Litterfall data from Climoor fieldsite in Clocaenog Forest

Litterfall was estimated using litterfall traps. Traps measured 7.5 cm diameter and 12 were placed in each plot in 3 different quadrats (D3, E4 and E7). Traps were emptied on a monthly basis from 1999 to 2002. After 2002, litter was not emptied on a monthly basis, and occasionally was left out in the trap for a few months (this was for the same duration for all plots, ie there was always consistency across the treatments). Once collected in, the litterfall was first air dried before removal from the trap. Litter was pooled for each of quadrats (for example, the litter collected from the four pots in each quadrat was pooled, so you would end up with samples from plot 1 quadrat D3, plot 1 quadrat E4 and plot 1 quadrat E7, and so on) prior to oven drying at 75 oC overnight and weighing. Data processing Data was manually typed into and stored in an MASTER Excel file. Mean litterfall per quadrat was calculated for each plot (ie the mean of the weight of litter collected in D3, E4 and E7). Data was then multiplied by 56.6 to convert data into the units g litter m-2.