Chin J Plant Ecol ›› 2024, Vol. 48 ›› Issue (12): 1589-1601.DOI: 10.17521/cjpe.2024.0069  cstr: 32100.14.cjpe.2024.0069

• Research Articles • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Seasonal dynamics of litterfall of a Castanopsis kawakamii evergreen broadleaf forest in mid-subtropical China and their influencing factors

LAN Guang-Fei1,2, ZHANG Qiang1,2, CHEN Xiang-Biao1,2, CHEN Shi-Dong1,2, XIONG De-Cheng1,2, LIU Xiao-Fei1,2, YANG Zhi-Jie1,2,*(), YANG Yu-Sheng1,2   

  1. 1School of Geographical Science, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou 350007, China
    2and Sanming Forest Ecosystem National Observation and Research Station, Sanming, Fujian 365002, China
  • Received:2024-03-11 Accepted:2024-09-28 Online:2024-12-20 Published:2024-12-20
  • Contact: YANG Zhi-Jie
  • Supported by:
    National Natural Science Foundation of China(31930071);National Natural Science Foundation of China(32271727);Natural Science Foundation of Fujian Province(2023I0010);National Science and Technology Basic Resources Survey Program of China(2021FY100702)

Abstract:

Aims Litterfall plays a pivotal role in nutrient cycling in forest ecosystems. The yield and composition of litterfall typically exhibit seasonal variations in subtropical evergreen broadleaf forests, however, the mechanisms underlying the patterns are largely unknown.

Methods Evergreen broadleaf forests were taken as the research object in the Castanopsis kawakamii nature reserve in Sanming, Fujian Province. The litterfall yield and environmental factors were monitored every month during 2018-2022.

Important findings Our results showed that 1) The annual litterfall yield ranged from 4 949.17 to 6 873.45 kg·hm-2·a-1, with leaves accounting for 66.63% of the litterfall. The yield of litterfall components ranked as leaves (66.63%) > miscellany (16.07%) > branches (12.78%) > fruit (4.64%). 2) The seasonal dynamics of total litterfall yield exhibited a trimodal pattern during the year, with the first peak observed from March to May, the second peak observed from July to August, and the third peak found from September to December. Leaf litterfall and fruit litterfall displayed bimodal patterns during the year, with leaf litterfall peaking at April and August, and fruit litterfall peaking at March and December, respectively. The seasonal dynamics of branch litterfall and debris litterfall showed trimodal patterns, with branch litterfall peaking in May, August, and December. Debris litterfall peaked in April, August, and December. 3) Random forest models indicated that the primary environmental factors affecting the seasonal dynamics of litterfall were monthly precipitation, air temperature, and daytime rain duration. The litterfall yield decreased with increasing daytime rain duration and soil moisture during March to May, while it increased with increasing soil moisture and daytime photosynthetically active radiation from July to August. Overall, precipitation and the timing of rainfall events play direct and indirect roles in influencing the litterfall yield and seasonal dynamics in the evergreen broadleaf forests in the mid-subtropical region.

Key words: litterfall, seasonal dynamics, precipitation, subtropical evergreen broadleaf forest, random forest model