Dynamics of Organic Carbon and Nutrients in Litterfall of Quercus mongolica Forest in Mt. Songnisan National Park

The amounts of organic carbon and several nutrients in litterfall on the forest floor of Quercus mongolica forest were assessed for two years from 1998 through 2000 in Mt. Songnisan National Park in Korea. The amounts of organic carbon (C) in litterfall were the highest in autumn with the values of $150.4g/m^2$ (62.6%) in 1998 and $219.2g/m^2$ (61.0%) in 1999. In winter, organic C was the lowest with the values of $16.3g/m^2$ (6.8%) in 1998 and $12.5g/m^2$ (6.7%) in 1999. It was estimated that the organic C added to forest floor via litterfall was 240.1 $g{\cdot}m^{-2}yr^{-1}$ and 186.6 $g{\cdot}m^{-2}yr^{-1}$ 1998 and 1999, respectively. The amounts of nitrogen (N) in litterfall were the highest in autumn with the values of 5.9 $g/m^2$ (58.0%) in 1998 and 5.2 $g/m^2$ (62.3%) in 1999. The amount of phosphorus (P) in litterfall showed its peak in autumn with 0.19 $g/m^2$ (52.9%) in 1998 and 0.11 $g/m^2$ (52.6%) in 1999. The amount of P returned to forest floor via litterfall was 0.35 $g{\cdot}m^{-2}yr^{-1}$ in 1998 and 0.22 $g{\cdot}m^{-2}yr^{-1}$ in 1999. The amount of potassium (K) in litterfall showed its peak in autumn with 0.57 $g/m^{2}$ (53.8%) in 1998 and 0.42 $g/m^2$ (55.3%) in 1999. The amounts of K returned to forest floor via litterfall was 1.11 $g{\cdot}m^{-2}yr^{-1}$ in 1998 and 0.81 $g{\cdot}m^{-2}yr^{-1}$ in 1999.