Deposição, acúmulo e decomposição de serapilheira em área preservada de caatinga

The objective of this work was to estimate the litter production, accumulation and decomposition rate in the Conservation Unit of the semi - arid region of Paraiba. To evaluate the waste production we used twenty collectors of 1.0 m², with nylon mesh bottom, collected monthly. To quantify the stock of accumulated waste, a metal structure with dimensions of 0.5 x 0.5 m was used, which were randomly arranged. The litter decomposition rate was estimated by the annual fall of the litter and the average annual accumulation of litter. Twenty collectors were systematically distributed in seven transects, and comparison of means by Tukey test. The total deposition of litter during the three study periods was 3,335.64 kg.ha-1, a contributing leaf fraction with 71.75%. The deposition of litter in the Caatinga obeyed the following order: leaf> twig> reproductive material> miscellaneous. The decomposition coefficient was 0.58, indicating that a litter decomposition in the Caatinga is slower than a humid tropical forest.