Litter production, nutrient return and leaf-litter decomposition in natural and monoculture plantation forests of Castanopsis kawakamii in subtropical China
Abstract:The amount and pattern of litterfall, its nutrient (N, P, K, Ca and Mg) returns, and leaf-litter decomposition associated with its quality were studied in a natural forest of Castanopsis kawakamii (NF) and adjacent monoculture plantations of C. kawakamii (CK) and Chinese fir (Cunninghamia lanceolata, CF) in Sanming, Fujian, China. Mean annual total litterfall over 3 years of observations (from 1999 to 2001) was 11.01 t·hm -2 in the NF, 9.54 t·hm -2 in the CK and 5.47 t·hm -2 in the CF respectively....