Aboveground biomass and organic carbon in soil four stages of forest succession in the Osa Peninsula, Costa Rica.

Abstract

For this study quantified the amount of dry biomass accumulated in litter, dead wood biomass and the amount of soil organic carbon (SOC) in four forest successional stages: 5 to 15 years, 15 to 30 years, over 30 years old and primary forest. A simple random design with sub-sampling, four treatments (successional stage), five repetitions (PPM) and four samples per PPM was established. The accumulated biomass in litter was higher in primary forests with 9,75 t ha-1, followed by forests over 30 years with 7,93 t ha-1, 15-30 years with 5,97 t ha-1 and finally forests 5-15 years with 5,60 t ha-1. The values of biomass in dead wood were of 7,80 t ha-1 in primary forests, 3,26 t ha-1 in forests older than 30 years, 5,84 t ha-1 in 15-30 year forests and 3,42 t ha-1 in 5-15 year forest. The soil organic carbon was higher in forests over 30 years (109,24 tC ha-1), followed by primary forest (92,29 tC ha-1), 15-30-year forest (88,01 tC ha-1); lastly, 5-15-year forest (78,48 tC/ha-1). There were statistical differences (α = 0,05) in biomass of accumulated litter on forest forests 5-15 years. The trends show an increase in the amount of biomass accumulated in litter with increasing successional stage. Dead wood biomass showed no statistical differences in age of the forest (α = 0,05). The soil organic carbon (SOC) showed statistical differences (α = 0,05) in forests of 5-15 years for forests older than 30 years.