Temporal dynamics and resilience of fine litterfall in relation to typhoon disturbances over 14years in an old-growth lucidophyllous forest in southwestern Japan

We examined fine litterfall fluctuations on a seasonal and annual scale for 14years (1992-2005) in a 1.2-ha plot in an old-growth lucidophyllous (evergreen broad-leaved) forest within the Aya Research Site, southwestern Japan. The average total litterfall input was 6.32Mgha super(-1), of which leaf litter accounted for 60% of the total. Two high-impact typhoons struck the study area in 1993 (T9313) and 2004 (T0416) during the observation period; however, the subsequent pattern of litterfall after disturbance was different between the two typhoons. T9313 disturbance caused a reduction of biomass (ca. 10% of basal area (BA)) and a sharp decrease in litterfall input following a massive input in 1993. On the other hand, T0416 caused a minor decline in litterfall input, accompanied by a relatively small reduction of BA (5.2% of the 2001 BA). In spite of large fluctuations, litterfall input increased year by year after the T9313 disturbance. In 2000, 7years after T9313, leaf input showed no significant differences and recorded more than 90% of pre-T9313 levels. Re-leafing from typhoon survivors may play an important role in the recovery of litterfall input in this forest. This study demonstrated how one high-impact typhoon can alter the temporal fluctuations in fine litterfall in lucidophyllous forest ecosystems.