Table 6.
The average forest floor biomass (t ha–1, across seasons) and turnover of litter (rate and time) in Shisham forests of different ages in central Himalaya
| Age of Shisham forests (years) | |||
| Components | 5 | 10 | 15 |
| Forest floor litter (t ha–1) | 4·8 ± 2·69 | 5·6 ± 3·01 | 6·6 ± 3·37 |
| % Allocation in fresh leaf litter | 8·9 | 9·3 | 9·8 |
| Partially and more decomposed litter | 22·9 | 27·8 | 30·0 |
| Wood litter | 6·5 | 12·5 | 18·8 |
| Miscellaneous litter* | 24·6 | 21·1 | 19·1 |
| Herbaceous litter† | 37·0 | 29·2 | 22·3 |
| Turnover rate (kg year–1) | 0·81 | 0·78 | 0·77 |
| Turnover time (t, year) | 1·23 | 1·28 | 1·29 |
* Includes reproductive parts of trees and litter parts of shrubs. † Includes living and dead herbaceous material, which accounted for 3·8–6·4 % of the values.