Litterfall in relation to volume growth of trees: Analysis based on literature

Abstract

For the calculation of carbon balance, estimates of litterfall are needed as a measure of carbon accumulation into soil. Estimation of litterfall should reflect the structural and functional properties of stands that are affected by changes in growing conditions caused, for example, by management activities or climate change. In this context, possibilities taking into account this dynamic relationship between growing conditions and litterfall were analysed by correlating litterfall with growth of trees. As extensive data for modelling this relationship are difficult to obtain, existing literature were analysed to formulate a general model applicable to forestry scenario modelling in practical forest planning under varying conditions. Empirical results from the literature were analysed to ascertain how litterfall is related to the structural and functional properties of tree stands, including the volume growth of stemwood. Further analysis related tree-level growth to litterfall for forest scenario modelling purposes. Data from the literature showed a clear relationship between forest growth and litterfall, and a tree-level linear model was estimated.

Keywords:

• Boreal forests
• litterfall
• volume growth

Acknowledgements

This study is based on collaboration between the Faculty of Forestry, University of Joensuu, and the Joensuu Research Unit, Finnish Forest Research Institute, coordinated by Professors Seppo Kellomäki and Tuula Nuutinen. The work was funded through the Finnish Centre of Excellence Programme (2000–2005), under the Centre of Excellence for Forest Ecology and Management (project no. 64308), and by funding from the Finnish Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry (in project no. 310339 and through Climate Change Adaptation Research Programme ISTO). We are also grateful to Dr Joann von Weissenberg for revising the language of this manuscript and to Editor of the journal and two anonymous reviewers for their constructive criticism and valuable comments on earlier versions of this paper.