leaf was reduced by more than>50% within 69 days and the decomposition constant (k) was 0.01. Results from nutrient releasing study showed that Ban Nong-Tin community forest had the same maximum releasing rate of nitrogen and potassium which was 4.79±0.33 kg/rai/yr. For the phosphorus release, it was only 0.12 ± 0.01 kg/rai/yr.