Nutrient Return by Stemflow, Throughfall and Rainwater in a <I>Eucalyptus</I> Hybrid Plantation

Abstract

Investigations on nutrients reuturn by stemflow, throughfall rainwater under a Eucalyptus hybrid plantation was carried out for a period of one year. Concentration of nutrients in stemflow and throughfall decreases in the order of K, Ca, Mg, N and P while in the case of rainwater the order was Ca K, Mg, N and P. The highest concentration of all nutrients was in stemflow followed by throughfall and rainwater. On a unit area basis the total return of various nutrients amounted to be 185 kg/ha of K, 18.5 kg/ha of Ca, 4.7 kg/ha Mg, 3.9 kg/ha of N and 0 4 kg/ha of P. These data have been compared with nutrients return throutgh litter fall in a Eucalyptus hybrid plantation and the importance of nutrients return by rain in nutrient cycling studies has been discussed.