Monteverde : Ecology and Conservation of a Tropical Cloud Forest

Table 9.21. Summary of biomass and nutrient pools and transfers in fine litter during the
study period.

Nutrient

Standing crop

EM
TM
Total standing crop
% EM of total standing crop

Litterfall

EM
TM
Total litterfall
% EM of total litterfall

Annual decay constant and turnover time

Annual decay constant (yr^1 )
EMKa
TMKa
Turnover time (yr)
EM
TM

Biomass

0.4

10.1

10.5

4

0.5

7.0

7.5

7

1.3

0.7

0.8

1.4

N

46

159

205

22

7.5

93

100.5

7

0.16

0.6

6.3

1.7

P

3

7

9

33

0.5

6

6.5

8

0.17

0.9

5.9

1.1

Ca

29

213

242

12

4.2

115

119.2

4

0.14

0.5

7.1

2.0

Mg

5

17

22

23

0.8

15

15.8

5

0.16

0.9

6.3

1.1

K

15

16

31

48

0.1

12

12.1

1

10

0.8

0.1

1.3

Data are biomass (tons/ha) and nutrient pools (kg/ha/yr) in standing crop of epiphytic matter (EM) and terrestrial rooted
material (TM); biomass (tons/ha) and nutrient transfer (kg/ha/yr) via litterfall in EM and TM; and calculated annual
decay constants (yr^1 ) and turnover time (yr) based on a steady state assumption (Ka = annual litter input/forest floor
standing crop, turnover time = 1/KJ. TM measurements were made at the same study area at the same time and are
reported in Nadkarni and Matelson (1992a).

Figure 9.13. Epiphyte litter

(g/m^2 /month) collected from

5 x 5 m plots and fine litter

collectors between December

1987 and September 1990. Error

bars represent one standard

error of the mean. (From

Nadkarni and Matelson 1992a)