This study was carried out to examine the difference of seasonal change of leaf litter by tree species in a deciduous broad-leaved forest at Sanbe Forest of Shimane University.
1. The annual weight of litter fall were 4.12-7.62 ton/ha/yr, and both the annual weight and seasonal change of litter fall were same tendencies as the usual results of deciduous broad-leaved forest.
2. The weight of leaf litter of Quercus serrata were most in thls plot. The weight of leaf litter of the following five species in all, Quercus serrata, Pinus densiflora, Quercus acutissima, Cornus controversa & C. macrophylla and Styrax Obassia, was about 80% of total leaf litter. The weight of leaf litter of each species was influenced with the composition of tree species, and was related with the rate of basal area at breast height.
3. The pattern of seasonal change of leaf litter was different by tree species, and could be classified the following eight types ; Carpinus Tschonoskii type, Albizzia Julibrissin type, Cornus controversa type, Castanea crenata type, Cornus Kousa type, Quercus serrata type, Pieris japonica type and Ilex pedunculosa type.
4. The period of leaf fall of a certain species differed by the part of slope. The leaves fell down slowly and trees remained to keep leaves for longer time at the site where the water condition fitted for each species.