Abstract
Seasonal and annual variations in litterfall were studied over a 25-month period in a plantation of Diplerocarpus baudii Korth at the campus of Forest Research Institute of Malaysia. Kepong, Peninsular Malaysia. Litterfall compositions were characterized by high percentages of leaf (63%) and stipule litter (12%) of D. baudii and were consistent between two years. Totallitterfall was 12.8 and 9.6 ton ha-1 year-1; in 1991 and 1992, respectively, and was significantly different between the two years.
Seasonal variations of totallitterfall, leaf and stipule litter of D. baudii showed two peaks a year and were synchronized over the study period. The temporal variations in total litterfall, leaf and stipule litter of D. baudii were significantly correlated with the precipitation. Aowering and seed production of D. baudii were synchronized with the leaf and stipule litterfall over the study period and were higher in the second than in the first year. The flowering in the second year resulted in the reduction of leaf litter production.
Amounts of nutrients supplied by litterfall were estimated to be 107.9 to 152.4 (N), 4.7 to 6.4 (P), 20.4 to 29.2 (K), 1.6 to 2.1 (Na), 11.8 to 16.4 (Mg), and 71.9 to 102.2 (Ca) kg ha-1yr-1 in this D. baudii plantation.
