Standing biomass and carbon distribution in a papyrus (Cyperus papyrus L.) swamp on Lake Naivasha, Kenya

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dc.contributor.authorMuthuri, F. M.
dc.contributor.authorJones, M. B.
dc.date.accessioned2014-05-27T06:45:39Z
dc.date.available2014-05-27T06:45:39Z
dc.date.issued1997-05
dc.descriptionDOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/S0266467400010555en_US
dc.description.abstractThe standing live biomass of papyrus swamps is high compared with most other communities dominated by herbaceous vegetation. For the first time, measurements of below-ground rhizome and root biomass are reported here, in addition to measurements of shoot biomass, for a papyrus swamp located on Lake Naivasha, Kenya. The ratio of rhizome and root to shoot dry weight was 1.38: 1 and the total standing live biomass was 7.8 kg(dry weight) m−2. Detritus, formed from slowly decomposing papyrus, is normally the most important sink for carbon in this ecosystem. The amount of detritus retained by swamps varies but at L. Naivasha it contained almost 20 times the carbon found in living biomass. The net primary production of the swamp was calculated to be 6.28 kg(dry weight) m−2 y−1, which is amongst the highest recorded productivities for natural ecosystems. Model estimates of carbon input into the system from photosynthesis are incorporated into a carbon flow diagram for the swamp and this emphasises the importance of detritus as a sink for carbon in this ecosystem.en_US
dc.identifier.citationJournal of Tropical Ecology / Volume 13 / Issue 03 / May 1997, pp 347-356en_US
dc.identifier.issn0266-4674
dc.identifier.other1469-7831
dc.identifier.urihttp://ir-library.ku.ac.ke/handle/123456789/9636
dc.language.isoenen_US
dc.publisherCambridge University Pressen_US
dc.subjectbiomassen_US
dc.subjectcarbonen_US
dc.subjectprimary productionen_US
dc.subjectCyperus papyrusen_US
dc.subjecttropical swampsen_US
dc.titleStanding biomass and carbon distribution in a papyrus (Cyperus papyrus L.) swamp on Lake Naivasha, Kenyaen_US
dc.typeArticleen_US
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