Litterfall and turnover rates of stone pine and maritime pine afforestations in Durusu coastal dune (Istanbul-Türkiye)
Biologia Futura, cilt.78, ss.1-15, 2026 (SCI-Expanded, Scopus)
- Yayın Türü: Makale / Tam Makale
- Cilt numarası: 78
- Basım Tarihi: 2026
- Doi Numarası: 10.1007/s42977-026-00320-7
- Dergi Adı: Biologia Futura
- Derginin Tarandığı İndeksler: Scopus, Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED)
- Sayfa Sayıları: ss.1-15
- İstanbul Üniversitesi-Cerrahpaşa Adresli: Evet
Özet
The aims of this study were determining monthly and annual litterfall mass, turnover rates, and the relationship between the litterfall of some tree components (needles, branches, bark, and miscellaneous) and various stand parameters in afforested coastal sand dunes; nutrient- and water-poor ecosystems, having scarce research. The study was conducted on Stone pine (Pinus pinea L.) and Maritime pine (Pinus pinaster Aiton) afforestation in a coastal sand dune on the Black Sea coast of Istanbul. The total annual litterfall was calculated as 4332 kg/ha/year for P. pinea and 4275 kg/ha/year for P. pinaster. Among the total annual litterfall, the needle litterfall accounted for 81% in P. pinea and 85% in P. pinaster. Both needle and total litterfall peaks occurred in August, mainly during summer, due to drought conditions from April to September. Biomass-based turnover rates were calculated for needles, branches, and bark. The needle turnover rate was 0.5208 in P. pinea and 0.4258 in P. pinaster, with higher rates observed in smaller diameter classes. Relationships between litterfall mass, turnover rates, and various stand parameters were examined as well. The stand parameters (except tree count per hectare) and tree components showed significant positive correlations with litterfall and turnover rates, excluding needles. In conclusion, monthly litterfall measurements are important for determining the effects of drought and other environmental factors, managing thin fuel loads in forests under changing climate conditions, and monitoring forest ecosystem dynamics. Turnover rates varied depending on species and stand characteristics, and further research is needed in this area.