Quantifying fine root (≤ 2.0 mm in diameter) distribution and tover is essential for accurately estimat-ing forest carbon budgets. However, fi ne root dynamics are poorly understood, possibly because of their inaccessibil-ity. This study quantifi es fi ne root distribution and tover rates for fi ve representative Chinese temperate forests types. Fine root number, diameter, biomass, necromass, produc-tion, mortality, and tover rates were measured using a minirhizotron over a 12-month period. More than 90％ of the fi ne roots were < 0.5 mm in diameter, with thin fi ne roots at shallow layers, and thicker ones in deeper soil layers. The fi ne root dynamics were signifi cantly diff erent among the forest types. Coniferous plantations had fewer fi ne roots, less biomass, necromass, production and mortality but greater average diameters than fi ne roots of broadleaved forests. All traits, except for diameter, decreased along the soil profi le. Fine root numbers and production exhibited a unimodal seasonal patt with peaks occurring in summer, whereas biomass, necromass and mortality progressively increased over the growing season. The tover rates of roots < 0.5 mm varied from 0.4 to 1.0 a ?1 for the fi ve forest types, 0.5–1.0 a ?1 for the soil layers and 0.2–1.1 a ?1 for the seasons, with the largest tover rate at the 0–10 cm depth in summer. The patts of fi ne root numbers, biomass, necromass, production, mortality, and tover rates varied with forest types, soil depths, growing season and diameter classes. This study highlights the importance of forest types and diameters in quantifying fi ne root tover rates.