Litterfall from a mixed red beech ( Nothofagus fusca )‐silver beech ( Nothofagus menziesii ) forest, central North Island, New Zealand

Abstract Litterfall was collected at 3‐month intervals for two years from 24 sites between 680 and 995 m a.s.l. in a mixed red beech ( Nothofagus fusca )‐silver beech ( N. menziesii ) forest in the central North Island, New Zealand. Mean annual litterfall was 4927 kg ha ‐1 yr ‐1 . Stands dominated by silver beech produce similar quantities of litterfall to those dominated by red beech. Mean surface area of annual leaf‐fall for 1 year was 2.8 m 2 m ‐2 . Leaf‐fall showed marked seasonal trends, with a late spring‐early summer peak for red beech and a late summer‐early winter peak for silver beech. Fall of woody material showed no seasonal patterns over the period of the study, but was related to the occurrence of storms.