Leaf litter fall and litter decomposition under Eucalyptus and coniferous plantations in Gambo District, southern Ethiopia

Abstract Litter fall and its decomposition rate play an important role in nutrient recycling, carbon budgeting and in sustaining soil productivity. Litter production and the decomposition rate were studied on commonly planted broad-leaved Eucalyptus (Eucalyptus globulus, Eucalyptus camaldulensis, Eucalyptus saligna) and coniferous (Juniperus procera, Cupressus lusitanica, Pinus patula) plantation species and compared with the adjacent broad-leaved natural forest. The production of litter was recorded by litter traps and the decomposition rate was studied by nylon net bag technique. Litter production under broad-leaved plantation species and natural forest (that varied from 9.7 to 12.6 Mg ha−1 y−1) was significantly higher (p<0.05) than that under coniferous species (that varied from 4.9 to 6.6 Mg ha−1 y−1). The average concentration of C and N in fresh mature leaves was higher than in leaf-litter fall, implying that both C and N were either sorbed in the plant system or lost through decomposition, leachin...