Litterfall is the linkage between aboveground and belowground, playing an important role in forest ecosystem. Here, we set up 5 litterfall traps in 27 CSPs, which were built up by a factorial gradient of secondary succession that resulted from human exploitation. We collected the litterfall once per month from 2009 to 2014, trying to test for effects of species richness on litterfall production and its relationship change with successional stage.

Around the Gutianshan NRR, deforestation has occurred during different periods in the old days. Most of the stands are secondary forests, evidenced by maximum tree ages of 180 years. Thus, 27 plots called Comparative Study Plots (CSPs) could be established in 2009 with different successional stages. Plots were randomly selected, with a size of 30 x 30 m each. In horizontal projection this corresponded to an average area of 0.074 ha, close to the Chinese areal measure of 1 mu (0.067 ha). Stand ages were defined by the diameter at breast height (dbh) of all trees with > 10 cm dbh and age of the fifth largest tree individual in a plot, based on an allometric regression stem cores taken from 159 trees from 64 different tree species (Bruelheide et al., 2011).In the December of 2008, four litterfall traps were set up in the corners of the centre subplot of each plot, and one in the middle of each plot. A nylon net (1 mm mesh) with a trapping area of 0.75 m × 0.75 m was placed over the PVC frame with a height of 1.5 m.

29°8'18" – 29°17'29" N, 118°2'14" – 118°11'12" E

collect once per month

The litter (2010, 2011) was sorted into Castanopsis eyrei, Schima superb, Pinus massoniana, Cyclobalanopsis glauca, Quercus serrata var. brevipetiolata, Lithocarpus glaber. The remaining material was sorted into three groups: evergreen or deciduous species leaves and non-leaf components.