Fractional composition of tree litterfall and its carbon content in spruce forests in the Vepssky Forest Nature Reserve
https://doi.org/10.21266/2079-4304.2026.257.6-28
Abstract
Tree litterfall plays an important role in the carbon cycle of forest ecosystems. The aim of this work was to evaluate the fractional composition of tree litterfall and carbon in blueberry-sphagnum and blueberry old-growth and secondary spruce forests of the Vepssky Forest Reserve situated in the Leningrad region, Russia. The amount of annual tree litterfall in various forest types varied from 1.44 to 2.62 t ha–1 year–1, averaging 2.10 t ha–1 year–1. Needles and leaves represented the greatest part of tree litterfall – 52% in the old-growth forests and 70% in the secondary forests, respectively. The litterfall in the old-growth forests had three times greater content of generative organs (16%) compared to the secondary forests (6%). The carbon content in the main part of the tree litterfall (62% of the mass of the litter) varied from 47.5 to 49.5%. The smallest part – 27% of the tree litter mass – contained 50.1-51.5% of carbon. The carbon content in needles and leaves increased in the raw “aspen leaves (47.5%) – spruce needles (48.3%) – birch leaves (49.1%) – pine needles (51.4%)”. The amount of carbon entering to the forest floor with tree litter in the old-growth forests was 0.69 and 1.02 tC ha–1 year–1; in secondary forests – 1.10 and 1.30 tC ha–1 year–1, respectively.
About the Authors
S. V. Tikhonov
St.Petersburg State Forest Technical University
Russian Federation
Russian Federation
Tikhonov Sergey V. – PhD (Agriculture), Associate Professor, Department of General Ecology, Physiology and Anatomy of Plants
194021. Institute per. 5. St. Petersburg
V. V. Gorshkov
Komarov Botanical Institute of the RAS
Russian Federation
Russian Federation
Gorshkov Vadim V. – Dsc (Biological), Head of the Laboratory of Ecology of Plant Communities
Scopus AuthorID: 7101756663
194027. Professora Popova str. 2. St. Petersburg
E. A. Kapitsa
St.Petersburg State Forest Technical University
Russian Federation
Russian Federation
Kapitsa Ekaterina A. – PhD (Biological), Head of the Department of General Ecology, Physiology and Anatomy of Plants
Scopus AuthorID: 24068906200
194021, Institute per. 5. St. Petersburg
194021. Institute per. 5. St. Petersburg
Yu. V. Khomyakov
Agrophysical Research Institute
Russian Federation
Russian Federation
Khomyakov Yuriy V. – PhD (Biological), Senior Researcher
Scopus AuthorID: 57189868909
195220. Grazhdansky av. 14. St. Petersburg
V. E. Vertebny
Agrophysical Research Institute
Russian Federation
Russian Federation
Vertebny Vitaliy E. – Senior Researcher
Scopus AuthorID: 57201392859
195220. Grazhdansky av. 14. St. Petersburg
E. V. Shorokhova
St.Petersburg State Forest Technical University
Russian Federation
Russian Federation
Shorokhova Ekaterina V. – DSc (Biological), Professor, Department of General Ecology, Physiology and Anatomy of Plants
WoS Researcher ID: T-6181-2017. Scopus AuthorID: 21234507300
194021. Institute per. 5. St. Petersburg
194021. Institute per. 5. St. Petersburg
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Review
For citations:
Tikhonov S.V., Gorshkov V.V., Kapitsa E.A., Khomyakov Yu.V., Vertebny V.E., Shorokhova E.V. Fractional composition of tree litterfall and its carbon content in spruce forests in the Vepssky Forest Nature Reserve. Izvestia Sankt-Peterburgskoj lesotehniceskoj akademii. 2026;1(257):6-28. (In Russ.) https://doi.org/10.21266/2079-4304.2026.257.6-28
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