Fallen organic materials from the canopy of Prosopis tamarugo Phil. In the Tamarugal Pampa (I Región, Chile)

Abstract

A research was conducted in the Prosopis tamarugo plantations, in the desertic area of the "Salar de Pintados" (I Región, Chile). An annual cycle was recorded, from materials fallen from the tree's canopy.
Significative variations of these materials were found, both in time and among different trees, factors dependent from each other, as shown by the analysis of variance. Analogous variations are described for the water content in the sample materials.
10 different fractions of the fallen materials were analyzed separately, especially those associated with reproduction and photosynthesis; their annual variations are described.