Abstract:Study on the dynamics of nutrient elements returned to the forest floor from litterfall in a subtropical rain forest of Hexi in Fujian Province showed that the contents of elements in various fractions of litterfall fluctuated within a year, and the weighted'average contents of elements were in the order N>K>Ca>Mg>P(Ca=Mg for fruit, Ca>K for branch). The annual flows of N, P, K, Ca, Mg and ash from litterfall were 87.41, 3.82,40.80,28.81, 15.32 and 284.57kg hm-2, respectively. The pool amounts of N, P, K, Ca and Mg in residues on the floor were 54.83, 2.45, 9.69, 17.0 and 9.25kg hm-2, respectively. The residence time of the five elements on the floor was 0.61, 0.61, 0.23, 0.56 and 0.53 year, respectively.