Productividad foliar y radicular en ecosistemas forestales del Noreste de México

primary productivity is a key to understand stocks and fluxes of several biogeochemical elements. the aim of this research project was to measure leaf and branch fall in 75 1 × 1m traps, suspended by ropes with at least three replicates in each of 16 plant communities of northeastern mexico. root production was measured during excavations using metal cylinders where roots were extracted. the results showed a great deal of variation on the measured parameters within and between plant communities. average branch and leaf fall (± confidence intervals α = 0.05) was 3.79 mg ha-1 a-1 (± 1.43), where highest productivity was recorded on sites reforested with cupressus spp (9.25 ± 2.58), tamaulipan thornscrub located in an intermittent wetlands (7.23 ± 2.09) and a pinus pseudostrobus reforestation site (5.27 ± 0.93) and the remaining of the plant communities recorded productivities of less than 4.05 mg ha-1 a-1. there was some evidence that the variation in productivity was associated to total standing biomass. branch and leaf fall followed a seasonal tendency with contrasting tendencies in subtropical and temperate plant communities. finally leaf and branch fall are an important productivity component to be considered in any mass or energy balance of ecosystems of northeastern mexico.