Phytomass and Nutrients in the Understory and Forest Floor of Slash/Longleaf Pine Stands

Estimates are made of the quantity of nutrients and energy in aboveground phytomass for a number of slash/longleaf pine stands with palmetto/gallberry understories. Detailed chemical data are presented for elemental concentrations by species and size of material for the understory and forest floor. A highly significant relationship exists between time since last disturbance (fire) and weight of major elements in the forest floor, understory vegetation, and total material aboveground. No significant correlations exist between time since last disturbance and element weights for palmetto rhizomes, the overstory. or the 0- to 10-cm soil layer. The quantity of N, P, and Mn in the soil exceeded the amounts in the total aboveground phytomass. However, the amounts of K, Ca, Mg, and S in the aboveground phytomass exceeded the amounts in the upper 10-cm layer. Thus the understory and forest floor materials are important nutrient sinks under these circumstances, and have important forest management implications. Forest Sci. 28:359-372.