Multiple Factors Influence Seasonal and Interannual Litterfall Production in a Tropical Dry Forest in Mexico

Abstract

Litterfall production plays a fundamental role in the dynamics and function of tropical forest ecosystems, as it supplies 70–80% of nutrients entering the soil. This process varies annually and seasonally, depending on multiple environmental factors. However, few studies spanning several years have addressed the combined effect of climate variables, successional age, topography, and vegetation structure in tropical dry forests. In this study, we evaluated monthly, seasonal, and annual litterfall production over a five-year period in semideciduous dry forests of different successional ages growing on contrasting topographic conditions (sloping or flat terrain) in Yucatan, Mexico. Its relationship with climate and vegetation structural variables were also analyzed using multiple linear regression and generalized linear models. Litterfall was measured monthly in 12 litterfall traps of 0.5 m2 in three sampling clusters (sets of four 400 m2 sampling plots) established in forests of five successional age classes, 3–5, 10–17, 18–25, 60–79, and >80 years (in the latter two classes either on slopping or on flat terrain), for a total of 15 sampling clusters and 180 litterfall traps. Litterfall production varied between years (negatively correlated with precipitation), seasons (positively correlated with wind speed and maximum temperature), and months (negatively correlated with relative humidity) and was higher in flat than in sloping sites. Litterfall production also increased with successional age until 18–25 years after abandonment, when it attained values similar to those of mature forests. It was positively correlated with the aboveground biomass of deciduous species but negatively correlated with the basal area of evergreen species. Our results show a rapid recovery of litterfall production with successional age of these forests, which may increase with climate changes such as less precipitation, higher temperatures, and higher incidence of hurricanes.

Disentangling Forest Dynamics for Litter Biomass Production in a Biosphere Reserve in Central India

“…Climatic variables such as temperature and precipitation are essential as they influence the annual litterfall production in forest ecosystems. A negative correlation was observed in the present study between the mean annual precipitation (mm) and mean litterfall (Mg/ha/y) which corroborates with the previous studies (Morffi-Mestre et al, 2020). Few studies in dry forests exhibited a close association between precipitation and litterfall .…”

“…Over the last few decades, there has been a rapid intrigue in the study of litterfall dynamics on various spatial scales (Souza et al, 2019) for numerous functions, i.e., to quantify nutrient dynamics (Zhu et al, 2019), energy security (Manolis et al, 2019), carbon and nutrient input (Feng et al, 2019), its contribution to net primary productivity (Chen et al, 2017), and in forest restoration (Lanuza et al, 2018). Various studies have been conducted on the litterfall dynamics in tropical forests, primarily in moist forests, with relatively few in dry tropical forests (TDFs) (Morffi-Mestre et al, 2020).…”

“…The litterfall in TDFs is strongly correlated with annual, seasonal, and monthly precipitation, temperature, and soil fertility (Morffi-Mestre et al, 2020). Long-term studies have proven to be effective in estimating litter mass production in TDF, which is regulated through cycles of precipitation and temperature (Tang et al, 2010).…”

Biomass and Nutrients in the Forest-Floor Litter of Second-Growth Brazilian Atlantic Forests

“…Although the amount of litter that accumulates on the soil varies greatly throughout the year because of the heterogeneity of species and local characteristics of climate and relief (MORFFI-MESTRE et al, 2020), the average litter values found in this study agree with those reported by Rocha (2006), who obtained annual values of accumulated biomass between 13.6 and 40.3 Mg ha -1 in a Submontane Dense Ombrophilous Forest, and by Caldeira et al (2008), who observed values from 4.5 to 5.3 Mg ha -1 in a forest remnant in the municipality of Blumenau, state of Santa Catarina, Brazil. The significant accumulation in the ML fraction, which represents material under the most advanced stage of fragmentation, but not in the humic form, suggests that total litter decomposition in these sites takes more than a year.…”

“…Litter, which comprises mainly leaves and fragments that fall from trees and are deposited on the forest floor (DICK; SCHUMACHER, 2020), can be separated into fractions, and their analysis can assist in understanding biogeochemical cycling in forests. Characteristics of the litter deposited on the soil vary according to the abiotic and biotic conditions of the forest site, such as climatic factors, soil fertility, floristic composition, and successional stages (MORFFI-MESTRE et al, 2020). In addition, variations in litter accumulation on the ground indicate the local decomposition dynamic, and forest sites with greater litter accumulation tend to be environments where the decomposition process is incomplete (TANNER et al, 1998).…”