Litter dynamics of evergreen deciduous broad-leaved mixed forests and its influential factors in Shennongjia, China

Long-term late spring coldness significantly reduces annual litter production and standing crop in evergreen deciduous broad-leaved mixed forests, according to a study conducted in Shennongjia, China. The research found that while average annual litter production (5.94 t•hm⁻²) and standing crop (10.46 t•hm⁻²) remained stable from 2009 to 2014, 2015 saw a notable decline due to prolonged cold conditions in late spring. Litter dynamics exhibited double peaks—March to May and October—and were influenced by lagged effects of air temperature and relative humidity, with warmer annual averages increasing litter seasonality. The study analyzed meteorological data from 2009–2015 to quantify these relationships, highlighting climate sensitivity in subtropical forest ecosystems.

Lu, L., Chang-Ming, Z., Wen-Ting, X., Guo-Zhen, S., & Zong-Qiang, X. (2018). Litter dynamics of evergreen deciduous broad-leaved mixed forests and its influential factors in Shennongjia, China. Chinese Journal of Plant Ecology, 42(6), 619–628. https://doi.org/10.17521/cjpe.2018.0052