Open AccessWood decomposition in an abandoned beech and oak coppiced woodland in SE England
Author(s) -
Boddy Lynne,
Swift M. J.
Publication year - 1983
Publication title -
ecography
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.973
H-Index - 128
eISSN - 1600-0587
pISSN - 0906-7590
DOI - 10.1111/j.1600-0587.1983.tb01096.x
Subject(s) - beech , coppicing , twig , fagus sylvatica , quercus petraea , canopy , woodland , fagaceae , bark (sound) , fagus orientalis , botany , high forest , forestry , quercus robur , snag , environmental science , ecology , woody plant , geography , biology , habitat
Stand structure and rates and patterns of wood litterfall, between 23 June 1977 and 27 June 1979, are described for two sites In a coppiced beech Fagus sylvatica L. and oak Quercus petraea (Mattuschka) Liebl. woodland in south‐east England. Total wood fall (excluding trunks) was estimated at 1264 kg ha −1 and 593 kg ha −1 for the two years of sampling at one site and 776 kg ha −1 during the second year on the other site. The majority of leaf fall occurred in autumn; the maximum twig (wood < 1 cm diameter) and branch (wood ≥ 1 cm diameter) fall, occurred in winter at times generally corresponding with high wind speeds. Many oak twigs, however, abscissed in early November irrespective of wind speed. Branch characteristics at fall (size, state of decay and bark cover) were documented. The most significant feature observed was that a large amount of decay frequently occurred in branches whilst still in the canopy.