Litterfall of a Subtropical Seasonal Forest in northern Rio Grande do Sul

Abstract

Litterfall has an important role in the maintenance of fertility in natural forest ecosystems. Therefore, the objective of this study was to evaluate the litterfall produced and its carbon stock, and the relationship with environmental variables, in a fragment of a Subtropical Seasonal Forest, located in the city of Frederico Westphalen, northern region of Rio Grande do Sul state. Were installed systematically sixteen squares litter traps of 1 m², eight collectors allocated within eight on the edge of the fragment. During the period of one year, all plant material produced and deposited in the collectors has been removed, identified and brought to the laboratory for determination of dry weight. The litter produced was 5.11 Mg ha^-1 and the carbon stock was 2.56 Mg ha^-1. The lower production of litter was observed in the month of May 2010 and the largest in the month of September 2010. The litterfall was not correlated with temperature, but with the precipitation, which influenced the seasonal and peak greater devolution thereof