Associations between litterfall dynamics and micro-climate in forests of Putuoshan Island, Zhejiang, China

doi:10.17521/cjpe.2016.0157

Abstract

Abstract:

Aims Seasonal litterfall production plays an important role in the carbon and nutrient cycling in forest ecosystems. This study examines the effects of micro-environmental factors on seasonal litterfall dynamics in the forests of Putuoshan Island, Zhejiang Province of eastern China.
Methods The study covers five forest types, including Liquidambar formosana forest, Cinnamomum japonicum and Machilus thunbergii forest, Pinus massoniana forest, Cyclobalanopsis glauca forest, and Distylium gracile forest, in Putuoshan Island. We collected micro-meteorological data, and measured monthly litterfall in stands of the five forest types over one year. Redundancy analysis (RDA) was performed to determine the effects of micro-climatic factors on litterfall production．
Important findings The average annual litterfall production ranged from 3.45 to 5.36 t·hm^-2·a^-1across five types of forests, albeit no effect of forest types on the litterfall production. The partitioning of litterfall components differed among the five forest types. The seasonal litterfall production exhibited two contrasting patterns, i.e. double climax curve and triple peaks, and varied significantly among the five forest types. Moreover, the peak in the litterfall production mostly occurred in the windy months of the year, such as in April, July and December, which was consistent with the dynamics of wind speed. RDA results showed that components of litterfall production in different months were controlled by different micro-climatic factors. The total, leaves, fruits, and miscellaneous litterfall productions were directly and positively affected by air temperature. Twig litterfall production was positively affected by the overstory wind velocity. Flower litterfall production was negatively affected by air humidity. In summary, forest types had no effects on litterfall production. However, variations in litterfall productions were explained by air temperature, air humidity, and overstory wind velocity in the forests studied.

http://jtp.cnki.net/bilingual/detail/html/ZWSB201611005

Key words: Putuoshan Island, litterfall production, litterfall dynamics, redundancy analysis, micro-climate

Yan-Jun SONG, Wen-Bin TIAN, Xiang-Yu LIU, Fang YIN, Jun-Yang CHENG, Dan-Ni ZHU, ARSHAD Ali, En-Rong YAN. Associations between litterfall dynamics and micro-climate in forests of Putuoshan Island, Zhejiang, China[J]. Chin J Plant Ecol, 2016, 40(11): 1154-1163.

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URL: https://www.plant-ecology.com/EN/10.17521/cjpe.2016.0157

https://www.plant-ecology.com/EN/Y2016/V40/I11/1154

Figures/Tables 5

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森林类型 Forest type	年龄 Age (a)	海拔 Altitude (m)	坡度 Slope	坡向 Aspect	群落高度 Community height (m)	盖度 Coverage (%)	优势树种 Dominant tree species
枫香林 Liquidambar formosana forest	50	65	19°	东南 SE	13.5	70	枫香 Liquidambar formosana 麻栎 Quercus acutissima 樟树 Cinnamomum camphora
天竺桂+红楠林 Cinnamomum japonicum+ Machilus thunbergii forest	80	70	15°	西 W	9.5	100	红楠 Machilus thunbergii 天竺桂 Cinnamomum japonicum
马尾松林 Pinus massoniana forest	40	50	14°	东北 NE	13.5	80	马尾松 Pinus massoniana 石栎 Lithocarpus glabra 青冈 Cyclobalanopsis glauca
青冈林 Cyclobalanopsis glauca forest	60	153	15°	东北 NE	8.5	90	青冈 Cyclobalanopsis glauca 石栎 Lithocarpus glaber
台湾蚊母树林 Distylium gracile forest	160	241	8°	东北 NE	9.6	100	台湾蚊母树 Distylium gracile 铁冬青 Ilex rotunda 红楠 Machilus thunbergii 红山茶 Camellia longicaudata

森林类型 Forest type	年龄 Age (a)	海拔 Altitude (m)	坡度 Slope	坡向 Aspect	群落高度 Community height (m)	盖度 Coverage (%)	优势树种 Dominant tree species
枫香林 Liquidambar formosana forest	50	65	19°	东南 SE	13.5	70	枫香 Liquidambar formosana 麻栎 Quercus acutissima 樟树 Cinnamomum camphora
天竺桂+红楠林 Cinnamomum japonicum+ Machilus thunbergii forest	80	70	15°	西 W	9.5	100	红楠 Machilus thunbergii 天竺桂 Cinnamomum japonicum
马尾松林 Pinus massoniana forest	40	50	14°	东北 NE	13.5	80	马尾松 Pinus massoniana 石栎 Lithocarpus glabra 青冈 Cyclobalanopsis glauca
青冈林 Cyclobalanopsis glauca forest	60	153	15°	东北 NE	8.5	90	青冈 Cyclobalanopsis glauca 石栎 Lithocarpus glaber
台湾蚊母树林 Distylium gracile forest	160	241	8°	东北 NE	9.6	100	台湾蚊母树 Distylium gracile 铁冬青 Ilex rotunda 红楠 Machilus thunbergii 红山茶 Camellia longicaudata

群落类型 Community type	组分凋落量及占总凋落量百分比 Component production and percentage over the total
群落类型 Community type	叶 Leaf	枝 Twig	花 Flower	果 Fruit	残体 Miscellaneous
枫香林 Liquidambar formosana forest	2.73 (68.23)	0.35 (8.62)	0.19 (4.83)	0.56 (14.05)	0.17 (4.27)
天竺桂+红楠林 Cinnamomum japonicum + Machilus thunbergii forest	2.96 (77.57)	0.28 (7.38)	0.19 (4.95)	0.18 (4.62)	0.21 (5.47)
马尾松林 Pinus massoniana forest	3.09 (78.50)	0.15 (3.72)	0.17 (4.21)	0.18 (4.49)	0.36 (9.08)
青冈林 Cyclobalanopsis glauca forest	3.22 (82.85)	0.21 (5.48)	0.08 (2.10)	0.08 (2.17)	0.29 (7.40)
台湾蚊母树林 Distylium gracile forest	3.81 (71.08)	0.98 (18.21)	0.06 (1.08)	0.15 (2.78)	0.37 (6.85)

群落类型 Community type	组分凋落量及占总凋落量百分比 Component production and percentage over the total
群落类型 Community type	叶 Leaf	枝 Twig	花 Flower	果 Fruit	残体 Miscellaneous
枫香林 Liquidambar formosana forest	2.73 (68.23)	0.35 (8.62)	0.19 (4.83)	0.56 (14.05)	0.17 (4.27)
天竺桂+红楠林 Cinnamomum japonicum + Machilus thunbergii forest	2.96 (77.57)	0.28 (7.38)	0.19 (4.95)	0.18 (4.62)	0.21 (5.47)
马尾松林 Pinus massoniana forest	3.09 (78.50)	0.15 (3.72)	0.17 (4.21)	0.18 (4.49)	0.36 (9.08)
青冈林 Cyclobalanopsis glauca forest	3.22 (82.85)	0.21 (5.48)	0.08 (2.10)	0.08 (2.17)	0.29 (7.40)
台湾蚊母树林 Distylium gracile forest	3.81 (71.08)	0.98 (18.21)	0.06 (1.08)	0.15 (2.78)	0.37 (6.85)