Transformation of lowland rainforest into oil palm plantations results in changes of leaf litter production and decomposition in Sumatra, Indonesia
Journal Title: Journal of Biodiversity and Environmental Sciences (JBES) - Year 2015, Vol 6, Issue 1
Abstract
Leaf litter plays an important role for nutrient availability in ecosystems. Conversion of tropical rainforest into different land-use systems could largely alter nutrient cycling via changes in litter production and decomposition. In Indonesia, particularly on Sumatra and Kalimantan, a large area of natural lowland forest was increasingly replaced by oil palm plantation. However, how the impact of the lowland rainforest transformation to oil palm plantation in Sumatera to soil nutrient status is unknown yet. Here we investigated the leaf litter production, decomposition rate constants, and seasonal litter fall patterns in oil palm plantation (OP) and natural forest (NF) in Bukit 12 National Park Jambi, Sumatra Indonesia using litter traps and litter bag methods. The annual litter production was higher in OP than that of in NF. However oil palm fruits as the dominant component of litter production (79.6% of total litterfall production) are removed from the system caused nutrient lost. Litterfall production was influenced by climatic factor, mainly by rainfall and humidity. Litterfall production increased by increasing of rainfall and decreasing of humidity in NF and on contrary in OP, litterfall production increased with decreasing of rainfall and increasing of humidity. Leaf litter nitrogen and C/N ratio were the main factors that influenced litter decomposition. Our data showed that decomposition rate constants of leaf letter was significantly higher in NF than that of in OP, it means that nutrient turn-over via leaf litter of OP was slower than that of in NF.
Authors and Affiliations
Violita, Martyna M. Kotowska, Dietrich Hertel, Triadiati, Miftahudin, Iswandi Anas
Keywords
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