Importance of litter dynamics of economically important trees for sustainable land management in dry tropics

Abstract This study elucidates the litter dynamics including decomposition rate both in-situ and ex-situ , the initial acquisition traits (LATs), morphological traits (LMTs) and production rate of leaf litter of four economically important tree species viz. Terminalia arjuna (TA), Tectona grandis (TG), Eucalyptus citriodora (EC) and Psidium guajava (PG) with the major objective of restoration of degraded urban ecosystems in dry tropics. Annual litterfall production rates were observed as: TG > TA > EC > PG. LMTs, that is, specific leaf area followed the trend: TG > TA > PG > EC, whereas leaf mass per area followed the reverse trend. In TA, LATs involving carbon (C), nitrogen (N) and cellulose were highest but C/N and lignin/N ratios were lowest, whereas lignin, polyphenol, C/N and lignin/N ratios were highest in PG. In the leaf litter bag experiment, the decomposition rate followed the trend: TA > TG > EC > PG. In-situ and ex-situ rates of decomposition of all the four leaf litters were found to be similar. LATs especially lignin/N, N and C/N ratios rather than LMTs were found to be a better predictor of the litter decomposition rate. TA plantation having a higher litter decomposition rate, may be recommended for inclusion in the restoration strategies of degraded urban land.