Abstract

The composition rates of litters were studied at Camellia japonica forests in Koje-Do and Haenam, and at Quercus acuta, Quercus acutissima, Cryptomeria japonica, and Chamaecyparis abtusa forests in Haenam. Total amounts of nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, calcium, and sodium in litter samples were measured and the relation between these amounts and decomposition rate was studied. Annual litter production were rarely different at each forest in Haenam. The amount of accumulated organic matter was about 4 times greater at C. japonica forest in Koje-Do than at the C. japonica forest in Haenam. These amounts were 5, 282.1 $\pm$ 1, 026.03g/m2 in Koje-Do and 1, 420.7 $\pm$ 384.77g/$m^2$ in haenam. The decomposition rate were rarely differnet at each forest in Haenam, but the rates showed great difference at C. japonica foreests in Koje-Do and Haenam. The rates were 0.093 and 0.313 at C. japonica forests in Koje-Do and in Haenam respectively. The sodium contents were 0.472% and 0.229% on L layer and on Css layer of C. japonica forest in Koje-Do, while they were 0.034% and 0.043% on L layer, and on Css layer of C. jpaonica forest in Haenam. It is sugested that much difference in the salt contents in the forest floor was present from the results of sodium content measured at each site, and that the decomposition rate was affected by the much concentration of salt in Koje-Do.

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