Diversity of tropical forest landscape types in Hainan Island, China

A novel landscape classification system was proposed in this study based on landscape ecological theory and the differentiation in climate, topography, soil, vegetation and land use mode. Five basic units (zone, tract, province, region and type) and two assistant units (sub and group) were used in this system. The tropical forest landscape in Hainan Island was regarded as a landscape province, belonging to global tropical forest landscape zone, Asiatic (oriental) tropical forest landscape tract and Chinese tropical forest landscape subtract. Based on the grade system of region, sub-region, type-group and type, this landscape province (Hainan Island) is divided into 6 landscape regions (east moist forest landscape, west semi-arid forest landscape, central-south mountainous forest landscape, tropical evergreen needle-leaved forest landscape, tropical bamboo landscape and tropical plantation landscape), 11 tropical forest landscape sub-regions represented by tropical lowland valley rain forest landscape, 26 tropical forest landscape-type groups represented by tropical lowland valley Dipterocarpaceae forest landscape, and 54 forest landscape types (FLT) represented by lowland valley Vatica mangachapoi forest. Generally, this classification system represents the landscape diversity of the tropical forest in Hainan Island. Further studies are needed to better understand the landscape diversity of Hainan Island.     

海南岛热带森林景观类型多样性

依据景观生态学原理,按地貌、气候、土壤、植被和土地利用方式的分异,以带、域、省、区、类型为5个基本单位及亚、组等为辅助单位,组建海南岛热带森林景观类型分类体系。把海南岛热带森林景观作为省级单位,它隶属于全球热带林景观带、亚洲（东方）热带林景观域、中国热带林景观亚域,其下划分为东部潮湿森林景观、西部半干旱森林景观、中南部山地森林景观、热带常绿针叶林景观、热带竹林景观和热带人工林景观6个森林景观区;以热带低地沟谷热带雨林为代表的11个森林景观亚区;以热带低地沟谷龙脑香森林景观为代表的26个森林景观类型组;以热带低地沟谷青皮林为代表的54个森林景观类型。海南岛热带森林景观类型分类体系较全面地表达了海南岛热带森林景观类型多样性。     

海南岛热带森林植被的类群及其特征

对海南岛热带森林植被的历史变迁进行了回顾。讨论了海南岛热带森林植被类型的分类单位与等级 ,提出了海南岛热带森林的植被分类系统 ,海南岛热带森林植被可分为 2个植被型组 ,7个植被型 ,4个植被亚型 ,35个群系 ,2 1个亚群系 ,1 0 9个群丛组或群丛 ;并对代表类群进行了描述     

西双版纳热带雨林与海南热带雨林的比较研究

西双版纳的热带雨林与海南低地热带雨林和热带季雨林有基本一致的植物区系组成,群落中优势科无论在种数百分比还是重要值排名上均较接近,显然属于同样性质的植物区系。在生态特征上,西双版纳热带雨林群落高大,分层不明显,B层为林冠层,散生巨树常见,在生活型谱上以高位芽植物占绝对优势,大、中高位芽植物相对较多,落叶树种比例小;以中叶、纸质,全缘和复叶比例较高为特征,具有最接近海南低地湿润雨林的群落垂直结构和生态外貌,其雨林特点虽不如湿润雨林浓厚,但明显强于海南的热带常绿季雨林和山地雨林,海南常绿季雨林群落高度明显较矮,小叶比例通常较高,革质叶比例亦较高,群落具遥明显的旱生特点,海南的山地雨林群落高度较矮,A层连续,成为林冠,无散生巨树,分层明显,在生活型谱上大高位芽植物比例减少,附生植物丰富,并具有相当比例的地面芽植物;叶级虽以中叶占优势,但通常革质,非全缘和单叶比例较高,明显由于热量不足的影响而带有亚热带森林特色,在物种多样性上,西双版纳热带雨林的乔木物种多样性指数似乎与海南的低地热带雨林相当,低于海南的山地雨林群落,海南的热带雨林群落种类丰富度不同人研究的结果差异较大,如果这些用于比较的数据可靠和具有可比性的话,西双版纳热带雨林的物种多样性要比海南的山地雨林低。     

海南岛霸王岭两种典型热带季雨林群落特征

热带季雨林为海南岛的隐域性植被类型,分布在与热带低地雨林相似的海拔范围但生境条件较差的局部地段,在旱季其大部分的乔木种类和个体都会落叶.海南岛霸王岭林区分布着海南岛最为典型且大都保存较为完好的热带季雨林原始林,按照其优势树种可划分为海南榄仁(Terminalia hainanensis)季雨林和枫香(Liquidambar formosana)季雨林两种群落类型.通过对霸王岭林区两种典型的热带季雨林老龄林群落的样地调查,比较分析了其物种组成、大小结构、多样性、季相变化等特征.结果表明:海南岛热带季雨林群落中物种优势度明显,具有明显的标志种--海南榄仁和枫香.海南榄仁群落具有较高的灌木物种丰富度、个体多度及较低的乔木物种丰富度、个体多度和多样性;海南榄仁群落在小径级和低高度级中具有较高的植物个体多度,同时在低高度级中具有较低的物种丰富度,但其它径级和高度级两个群落物种丰富度及个体多度差异均不显著;除灌木落叶物种丰富度海南榄仁群落显著高于枫香群落外,其余各生长型落叶物种丰富度及个体多度两个群落之间均无显著差异;在具刺木质藤本物种丰富度和个体多度上海南榄仁群落与枫香群落差异不显著,但乔木、灌木和木本植物具刺物种丰富度及个体多度海南榄仁群落均显著高于枫香群落.总体来看,海南榄仁群落比枫香群落的季雨林特征明显,是海南岛最为典型的季雨林群落类型.     

海南石梅湾青皮林最小取样面积与物种多样性研究

石梅湾海岸青皮(Vatica hainanensis)林是海南独特的雨林群落之一。本文选用8种“种-面积渐近线”对该群落的最小取样面积进行了拟合研究。结果表明,其中5条曲线的R^2大于0．97,拟合状况很好,但所得出的最小取样面积各不相同。进一步经过“重要值-面积曲线”的群落特征分析,确认群落的最小取样面积只有800m^2。石梅湾青皮林最小取样面积比海南其他类型雨林、滇南热带雨林、东南亚热带雨林以及非洲雨林都要小。通过对1000m^2样地的物种多样性分析,结果表明：在垂直结构上,石梅湾青皮林B层乔木的Gleason指数大于A层乔木,和海南山地雨林的情况不同。海岸青皮林为物种多样性不高的单优林,群落的物种多样性、均匀度远小于海南其他类型的山地雨林与混合青皮林;在海岸青皮林群落内,青皮的相对密度、相对优势度、重要值大大高于其他物种。此研究表明：海南热带雨林同样存在物种多样性不高、单优特征显著的顶极群落;海南海岸青皮林是迄今为止热带雨林取样面积最小的森林类型。     

Effects of Logging on the Diversity of Lianas in a Lowland Tropical Rain Forest in Hainan Island, South China

Lianas are an integral part of tropical forest ecosystems, which usually respond strongly to severe disturbances, such as logging. To compare the effect of different logging systems on the lianas diversity in tropical rain forest, we recorded all lianas and trees ≥1 cm dbh in two 40-year-old forest sites after clear cutting (CC) and selective cutting (SC) as well as in an old-growth (OG) lowland tropical rain forest on Hainan Island in south China. Results showed that OG contained fewer liana stems and lower species richness (stems: 261, richness: 42 in 1 ha) than CC (606, 52) and SC (727, 50). However, OG had the highest Fisher's α diversity index (17.3) and species richness per stem (0.184). Species composition and dbh class distribution of lianas varied significantly with different logging systems. The mean liana dbh in OG (22.1 cm) were higher than those in CC (7.0 cm) and SC (10.4 cm). Stem twining was the most frequent climbing mechanism represented in the forest, as shown by the greatest species richness, abundance, basal area, and host tree number with this mechanism. The percent of host tree stems ≥4 cm dbh hosting at least one liana individual in SC (39%) was higher than CC (23%) and OG (19.5%). Large host trees (dbh≥60 cm) were more likely to be infested by lianas in SC and OG. Our study demonstrated that logging disturbance could significantly change the composition and structure of liana communities in the lowland tropical rain forest of south China.
     

Spatiotemporal patterns and dynamics of species richness and abundance of woody plant functional groups in a tropical forest landscape of Hainan Island, South China

Tropical forests are among the most species-diverse ecosystems on Earth. Their structures and ecological functions are complex to understand. Functional group is defined as a group of species that play similar roles in an ecosystem. The functional group approach has been regarded as an effective way of linking the compositions of complex ecosystems with their ecological functions. To understand the variation of functional groups in species-rich ecosystems after disturbance, the present study investigated the spatial pattern and temporal dynamics of woody plants in a typically fragmented natural forest landscape of Hainan Island in South China. The study area was classified into eight landscape types based on vegetation type, disturbance manner and the time of recovery. The woody plant species were aggregated into seven functional groups based on the growth form, successional status and plant size. The results gained from the present study showed that all functional groups, except for the emergent and canopy tree species, were present in all eight landscape types. Each landscape type had different numbers of dominant functional groups. There are similar species richness and stem abundance structure among functional groups between mid-successional clear cut lowland rainforest and old growth tropical coniferous forest. This similarity exists in selective logged lowland rainforest and old-growth lowland rainforest, as well as among landscape types of montane rainforest. The functional groups with the same successional status had similar patterns of species richness and stem abundance ratios among different landscape types. The variation patterns of functional groups along the successional stages in terms of species richness and stem abundance among the tropical lowland rainforest landscape types were more similar to each other than those in the tropical montane reinforest landscape types. This study provides further support for the competition-colonization tradeoff and successional niche theory as opposed to models of neutrality and ecological equivalence.     

西双版纳青梅林的群落学研究

本文对分布在西双版纳勐腊县南部以龙脑香科植物版纳青梅为标志树种的热带森林作了群落学分析,认为它具有热带雨林的结构和基本特征,在性质上属于热带季节雨林。由于分布海拔偏高和生境特殊,它的上层乔木几乎常绿,在外貌上与望天树林和本地区典型的季节雨林有一定差异,在区系组成上向山地雨林过渡,它表现为一种季节雨林向山地雨林过渡的类型,同时也是一种热带北缘地区季节雨林的海拔极限类型。     

人工林对海南鹦哥岭鸟类多样性的影响

为了解在天然林中所种植的人工林对鹦哥岭鸟类多样性的影响,于2005年10月～2006年4月,分别采用样带法和雾网法,对海南鹦哥岭的原生林、次生林、人工林及其林缘的鸟类多样性进行了比较研究.野外记录到鸟类102种,其中栗腹矶鸫Monticola rufiventris、橙胸姬鹟Ficedula strophiata和黄雀Carduelis spinus 3种为海南鸟类新纪录.与原生林和次生林相比,人工林及其林缘的鸟类多样性很低,其中人工林最低.人工林不仅对鹦哥岭自然保护区的鸟类多样性具有非常大的负面影响,而且由于人工林的种植使天然林破碎化而产生的林缘与天然林林缘不同,鸟类多样性较低.     

功能多样性和谱系多样性对热带云雾林群落构建的影响

近年来, 功能多样性和谱系多样性为探究群落构建机制提供了新方法。为了更准确地了解海南岛高海拔热带云雾林群落构建机制, 该研究以海南岛霸王岭热带云雾林为对象, 测定7个环境因子和13个植物功能性状。利用主成分分析(PCA)筛选环境因子, 以霸王岭、尖峰岭和黎母山热带云雾林分布物种建立区域物种库, 结合模型, 分析Rao二次熵(RaoQ)和平均成对谱系距离(MPD)变化对植物群落构建的影响。结果表明: 林冠开阔度、土壤全磷含量和坡度是影响植物群落构建的关键环境因子。多数功能性状的系统发育信号很低且不显著, 说明热带云雾林群落的系统发育关系与功能性状随历史进程变化不一致。RaoQ和MPD的实际观测值都显著低于期望值, 且其标准效应值与土壤磷含量显著相关, 说明生境过滤是驱动热带云雾林群落构建的关键因子, 土壤磷含量是群落构建的关键环境筛。     

Field observed relationships between biodiversity and ecosystem functioning during secondary succession in a tropical lowland rainforest

The relationship between biodiversity and ecosystem functioning (BEF) is one of the most concerned topics in ecology. However, most of the studies have been conducted in controlled experiments in grasslands, few observational field studies have been carried out in forests. In this paper, we report variations of species diversity, functional diversity and aboveground biomass (AGB) for woody plants (trees and shrubs) along a chronosequence of four successional stages (18-year-old fallow, 30-year-old fallow, 60-year-old fallow, and old-growth forest) in a tropical lowland rainforest recovered after shifting cultivation on Hainan Island, China. Fifty randomly selected sample plots of 20 m × 20 m were investigated in each of the four successional stages. Four functional traits (specific leaf area, wood density, maximum species height and leaf dry matter content) were measured for each woody plants species and the relationships between species/functional diversity and AGB during secondary succession were explored. The results showed that both plant diversity and AGB recovered gradually with the secondary succession. AGB was positively correlated with both species and functional diversity in each stage of succession. Consistent with many controlled experimental results in grasslands, our observational field study confirms that ecosystem functioning is closely related to biodiversity during secondary succession in species rich tropical forests.     

Functional diversity of epiphytes in two tropical lowland rainforests, French Guiana: using bryophyte life-forms to detect areas of high biodiversity

Recent studies have described a new tropical lowland forest type in the Guianas, the tropical lowland cloud forest. It is characterized by an enriched epiphytic species diversity particularly for bryophytes compared to common lowland rainforest, and is facilitated by frequent early morning fog events in valley locations. While the increase in epiphytic species diversity in lowland cloud forests has been documented, uncertainties remain as to (1) how this small scale variation in water supply is shaping the functional diversity of epiphytic components in lowland forests, and (2) whether information on functional group composition of epiphytes might aid in discerning these cloud forests from the common lowland rainforest. We compare the distribution of functional groups of epiphytes across height zones in lowland cloud forest and lowland rain forest of French Guiana in terms of biomass, cover as well as the composition of bryophyte life-forms. Both forests differed in functional composition of epiphytes in the canopy, in particular in the mid and outer canopy, with the cloud forest having a higher biomass and cover of bryophytes and vascular epiphytes as well as a richer bryophyte life-form composition. Bryophyte life-forms characteristic for cloud forests such as tail, weft and pendants were almost lacking in the canopies of common rain forest whereas they were frequent in lowland cloud forests. We suggest that ground-based evaluation of bryophyte life-form composition is a straightforward approach for identifying lowland cloud forest areas for conservation, which represent biodiversity hotspots in tropical lowland forests.     

海南岛第三纪沉积环境与古植物群落的多样性及其变迁

海南岛第三纪沉积类型及古植物群落复杂多样,早第三纪主要为河湖泊,湖泊相和湖沼相等沉积,晚期发生海侵,开始出现海陆交相沉积;古植物群落主要有：温带山地针叶林和落叶阔叶林,亚热带常绿和落叶阔叶林,晚晚开始出现红树林,总体属温暖湿珠亚热带气候,晚第三纪海侵加大,沉积为型为滨海相,滨海－浅海相,浅海相及深水广海相等海相沉积,在滨海地区红树林面积大大增加,盆地中心平原地上展为低地热带雨林,总体属炎热潮湿的热带气候,但在海南岛西部和西北部仍发育有山地雪松和云杉林,上新世时植被类型逐渐接近现今当地的面貌,深入研究本区第三纪古环境与古植物群落的变迁对海南岛现代生物多样性形成机制的研究具有重要意义。     

“西双版纳热带山地雨林的植物多样性研究”的一些问题讨论

该文针对“西双版纳热带山地雨林的植物多样性研究”论文中存在的一些问题进行了讨论。原文所依据的6个调查样地, 从其分布海拔、生境、群落的生态外貌特征、植物区系组成及单位面积植物种数的统计上反映出它们并非都属于同样的植被类型,即原文所称的热带山地雨林,而可能分别属于《云南植被》中所应用的热带季节雨林的次生林群落(样地I和II)、季风常绿阔叶林群落(样地V和VI)及类似于苔藓常绿阔叶林(样地III和IV)的群落类型。由于这些样地代表了不同的植被类型, 导致在对这些样地的植物多样性特征的比较上出现较大差异。对原文在资料分析和与其它森林群落植物多样性的比较上存在的一些问题也作了讨论。原文的研究结果显示了西双版纳不同海拔高度上森林植物群落的物种多样性特征,但并不能全部运用于该地区的热带山地雨林这一特定植被类型。     

海南岛坝王岭热带天然要植物物种多样性研究

采用植物群落学和植物种群学的研究方法,从数量和质量 特征两个方面研究了海南岛坝王岭热带天然林的植物物种多样性。结果表明：⑴该地区不同植物群落的优势种类组成差别较大,彼此之间的物种相似性水平低;⑵相对于低地雨林而言,该地区的山地雨林物种数量较多,物种均匀度较高,主要优势种的优势程度较弱;⑶在优先考虑物种稀有性的前提下,根据各物物种在群落中所处的位置及其分布情况,可将该地区的植物物种分为珍稀濒危种、特     

Moth assemblages in Costa Rica rain forest mirror small-scale topographic heterogeneity

In many tropical lowland rain forests, topographic variation increases environmental heterogeneity, thus contributing to the extraordinary biodiversity of tropical lowland forests. While a growing number of studies have addressed effects of topographic differences on tropical insect communities at regional scales (e.g., along extensive elevational gradients), surprisingly little is known about topographic effects at smaller spatial scales. The present study investigates moth assemblages in a topographically heterogeneous lowland rain forest landscape, at distances of less than a few hundred meters, in the Golfo Dulce region (SW Costa Rica). Three moth lineages—Erebidae–Arctiinae (tiger and lichen moths), the bombycoid complex, and Geometridae (inchworm moths)—were examined by means of automatic light traps in three different forest types: creek forest, slope forest, and ridge forest. Altogether, 6,543 individuals of 419 species were observed. Moth assemblages differed significantly between the three forest types regarding species richness, total abundance, and species composition. Moth richness and abundance increased more than fourfold and eightfold from creek over slope to ridge forest sites. All three taxonomic units showed identical biodiversity patterns, notwithstanding their strong differences in multiple eco-morphological traits. An indicator species analysis revealed that most species identified as characteristic were associated either with the ridge forest alone or with ridge plus slope forests, but very few with the creek forest. Despite their mobility, local moth assemblages are highly differentially filtered from the same regional species pool. Hence, variation in environmental factors significantly affects assemblages of tropical moth species at small spatial scales.     

Beta diversity and oligarchic dominance in the tropical forests of Southern Costa Rica

Recent studies have reported a consistent pattern of strong dominance of a small subset of tree species in neotropical forests. These species have been called “hyperdominant” at large geographical scales and “oligarchs” at regional‐landscape scales when being abundant and frequent. Forest community assembly is shaped by environmental factors and stochastic processes, but so far the contribution of oligarchic species to the variation of community composition (i.e., beta diversity) remains poorly known. To that end, we established 20.1‐ha plots, that is, five sites with four forest types (ridge, slope and ravine primary forest, and secondary forest) per site, in humid lowland tropical forests of southwestern Costa Rica to (a) investigate how community composition responds to differences in topography, successional stage, and distance among plots for different groups of species (all, oligarch, common and rare/very rare species) and (b) identify oligarch species characterizing changes in community composition among forest types. From a total of 485 species of trees, lianas and palms recorded in this study only 27 species (i.e., 6%) were nominated as oligarch species. Oligarch species accounted for 37% of all recorded individuals and were present in at least half of the plots. Plant community composition significantly differed among forest types, thus contributing to beta diversity at the landscape scale. Oligarch species was the component best explained by geographical and topographic variables, allowing a confident characterization of the beta diversity among tropical lowland forest stands. Abstract in Spanish is available with online material.     

海南岛生态系统生态调节功能及其生态经济价值研究

生态系统服务功能是指生态系统与生态过程所形成及所维持的人类赖以生存的自然环境条件与效用．最新研究表明,生态系统服务功能包括生态系统产品、生态调节功能、生命支持功能与社会文化功能．对生态调节功能的认识与评价是区域生态环境保护与资源开发的基础,并已成为当前区域生态评价与生态规划的前沿课题．以海南岛为例,探讨了基于生态系统结构与过程的生态调节功能评价方法．在研究中。将海南生态系统类型划分为13类。分析、评价了海南岛各类生态系统在水源涵养、水土保持、营养物质循环、固碳、防风固沙等方面的生态调节功能及其生态经济价值,以及生态系统提供产品的价值．研究表明,2002年海南岛生态系统所提供的生态调节功能的价值为2035．88×10^8～2153.39×10^8元,而生态系统产品价值仅为254．06×10^8元,生态调节功能价值是其产品价值的8倍多。