Effect of Hillslope Gradient on Vegetation Recovery on Abandoned Land of Shifting Cultivation in Hainan Island, South China

In the present study, we investigated the effect of hillslope gradient on vegetation recovery on abandoned land of shifting cultivation In Hainan Island, south China, by measuring community composition and structure of 25-year-old secondary forest fallows along a hillslope gradient （up-, middle-, and down-slope position）. A total of 49 733 free-standing woody plant stems higher than 10 cm and belonging to 170 species, 112 genera, and 57 families was found in the three l-hm2 investigation plots. Stem density was highest in the down-slope stand and lowest in the up-slope stand. Species richness and the Shannon-Wiener Index were both highest in the middle-slope stand, and lower In the down-slope and up-slope stands. The recovery forest fallows on different hiUslope positions were all dominated by a few species. The five most abundant species accounted for 70.1%, 58.8%, and 72.9% of total stem densities in stands in the up-, middle-, and down-slope positions, respectively. The five species with the greatest basal areas accounted for 74.5%, 84.3%, and 74.7% of total stem basal area for the up-, middle-, and down-slope positions, respectively. The number of low-density species （stem abundance less than five） Increased from the up-slope position downward. Of the nine local common species among three different functional groups, the short-lived pioneer species dominated the up-slope position, but long-lived pioneer species dominated the middle- and down-slope positions. The climax species of primary tropical lowland rain forest was found in the downslope position. Both the mean diameter at breast height （DBH） and mean height of the trees Increased with decreasing hillslope gradient. The stem density and basal area in different size classes were significantly different in stands In different slope positions. Our results indicated that the rate of secondary succession varies, even over small spatial scales caused by the hlllslope gradient, in early vegetation recovery.     

Different Patterns of Changes in the Dry Season Diameter at Breast Height of Dominant and Evergreen Tree Species in a Mature Subtropical Forest in South China

Information on changes in diameter at breast height （DBH） is important for net primary production （NPP） estimates, timing of forest inventory, and forest management. In the present study, patterns of DBH change were measured under field conditions during the dry season for three dominant and native tree species in a monsoon evergreen broad-leaved forest in the Dinghushan Biosphere Reserve. For each tree species, different patterns of DBH change were observed. In the case of the fast-growing tree species Castanopsis chinensis Hance, large diurnal fluctuations occur, with a peak DBH in the early morning （around 05：00 h） that decreases to a minimum by about 14：00 h. Both Schima superba Gardn. et Chemp and Cryptocarya chinensis （Hance） Hemsh exhibited less diurnal swelling and shrinkage. Diurnal fluctuations for these species were observed on a few occasions over the period of observation. Graphical comparisons and statistical analysis of changes in DBH with meteorological variables indicate that for different trees, the different changes in DBH observed responded to different meteorological variables. Large stem changes were found to occur for Ca. chinensis trees that were associated with variations in solar radiation. However, both S. superba and Cr. chinensis were found to be less sensitive to solar radiation. Changes in the DBH of these two species were found to be controlled mainly by soil temperature and soil moisture. During the later dry season, with a lower soil temperature and soil moisture, all three tree species stopped growing and only negligible shrinkage, expansion, or fluctuation occurred, suggesting that the optimum time to measure tree growth in the Dinghushan Biosphere Reserve is the later dry season.     

Distribution of ground-dwelling beetles （Coleoptera） across a forest-clearcut ecotone in Wolong Natural Reserve, southwestern China

Abstract The influence of edge effect on ground-dwelling beetles (Coleoptera) across a forest-clearcut ecotone was studied in Wolong Natural Reserve, southwestern China. During the field research, a total of 30 739 beetles were collected with pitfall traps along transects, which extending 100 m from the edge into the forest interior and 100 m into the clearcut. Of the collection, Carabidae comprised 92%, Staphylinidae 3%, Curculionidae 2%, and Tenebrionidae 2%, and these four families can be considered as abundant groups. Family richness, Shannon diversity and equitability display a significant decrease from forest interior, edge to clearcut. Based on the family composition and abundance, ground-dwelling beetles of the forest interior can be separated from those in the clearcut by Principal coordinate analysis ordination, and beetle assemblages in the forest edge were more similar to forest assemblages than to those found in the clearcut by cluster analysis. Seasonal dynamics of family richness showed a monotone peak in the middle season, with a highest value in the forest interior and a lowest value in the clearcut. Family abundance showed two peaks in the middle season, always with more individuals in the clearcut than in the forest interior or in the edge. Multiple linear regression analyses showed that the cover of shrub and litter were the two most important factors in determining family richness, Shannon diversity, equitability and abundance. Our results show that the forest edge and clearcut have obviously different composition and diversity of ground-dwelling beetles from forest interior at the family level. However, more edges have been formed due to increasing forest fragmentation (clearcutting or logging), so it is necessary to preserve large and intact forest to protect the diversity of ground-dwelling beetles in Wolong Natural Reserve.     

Species composition and correlation of understory woody plants in Chinese fir plantation in the lower subtropical area

There are 71 species in the shrub layer of the Cunninghamia lanceolata plantation after natural succession. The species richness and diversity have increased with slight anthropogenic disturbance. The status and function of understory woody species were judged by the analysis of the important value (IV). x ² statistics and r test were used for testing the significance of interspecific association and correlation among 25 main understory woody plants selected from the woody population. The results clearly showed their interspecific relationships and their differences in resource utilization. Species-pairs of positive association were in the majority. Most species were accommodated in the shady habitat. There was a positive correlation between the IV of the species and the interspecific association. The higher the IV of the species, the closer and more significant was the interspecific association. Based on analytical results of interspecific association and correlation, 25 woody plants in the shrub layer could be divided into four ecological species groups: I. Ficus hispida + Antidesma bunius + Mallotus barbatus + Ficus cunia + Saurauia tristyla + Mallotus philippinensis + Maesa japonica + Ficus hirta + Alchornea rugosa + Ficus fulva + Mallotus apelta; II. Cudrania tricuspidata + Schefflera octophylla; III. Cunninghamia lanceolata + Clerodendron cytophyllum + Millettia semicastrata + Randia spinosa + Litsea cubeba + Litsea pungens; IV. Ardisia japonica + Psychotria rubra + Vitex quinata + Cephalanthus occidentalis + Pithecellobium lucidum + Mycetia sinensis. If species group III or II is the advantaged species in the shrub layer, the community would change from a coniferous forest to a sparse evergreen broad-leaved forest. For group IV, the community would be relatively stable. For group I, the coniferous forest would be mixed with coniferous-broad leaved forest. The classification of ecological species groups would provide a theoretical basis on judging its ecological function, adjusting the stand structure of the plantation and directing the suitable natural vegetation type through the close-natural restoration process. __________ Translated from Acta Ecologica Sinica, 2005, 25(9): 2173–2179 [译自: 生态学报, 2005, 25(9): 2173–2179]     

峨眉山常绿落叶阔叶混交林的生物多样性及植物区系初探

对峨眉山常绿落叶阔叶混交林的群落结构﹑组成﹑生物多样性及植物区系等几方面进行了研究分析。结果显示峨眉山阔叶混交林由226种维管束植物组成,其中被子植物73科137属207种, 占总种数的91.6%,是峨眉山阔叶混交林的重要组成部分;群落分层现象明显,为乔木层﹑灌木层﹑草本层和层外植物4层,其中草本层发育情况差;科分布型是以热带—亚热带﹑热带—温带为主,各占22.7%, 在属的水平上则以温带分布占绝对优势(52.9%),揭示了峨眉山阔叶混交林的区系性质是以温带为主的亚热带类型;生物多样性指数处于较低的水平,在经过人为干扰后,群落处于稳定的恢复阶段。     

影响武夷山景区松墨天牛种群动态变化的因素分析

为了监测武夷山景区松墨天牛Monochamus alternatus Hope的发生,防范松材松材线虫Bursaphelonchus xylophilus病的入侵,于2005-2007年每年4-9月,在武夷山景区10个地点进行了调查,研究了气象因素和环境因素对松墨天牛数量变化的综合影响规律及其程度,对调查结果进行了矢量递进因子分析。结果表明：环境因子和气象因子是松墨天牛羽化孔数和诱集成虫数变化的主要因素,影响松墨天牛成虫诱集数的环境因子按重要性排列依次为：郁闭度、地被物覆盖率、海拔、林龄、坡位、坡向和树高;影响羽化孔数的环境因子按重要性排列依次为：郁闭度、地被物覆盖率、树高、林龄、海拔、坡位和坡向。影响松墨天牛诱集成虫数和羽化孔数的气象因子按重要性排列依次为：月平均温度、最高与最低温差、总降雨量（mm）、气压（hpa）和平均湿度（%）。单从环境因子和气象因子的统计数据分析,环境因子的重要性次序是：坡位、郁闭度、地被物覆盖率、海拔（m）、 林龄（a）、树高（m）、坡向;气象因子的重要性次序是：气压（hpa）、 平均温度 （℃）、最高与最低温差（℃）、 总降雨量（mm）、平均湿度（%）。按月分析和按年度分析时其相对重要性基本上是一致的。结论认为,环境因子和气象因子对松墨天牛的数量变化有重要影响。     

The ‘New Wave’ in plant demographic inference: more loci and more individuals

Plant population genetic surveys are starting to take full advantage of technological advances in genotyping methods and of methodological advances in demographic inference. In this issue of Molecular Ecology, Keller et al. (2010) illustrate this trend with a particularly convincing study of rangewide genetic variation in a North American poplar, using both SNP and sequence data. They first investigate population genetic structure by estimating the most likely number of genetic clusters using a more formal approach than most other studies to date. They proceed by estimating gene flow among the inferred populations and by testing predictions on the distribution of low frequency alleles derived from recent work on range expansions.     

基于SDEA的滨海地区生态林工程综合效益分析——以浙江省台州市玉环县为例

滨海地区生态林工程是我国生态建设的重要内容,是滨海地区防灾减灾体系建设、海洋经济与对外贸易科学发展的重要组成部分。探究现有滨海地区林业工程低投入高产出的效益模式具有重要意义。文章应用超效率数据包络分析(SDEA)模型,选取能体现滨海地区生态林工程建设综合效益与特征的4个投入指标和3个输出指标,对浙江省台州市玉环县9个乡镇的15个具有25a林龄的生态林工程综合效益的相对有效性进行了评价。根据19842008年的评价结果表明,截至2008年,玉环县滨海地区15项生态林工程综合效益呈现出阶段不稳定、整体上升趋势。其中7项工程的综合效益相对有效;8项工程的综合效益相对无效。研究揭示生态林工程建设能产生重大综合效益。其研究结果对于我国滨海地区的可持续发展政策制定,高效益生态林数字化经营管理以及滨海地区生态系统价值和生态系统服务价值的研究均具有一定的理论意义和实用价值。     

川西亚高山针阔混交林乔木层生物量、生产力随海拔梯度的变化

川西亚高山针阔混交林是该地区云冷杉暗针叶林大规模采伐后自然恢复形成的主要次生林类型之一,是由采伐迹地向顶极暗针叶林演替过程中的重要阶段。采用样地调查与异速生长模型相结合的方法,研究了川西亚高山林区4个海拔梯度(A:2900—3050m;B:3150—3300m;C:3300—3450m;D:3450—3550m)40a生针阔混交林的生物量与生产力变化。结果表明,林分乔木层生物量、生产力随海拔上升而不断下降,分别由A梯度的157.07t/hm2、3.43t·hm-·2a-1下降到D梯度的54.65t/hm2、1.36t·hm-·2a-1,气温的海拔间差异以及林分密度的递减是影响林分生物量、生产力变化的主要原因;阔叶类树种单株平均生物量、生产力随海拔升高而显著下降,由A梯度的200.55kg、4.96kg/a下降到D梯度的47.86kg、1.19kg/a;而针叶类树种单株平均生物量、生产力则逐渐上升,由A梯度的51.57kg、1.28kg/a上升到D梯度的73.88kg、1.84kg/a,但未达显著水平,阔、针叶类树种生物量、生产力变化分异是物种的生物学特性和林分环境共同作用的结果。相关分析显示,该地区阔叶类树种对海拔梯度的响应比针叶树种更为敏感和显著。     

赤峰市沙地油松林草本植物多样性及种间关联动态

研究了赤峰市天然沙地油松林草本植物群落物种多样性以及种间关联动态。在200m×200m的样地中,设置100个1m×1m草本样方,2009年69月份每月底调查样方内所有草本植物物种、多度、高度及盖度。分析结果表明,69月份共调查到草本植物32种,隶属于16科,24属。用多项指标进行物种多样性的测度,8月份草本植物物种数、丰富度最高。6、7月份草本植物群落的Simpson指数、Shannon-Wiener指数和均匀度指数最大,9月份最小。通过方差比率法(VR)和χ2检验的计算,对草本群落总体关联性和草本群落种间关联进行分析。结果表明,草本植物群落总体关联性在8月份为正关联,其它月份(6、7、9月份)均为负关联。69月份,草本植物群落总体关联性程度逐渐降低,由负相关逐渐变为不显著相关。群落总体相关性不显著,说明群落中物种间虽然存在一定联系,但仍然存在独立的分布格局。某一草本群落总体关联性随时间变化是在不断改变的,并不是单一的从负相关到正相关,或从相关到不相关。群落整体关联性随着生境的改变而发生变化。分析每月都出现的20个物种的种间关联,结果显示,69月份草本植物正负联结比值变动范围为0.3790.558;4个监测月份中负联结种对数均大于正联结种对数。69月份草本物种对之间的关联性也在随时间发生变化,说明随着群落内物种动态发育,群落组成在不同时期出现此消彼长的动态变化,不同物种的群落功能及相互关系也将发生改变,进而影响物种种间联结性。植物种对的正联结体现了植物利用资源的相似性和生态位的重叠性,植物种对的负联结体现了物种间的排斥性,这是长期适应不同微环境,利用不同空间资源的结果,也是生态位分离的反映。