Monthly Variation in Plant Biomass and Net Primary Productivity of a Mixed Deciduous Forest at Foothills of Kumaun Himalaya

Variation in plant biomass and net primary productivity of a forest grazing land vegetation was analyzed in Tarai of Kumaun Himalaya near Kashipur. The vegetation was studied at monthly intervals from April 2007 to April 2008. Aboveground green biomass, dead biomass, litter biomass and belowground biomass were recorded as 216.93±42.42 g m-2, 15.30±8.65 g m-2, 5.52±2.31 g m-2 and 132.91±41.70 g m-2 respectively. Average total plant biomass was 365.15±70.23 g m-2. The aboveground, belowground and litter production were 372.33 g m-2, 339.70 g m-2 and 13.91 g m-2 respectively. Total net primary production was 712.03±23.07 g m-2. The turnover rates were 1.17, 1.20 and 1.47 for aboveground, litter and belowground parts respectively. Based on system transfer function, the net surplus of organic material as the rate of disappearance was moderately half than the rate of dry matter accumulation.