Litterfall production, carbon and nutrient return to the forest floor in Pinus brutia forests in Turkey

Abstract

ABSTRACT In this study, we aimed at investigating carbon and nutrient concentration in litterfall components and calculating the weighted concentrations. Then, we estimated the annual carbon and nutrient return to the forest floor through litterfall. The study was carried out in even-aged stands of Pinus brutia in Antalya, in the South-Western part of Turkey. The litterfall samples were separated into five components, namely needles, bark, branches, cones, and “miscellaneous” which included flowers, buds, resins, etc. The amount of carbon and nutrients including N, P, K, Ca, Mg, Fe, Zn, Cu, Mn, and Na were determined for each component. Carbon and nutrient concentrations differed significantly among litterfall components. The mean annual carbon returned to the forest floor was found to be 1515.9 (kg ha−1yr−1), which corresponds to 51.62 % in total annual litterfall. The annual amounts of nutrients of N, Ca, K, Mg and P returned to the forest floor were calculated as 149.7, 36.9, 7.2, 6.6, and 2.1 (kg ha−1yr−1), respectively. The weighted C concentration calculated in this study can be used for more accurate national carbon sink reporting. In addition, information on nutrients returned to the forest floor via litterfall could be useful in various forest and watershed management activities.