Nutrient Cycling in Corymbia citriodora in the State of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Abstract

The quantification and transfer of nutrient stock among compartments in the forest environment is the key to understanding the nutrient cycling process. The aim of this study was to quantify the nutrient stock and dynamics by litter deposition in a Corymbia citriodora settlement in the Mountainous region of the State of Rio de Janeiro. Different plant parts, deciduous material and litter were chemically analyzed for nutrients. The biomass of trees was 127.23 Mg ha-1, making up about 85.8% of the nutrient stock. On average, the nutrient flux represented 13.6% of nutrients stored in the biomass above the soil. The nutrient cycling process involving N, P, K Ca, and Mg in the long-rotation Corymbia citriodora crop represents an important strategy for maintaining productivity of the forest site.