Biotic Regulation of Particulate and Solution Losses from a Forest Ecosystem

Abstract

F. H. Bormann, G. E. Likens, and J. S. Eaton Particulate matter losses from a 13 ha forested watershed in central New Hampshire average 2.5 metric tons/km²/yr, while dissolved substance losses are 14 tons/km²/yr. These figures are substantially below others reported for the region. Particulate matter losses show a seasonal pattern with greatest losses in the spring. Quantitative estimates of the export of individual elements as dissolved substance, inorganic particulate, and organic particulate matter are presented. It is proposed that debris avalanches are a more important denudational force in the higher elevations of the White Mountains than are solution and slower mass movements. Our data indicate that ecological succession following destruction of forest ecosystems results in significant “nutrient conservation.”