Seasonal and annual dynamics of litterfall

Long-term data of litterfall can indicate overall forest functions in forest ecosystems. We collected monthly (May – October) and annual (1981 – 2018) litterfall including leaves, twigs, bark, reproductive and miscellaneous fractions in a mixed mature Pinus koraiensis forest on Changbai Mountain in Northeast, China, across 30 years. Based on these long-term litterfall data, we analyzed the seasonal and annual variations in different litterfall fractions and their relationships with climatic factors. Climate data were obtained from the meteorological observation field (738 m above sea level) of the Changbai Mountain forest ecosystems research station, Institute of Applied Ecology, Chinese of Academy of Sciences. Both the leaf and total litterfall exhibited a strong, similar seasonal pattern, with the highest levels between September and October, and the annual litterfall had an “S-shaped” increasing pattern from 1981 – 2018. Distinct monthly and yearly fluctuations for the other litterfa...