Monthly Changes in Plant Biomass, Net Primary Productivity and Transfer Dynamics of a Tropical Grazing Land Ecosystem in Southern India

Monthly changes in plant biomass, net primary productivity and transfer dynamics of tropical grazing land of western Ghats region, southern India, are presented. The annual above- ground net production was 9.03 g/m2/day and the below-ground net production was 2.56 g/m2/day. Total annual net primary production was estimated at 4232 g/m2/day. Of the total input of 11.59 g/m2/day into the system, about 77.9% was channelled to above-ground and 22.1% to below­ground, The rate of litter disappearance was 0.55 g/m2/day and l.14 g/ m2/day for below-ground disappearance. The total output was 1.69 g/ m2/day which was 14.6% of the total input. Thus, the grazing land showed a net accumulation of surplus organic matter, indicating the semi nature of this grazing land. The trends of biomass pattern and transfer dynamics in the above grazing land is discussed.