Above ground biomass and nutrient storage in the secondary Guandaushi subtropic forest ecosystem, central Taiwan

The vertical distribution of biomass, leaf area index (LAI), nutrient storage and total aboveground biomass were measured using stratified harvest method at a secondary hardwood in the Guandaushi Long Term Ecological Research site, central Taiwan. The results showed that overstory biomass was 311.70 Mg ha-1, understory was 23.03 Mg ha-1, dead branch was 3.39 Mg ha-1, and LAI was 9.52. The major distribution of biomass in overstory was concentrated below 13.3 m in height, in understory was below 7.3 m; and the major distribution of LAI in overstory was concentrated from 5.3 m to 15.3 m, in understory was below 7.3 m. Nutrient content of C, N, P, K, Ca, and Mg in aboveground biomass was 169,030.71 kg ha(-1), 2,799.77 kg ha(-1), 52.24 kg ha(-1), 715.70 kg ha(-1), 918.72 kg ha(-1), and 216.41 kg ha(-1), respectively. Most nutrients in understory were concentrated below 3.3 m, but in overstory were distributed evenly in each layer below 13.3 m. We also found the N content in our research site was quite high after comparing with the FuShan experimental forest in north Taiwan.