ARUN K. AGRAWAL

Department of Botany, Government Post Graduate College, Kotdwara (Garhwal) 246 149, India.

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to ascertain the nutrient levels in the pasture components, and to estimate annual uptake, release and retention of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium in a temperate grassland community of Western Himalaya (Garhwal) from June 1983 to June 1984. The surface soil (30 cm) contains larger quantities of nutrients than were held by the plant biomass. The quantity of, N P and K taken up annually by plants was about 19.8, 3.7 and 28.8 kg/ha, respectively. Of this, about 10.2, 1.5 and 6.3 kg/ha respectively are released and about 9.6, 2.2 and 22.5 kg/ha are retained in the vegetative compartments.