Long Term Seasonal Variability on Litterfall in Tropical Dry Forests, Western Thailand
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 v...
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MDPI AG
2023-10-01
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| Series: | Forests |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4907/14/10/2107 |
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| author | Dokrak Marod Tohru Nakashizuka Tomoyuki Saitoh Keizo Hirai Sathid Thinkampheang Lamthai Asanok Wongsatorn Phumphuang Noppakun Danrad Sura Pattanakiat |
| author_facet | Dokrak Marod Tohru Nakashizuka Tomoyuki Saitoh Keizo Hirai Sathid Thinkampheang Lamthai Asanok Wongsatorn Phumphuang Noppakun Danrad Sura Pattanakiat |
| author_sort | Dokrak Marod |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | 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. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T21:14:37Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-584767465ff74231bb7f8fd33676920f |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1999-4907 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T21:14:37Z |
| publishDate | 2023-10-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Forests |
| spelling | doaj.art-584767465ff74231bb7f8fd33676920f2023-11-19T16:33:51ZengMDPI AGForests1999-49072023-10-011410210710.3390/f14102107Long Term Seasonal Variability on Litterfall in Tropical Dry Forests, Western ThailandDokrak Marod0Tohru Nakashizuka1Tomoyuki Saitoh2Keizo Hirai3Sathid Thinkampheang4Lamthai Asanok5Wongsatorn Phumphuang6Noppakun Danrad7Sura Pattanakiat8Department of Forest Biology, Faculty of Forestry, Kasetsart University, Bangkok 10900, ThailandForestry and Forest Products Research Institute, Tsukuba 305-8687, JapanTohoku Research Center, Forestry and Forest Products Research Institute, Morioka 020-0123, JapanForestry and Forest Products Research Institute, Tsukuba 305-8687, JapanDepartment of Forest Biology, Faculty of Forestry, Kasetsart University, Bangkok 10900, ThailandDepartment of Agroforestry, Maejo University, Phrae Campus, Phrae 54140, ThailandDepartment of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation, Bangkok 10900, ThailandDepartment of Forest Biology, Faculty of Forestry, Kasetsart University, Bangkok 10900, ThailandFaculty of Environment and Resource Studies, Mahidol University, Nakhonpathom 73170, ThailandNutrient 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.https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4907/14/10/2107long term ecological researchlitterfall seasonalityinterannual variation |
| spellingShingle | Dokrak Marod Tohru Nakashizuka Tomoyuki Saitoh Keizo Hirai Sathid Thinkampheang Lamthai Asanok Wongsatorn Phumphuang Noppakun Danrad Sura Pattanakiat Long Term Seasonal Variability on Litterfall in Tropical Dry Forests, Western Thailand Forests long term ecological research litterfall seasonality interannual variation |
| title | Long Term Seasonal Variability on Litterfall in Tropical Dry Forests, Western Thailand |
| title_full | Long Term Seasonal Variability on Litterfall in Tropical Dry Forests, Western Thailand |
| title_fullStr | Long Term Seasonal Variability on Litterfall in Tropical Dry Forests, Western Thailand |
| title_full_unstemmed | Long Term Seasonal Variability on Litterfall in Tropical Dry Forests, Western Thailand |
| title_short | Long Term Seasonal Variability on Litterfall in Tropical Dry Forests, Western Thailand |
| title_sort | long term seasonal variability on litterfall in tropical dry forests western thailand |
| topic | long term ecological research litterfall seasonality interannual variation |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4907/14/10/2107 |
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