LITTER YIELD IN SHRUBS OF LARREA IN THE ANDEAN PIEDMONT OF MENDOZA, ARGENTINA

The production of litter was measured for the piedmont communities of Larrea divaricata ssp. dicaricata (1500 m asl) and L. cuneifolia (1130 m asl) near Mendoza, Argentina. Litter was collected in traps randomly distributed in each stand: herbaceous, shrubby and uncovered soil. The monthly average weight of litter was recorded in each stand during one year and discontineously during other two years more. The material was classified as: leaves and fruits of Larrea sp., fruits of Stipa sp. (by its relative abundance), gramineous and non gramineous material. The litter and the soil in each sample were bromatologically analyzed and the N, Ca and P levels also determined. The annual contribution of nutrients was calculated totally and layer by layer. The L. cuneifolia and the L. divaricata thickets produce 4,71 t.ha-1 year-2 and 2,02 t.ha-1.year-2 of litter respectively, that mean 78,66 kg/ha of N, 4,24 kg/ha of P and 94,2 kg/ha of Ca in the first thicket and 31,14 kg/ha of N, 1,82 kg/ha of P and 34,17 kg/ha of Ca in the second one; in one year of study.