Fine Litterfall Data at the Hubbard Brook Experimental Forest, 1992 - present

Fine litterfall (leaves, twigs, fruits, seeds, etc.) is collected in Watershed 1, Watershed 5, the Throughfall plots and the Bear Brook Watershed reference forest, located to the west of Watershed 6, to quantify carbon and nutrient flux associated with this important pathway. In addition, measurements of area per leaf are combined with counts of leaves for each tree species to quantify leaf area index of the forest. These measurements have facilitated quantification of ice storm effects and species declines (paper birch, sugar maple). These data were gathered as part of the Hubbard Brook Ecosystem Study (HBES). The HBES is a collaborative effort at the Hubbard Brook Experimental Forest, which is operated and maintained by the USDA Forest Service, Northern Research Station.