Carbon and Nutrient Inputs by Litterfall in Evergreen and Deciduous Forests in Korea

Knowledge about carbon and nutrient fluxes by litterfall is important for understanding nutrient cycling in geologically unique ecosystems. However, the determination of forest litterfall production patterns is difficult due to many biophysical factors influencing the process. In this study, we (1) quantified the litterfall production and carbon and nutrient fluxes in warm-temperate evergreen forest stands in Jeju Gotjawal and (2) compared these values to those of a typical cool-temperate deciduous forest stand by forest types and climate differences. Litterfall from evergreen broadleaved forests at Cheongsu (CS) and Seonheul (SHb), a mixed forest at Seonheul (SHm) in Jeju Gotjawal, and a deciduous broadleaved forest at Chungnam National University Forest (CNU) was collected for a full two years using litter traps. Samples were sorted into leaves, twigs, barks, seeds, and unidentified materials, and then weighed and measured for C, N, P, K, Ca, and Mg fluxes by litterfall. Results showed that the mean annual litterfall (846.3 g m−2, average of CS, SHb, and SHm) at Jeju Gotjawal was similar to that of CNU (885.5 g m−2), but varied by site in Jeju Gotjawal: CS (933.1 g m−2) was significantly higher than the average of SHb and SHm (802.9 g m−2). Seasonal patterns of litterfall production differed by forest types; evergreen broadleaved forests showed a bimodal peak in fall and spring while deciduous broadleaved forests showed a unimodal peak in fall. Jeju Gotjawal had significantly higher total macronutrient concentrations and contents (except for K) than CNU and they also varied by site in Jeju Gotjawal: CS had higher N, P, Ca, and Mg contents than SHb and SHm. We conclude that litterfall production and nutrient fluxes differed by forest stand as influenced by forest types and climate. Further, our findings are important for understanding carbon and nutrient dynamics in the geologically unique ecosystem of Jeju Gotjawal and other areas with similar characteristics.