Litterfall with carbon and nitrogen chemistry for Bisley watersheds 1 and 2, Luquillo Experimental Forest, Puerto Rico, 1989-2017

This data publication contains litterfall mass, litter carbon (C), and nitrogen (N) chemistry from 1989 to 2017 collected from Bisley Experimental Watersheds 1 and 2 within the Luquillo Experimental Forest in northeast Puerto Rico. With few exceptions, litter was collected every two weeks from 60 baskets (0.25 square meters) located approximately 3 meters apart on either side of a roughly 425 meter transect bisecting the watersheds. Litter was divided into leaves, woody material (generally < 2.5 centimeters), fruits and flowers combined, and a miscellaneous class. Ground composite samples, after drying, were analyzed for C and N. Data provided for each litter class include mass (grams per square meter), as an average of the 60 baskets, as well as concentration of carbon and nitrogen (percentages).<br>The purpose of this study was to track changes in litterfall, as an index of ecosystem function, and litterfall C and N chemistry over time in a region experiencing increasing hurricane activity.<br>For more information about this study and these data, see Erickson et al. (in press).