Long Term Seasonal Variability on Litterfall in Tropical Dry Forests, Western Thailand
Issued Date
2023-10-01
Resource Type
eISSN
19994907
Scopus ID
2-s2.0-85175046813
Journal Title
Forests
Volume
14
Issue
10
Rights Holder(s)
SCOPUS
Bibliographic Citation
Forests Vol.14 No.10 (2023)
Suggested Citation
Marod D., Nakashizuka T., Saitoh T., Hirai K., Thinkampheang S., Asanok L., Phumphuang W., Danrad N., Pattanakiat S. Long Term Seasonal Variability on Litterfall in Tropical Dry Forests, Western Thailand. Forests Vol.14 No.10 (2023). doi:10.3390/f14102107 Retrieved from: https://repository.li.mahidol.ac.th/handle/20.500.14594/90929
Title
Long Term Seasonal Variability on Litterfall in Tropical Dry Forests, Western Thailand
Other Contributor(s)
Abstract
Nutrient recycling is one of the most important services that supports other processes in ecosystems. Changing litterfall patterns induced by climate change can cause imbalances in nutrient availability. In this study, we reported the long-term (28-year) interplay between environmental factors and variability among litterfall fractions (leaves, flowers, and fruit) in a tropical dry forest located in Kanchanaburi, Thailand. A long-term litter trap dataset was collected and analyzed by lagged generalized additive models. Strong seasonality was observed among the litter fractions. The greatest leaf and flower litterfall accumulated mostly during the cool, dry season, while fruit litterfall occurred mostly during the rainy season. For leaf litter, significant deviations in maximum temperature (Tmax), volumetric soil moisture content (SM), and evapotranspiration (ET) during the months prior to the current litterfall month were the most plausible factors affecting leaf litter production. Vapor pressure deficit (VPD) and ET were isolated as the most significant factors affecting flower litterfall. Interestingly, light, mean temperature (Tmean), and the southern oscillation index (SOI) were the most significant factors affecting fruit litterfall, and wetter years proved to be highly correlated with elevated fruit litterfall. Such environmental variability affects both the triggering of litterfall and its quantity. Shifting environmental conditions can therefore alter nutrient recycling rates through the changing characteristics and quantity of litter.