3.1. Litterfall
Total litterfall at plantation and forest sites ranged between 419.9 and 547.7 g m2 year1. The Q. serrata leaf litter
contributed 89% of the total leaf litterfall at the forest site.
The contribution of non-leaf portion in total litterfall was 15% at the forest site whereas about 3% at plantation sites.
Leaf litterfall occurred almost throughout the year except inthe months of June and July. However, the litterfall was
markedly seasonal (Fig. 2) and more than two-third litterfall
was recorded in cool and dry period (from December to March) of the year. Among the abiotic variables (from Fig. 1),
monthly changes in minimum air temperature were inversely correlated (r = 0.59 to 0.65, p < 0.05) with the amount of
litterfall.