Structure and Function of an Age Series of Eucalypt Plantations in Central Himalaya, II. Nutrient Dynamics

This paper deals with nutrient dynamics in 2- to 8-year-oldplantations of Eucalyptus tereticornis Sm. previously investigatedfor dry matter dynamics. The nutrient concentrations changedin the order: herb > shrub > tree. The nutrient concentrationsin the different components of these vegetation types also decreasedwith plantation age. The nutrient content in trees and shrubsincreased and in herbs it decreased with increase in plantationage. The uptake of nutrients by vegetation and also by componentswith or without adjustment for retranslocation, has been calculatedseparately. Turnover time for different nutrients ranged between1.05 and 1.35 years. Compartmental models for nutrient dynamicshave been developed to represent the distribution of nutrientcontents and net annual fluxes within the system. Eucalyptus tereticornis plantation, nutrient concentration, standing state, uptake, turnover, nutrient cycling