Litterfall collection
Twenty-five 5 × 5-m plots were established in a monospecific Kandelia obovata stand, whose canopy is completely closed. All individuals in the plots were numbered and counted, and tree height (H) and mean stem diameter at 10% of H (D0.1H) were measured.
Litterfall was measured using litterfall traps. Two litterfall traps with a mouth area of 0.19635 m2 each were placed at 1 m above the soil surface in each of the 25 plots.
The litterfall traps were emptied monthly from April 2005 to March 2010, and the litterfall was sorted into leaves, stipule, flowers/fruits, propagule, and branches. The sorted litterfall was dried to a constant temperature at 80 °C for 48 h and then weighed.