Net production of a secondary broadleaf forest on Nagoya University Campus [Japan]

A secondary broadleaf forest on the campus of Nagoya University dominated by Quercus serrata (18 m maximum tree height) was investigated to clarify the dynamics of the forest structure and circulation of organic material. A tree census has been conducted every 2 years since 1992 in a survey plot (560 m2). The plot biomasses were calculated from the allometric relationships; the net production values were estimated at 10.93 and 9.69 t/ha/year in 1992 - 94 and 1994 - 96, respectively, calculated as the total of the biomass increment obtained as the difference between the -amounts of biomass at two consecutive tree censuses (4.06 and 0.74 t/ha/year); the total amount of litter-fall caught by litter-traps and standing dead trees found by the tree census (6.37 and 8.63 t/ha/year) ; and the amount of insect feeding estimated from the amount of insect feces caught by litter-traps (0.50 and 0.27 t/ha/year). The net production values were converted to amounts of carbon and carbon dioxide.