GROWTH AND BIOMASS ACCUMULATION OF SOME EARLY SUCCESSIONAL WOODY SPECIES IN AN UPROOTED RUBBER FIELD AT KAMBURUPITIYA

Abstract

A study was conducted on a successional vegetation in an abandoned uprooted rubber fieldat Kamburupitiya in 1999. It involved determination of growth parameters such as height.girth. biomass accumulation and partitioning of dry matter in three most widely occurringearly successional woody species, namely Macarange peltata, Alstonia scliolaris and Tremaoricnralis of varying ages (3. 5 and 7 years). Here three trees of each species were sampledexcept A. scholaris where only 3 and 5 year old trees were sampled for each age class fromeach succeessional stand.

Growth parameters (height, gbh and rate of height and diameter), growth of all three speciesat 3. 5 and 7 years and the partitioning of dry matter to the leaves were compared among thethree tree species and the ages sampled. According to the results obtained A. scholarisshowed the highest absolute and relative stem elongation followed by M. peltata and then Torienta/is. However it recorded the lowest rate of increment in girth. At three years of agemore dry matter is heing partitioned to leaves and as the age progressed this proportion ISsignificantly reduced in all the tree species sampled.

The implications of inter-specific variations in growth attrihutes and accumulation andpartition of dry matter on nutrient conservation and restoration of disturhed agro-ecosystemsare discussed.