Controlling Factors of Litterfall in China′s Forests
The data of the forest litterfall, stand characteristics, annual mean air temperature, annual mean precipitation, latitude, longitude and altitude in different forest sites in China were collected and analyzed for identifying controlling factors of litterfall in China's forests. Litterfall in China's forests were highly significantly correlated with altitude ( r = - 0. 245, P = 0.002), latitude ( r = - 0.214, P = 0.002) , annual mean air temperature (r = 0. 303, P =0.000) and canopy density (r = 0. 350, P = 0.001), but were insignificant correlated with longitude, annual mean precipitation and other stand characteristics. Forest types had a significant impact on litterfall (P =0. 000) , which was in the order of tropical forests > evergreen broad-leaved forest > temperate mixed forest > temperate deciduous broad-leaved forest > warm coniferous forest > boreal forest. Species composition was also a very significant impact factor on litterfall (P =0. 000) which was in the order of conifers < mixed conifers and broad-leaved < hardwood.
litterfallforest typesclimate factorstree species compositionforest agegeographical distribution