Relative contributions of biotic and abiotic factors to the spatial variation of litter stock in a mature subtropical forest

AimsDead plant material (i.e. litter) is the major source of soil organic matter and thus plays a fundamental role in regulating soil carbon cycling in global forest ecosystems. The storage of litter is jointly determined by its production from plants and decomposition in a given environment. However, only few studies have explored the relative importance of environmental (i.e. abiotic) and plant (i.e. biotic) factors in driving the spatial variation of litter mass. The objective of this study is to quantify the relative contributions of biotic and abiotic factors in affecting the spatial variation of aboveground litter stock in a mature subtropical forest.