Litterfall production, decomposition and nutrient accumulation in Sundarbans mangrove forests, Bangladesh

Figures & data

Figure 1. Changes in the contribution of various litterfall components to total litterfall production during the study period. (●: Reproductive organs; ^: Leaf; □: Branches).

Table 1. Annual amount of vegetative and reproductive litterfall of Sundarbans mangrove forests.

Litterfall components	g m^-2 yr^-1	Litterfall components	g m^−2 yr^-1
Leaf	587.5 ± 4.9 (58.4)	Flower bud	11.0 ± 0.5 (1.1)
Stipule	118.6 ± 0.5 (11.8)	Flower	97.6 ± 1.9 (9.7)
Branch	129.9 ± 2.4 (12.9)	Fruit	9.4 ± 0.3 (0.9)
Sum of the vegetative organs	836.1 ± 6.4 (83.1)	Propagule	51.8 ± 1.4 (5.1)
		Sum of the reproductive organs	169.9 ± 2.4 (16.9)
Total	1005.9 ± 7.0

Values are represented as mean ± standard error. Numerals in parenthesis represent the percentage of the total amount.

Figure 2. Mangrove litterfall decomposition (expressed as the percentage of original weight remaining through time) at forest floor and burial conditions. (a) Forest floor and (b) under burial in the study area. (●: Dhangmari; ^: Ghagramari; □: Karamjol).

Table 2. Summary of ANOVA for weight remaining, C%, N%, and C:N ratio in litterfall after 196 d of decomposition, comparing differences between location (Dhangmari, Ghagramari, and Karamjol) and litter bag positions (forest floor and burial condition).

Source of variation	df	Weight remaining			C%			N%			C:N ratio
		Mean square	F ratio	p	Mean square	F ratio	p	Mean square	F ratio	p	Mean square	F ratio	p
Location	2	27.17	0.15	0.86	2.06	0.41	0.67	0.07	1.08	0.36	48.75	0.72	0.50
Litter bag position	1	85.99	0.47	0.50	6.41	1.27	0.27	0.08	1.25	0.28	54.81	0.81	0.38
Location* bag position	2	23.24	0.13	0.88	10.16	2.00	0.16	0.05	0.82	0.45	15.45	0.23	0.80
Error	24	184.3			5.06			0.06			67.61

Figure 3. Carbon and nitrogen content, and C:N ratio of litterfall during 196 days of decomposition. (a) Carbon content at forest floor. (b) Carbon content under burial. (c) Nitrogen content at forest floor. (d) Nitrogen content under burial. (e) C:N ratio at forest floor. f) C:N ratio under burial. (Symbol same as Figure 2).

Figure 4. Accumulation of carbon and nitrogen in the Sundarbans mangrove forests during the study period.