Accumulated organic matter, litterfall production, and decomposition tell us the status of litter dynamics in forests

Abstract

Litterfall dynamics in forests are assessed by estimating biomass production and decomposition. However, there have been few studies on how litter dynamics impact the health and management of ecosystems. Here, a new approach to measure and assess ecosystem function is presented based on conventional methods using littertraps, litterbags, and the mass on the forest floor. To assess the status of litter dynamics, the decay rate (k) was estimated from a litterbag experiment, and removal rates (ki) were determined from mass balance on the forest floor at 21 sites on three mountains in South Korea. The k3 (organic mass ratio of Oi and Oe + Oa + A horizons in November) values in an equilibrium state in South Korea were within the range of k ± 0.174 when considering the annual variation of litterfall production. This study also suggests that sampling sites for these types of studies should be in the middle, not at the ends, of steady slopes on the forest floor.