Quantities of plant nutrients in heather ecosystems.
Abstract
Yields of heather herbage ranged from 3238 to 29, 261 kg DM/ha. The latter stand contained 39, 56, 17, 8 and 192 kg/ha of Ca, K, Mg, P and N, respectively. It is estimated that the maximum loss by burning heather on a 10-yr rotation would be about 28, 43, 12, 7 and 119 kg/ha of Ca, K, Mg, P, and N, respectively. Over the same period the input of Ca and Mg in precipitation would be more than adequate and the input of K almost adequate to compensate for these losses. Losses over 10 yr by the sale of livestock grazed on heather areas were extremely low (1, 1 and 2 kg/ha of Ca, P and N, respectively). F. s.-J.G.G.