K. SENTHILKUMAR¹, S. MANIAN¹, K. UDAIYAN¹ and S. PAULSAMY²

¹Department of Botany, Bharathiar University, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, India
²Kongunadu Arts and Science College, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, India

Abstract

Aspects related to community metabolism such as biomass production, turnover rate and time, and disappearance of the above-ground, below-ground and litter components were compared in burned and unburned sites. System-transfer studies of above-ground and below-ground components are also documented. The net primary production of the Kundah grasslands was very high (range 5294–6962 g/m²/yr). The biomass of the community in different compartments, viz. grasses, legumes and "other species", varied considerably over the period of observation. Burning decreased total above-ground biomass in the early stages, but significantly improved biomass values in later stages. At the unburned site, however, the above-ground biomass remained more-or-less static. The below-ground biomass, unlike its above-ground counterpart, was not significantly altered by fire. Litter biomass steadily increased after a burn but remained static in the unburned site. Turnover rate increased in the burned site and turnover time was reduced.