Litter accumulation and fire risks show direct and indirect climate-dependence at continental scale

Litter decomposition and accumulation are crucial processes influencing soil formation, carbon sequestration, nutrient cycling, and fire risk in temperate forests. This study uses a continental-scale dataset from Australia to investigate the drivers of litter mass variation over 40 years. A parsimonious model incorporating elapsed time, climate indices, and litter quality best explains the variance in litter mass. Climate significantly influences both dominant eucalypt species and litter accumulation, while litter quality shows climate-dependent properties. Elapsed time is the dominant factor (up to 90% variance explained). The findings improve predictions of carbon and nutrient dynamics and fire risk.

Mark A. Adams, Mathias Neumann