黄土丘陵半干旱区柠条林密度对土壤水分和柠条生长的影响

研究密度对土壤水分和植物生长的影响对森林植被恢复和生态建设具有重要的意义。以黄土丘陵半干旱区人工柠条为研究对象,对相同立地条件下不同密度柠条林生长与林地土壤水分进行了长期定位观测和分析。研究表明,1—5年生柠条不同密度林地土壤水资源量差异显著,从第3年开始,土壤水资源量随着密度增加而增加;10—12年生柠条密度越低土壤水资源量越高(Treatment4除外,T4),不同密度之间水资源量差异不显著。1—3年生柠条密度越高会促进其株高生长;从第四年开始,柠条密度过高会抑制其株高生长;1—5年生柠条密度越高基径生长越快,不同密度生长差异不显著;10—12年生密度过高(Treatment1,T1)或过低(T4)均会抑制柠条株高与基径生长。在柠条播种后第5年,高密度试验小区(T1和Treatment2,T2)柠条林地最大入渗深度土壤水资源量降到水资源利用限度,此时需要依据土壤水分植被承载力通过平茬来降低林分密度,以达到减少土壤水分消耗和可持续利用土壤水资源之目的。     

红葱种群地上和地下构件的密度制约调节

虽然个体大小和密度的关系是植物生态学研究的中心问题, 但是大多数基础研究只观测植株地上部分的生物量, 即地上部分大小-密度关系, 而对于地下构件大小-密度关系的研究十分薄弱。因为植物个体的生长是构件变化的过程, 所以个体大小和密度的关系不仅表现为种群水平和个体水平, 也表现为构件水平。该文研究了5个密度(36、49、64、121和225株·m^-2)的红葱(Allium cepa var. proliferum)种群地下构件密度制约调节规律及其与地上构件密度制约调节规律的关系, 地下部分和全株(包括地上部分和地下部分)的密度制约调节规律, 及二者与地上部分密度制约调节规律的关系。结果表明: (1)不同密度环境下, 植物的表型可以通过各器官形态的可塑性反应发生调整; 植株地下构件和地上构件的各个特征(株高、叶片长、叶片数、鳞茎直径、分蘖重)均与密度呈显著的线性相关关系; (2)平均根、鳞茎、叶片和鞘生物量均与密度呈显著的幂函数负相关关系, 但异速指数不同: 鳞茎(-1.14)<叶片(-1.03)<根(-0.78)<鞘(-0.49), 表明地下构件的大小和地上构件的大小随密度的变化不一致; (3)平均地下、地上和个体生物量均与种群密度呈显著的幂函数负相关关系, 但异速指数不同, 分别为: -1.13、-0.95和-0.98, 表明地上部分大小和全株大小随种群密度的变化基本一致, 但与地下部分大小的变化不一致。总之, 密度制约对植株地下构件的调节作用大于地上构件, 对地下部分的调节作用大于地上部分, 红葱种群对地下资源的竞争占主导地位。     

六盘山森林植被碳密度空间分布特征及其成因

深入了解干旱缺水地区森林植被碳密度的空间分布特征是定量评价森林固碳能力、合理协调林水矛盾的重要基础。然而,目前有关干旱缺水地区的植被碳密度的研究仅限于典型样地上的碳储量、碳密度的比较,对区域尺度上森林植被碳密度的空间分布特征了解较少。为此,利用宁夏六盘山自然保护区2005年森林资源一类清查数据,计算了森林植被碳密度,并分析了其与林分结构特征和环境因子的关系。结果表明,六盘山的森林植被碳密度(t/hm2)平均为26.17(0.67—120.63),其中天然次生林为30.2(7.6—120.6),显著高于人工林的15.7(0.67—66.7)。森林植被碳密度随林龄增加而线性增大,天然林和人工林的平均增速分别为1.11和2.48 t hm-2a-1,而且,部分未成熟林的林分植被碳密度已接近甚至超过全国同类森林类型成熟林的植被碳密度平均值。随林分密度增加,森林植被碳密度增大,但在林分密度1000株/hm2后,森林植被碳密度不再增大,达到其最大值,其中,天然林为75.4 t/hm2,人工林为34.6 t/hm2;林冠郁闭度对森林植被碳密度的影响与林分密度相似,森林植被碳密度增长的郁闭度拐点为0.5。水分条件是影响六盘山森林植被碳密度的重要因素,森林植被碳密度(t/hm2)由700 mm以上地点的32.5(7.6—120.6)下降至年降水量500—600 mm地点的10.9(0.67—42.9),而且随年降水量减少,最大森林植被碳密度所对应的海拔高度呈增加趋势,如在年降水量为700、600—700和600 mm的地区,最大碳密度所在海拔高度分别为1900—2100、2100—2300和2300—2500 m。综上所述,研究区森林植被还有较大的固碳潜力,从提高森林固碳功能角度来看,林分郁闭度不宜超过0.5。     

不同林分密度杉木林生态系统碳密度及其垂直空间分配特征

以不同林分密度(1800、3000、4500株/hm~2)杉木林为研究对象,通过野外调查、样品采集和室内分析,研究不同林分密度杉木林生态系统碳密度及其分配特征。结果表明:1)三种林分密度杉木林生态系统碳密度分别为131.54、161.42、172.69 t/hm~2,随林分密度增大而升高,且具有显著差异(P<0.05)。杉木林碳密度表现为土壤层>乔木层>林下地被物层。土壤有机碳储量占总碳储量的比例最大(53.11%—67.37%),其次是树干、树根、树皮(25.89%—35.74%),高密度杉木林分有利于树干、树皮、树根碳密度分配比例的增加。2)乔木层,树干、树皮、宿留枯枝及宿留枯叶碳密度随林分密度增大而升高,鲜枝及鲜叶碳密度随林分密度增大先升高后降低,且均具显著差异(P<0.05);树干、树皮碳密度随树体高度的升高而降低,鲜枝鲜叶碳密度集中于树体中上部(8 m≤h≤10 m),宿留枯枝枯叶碳密度集中分布于树体中部(4 m≤h≤8 m)。3)随着林分密度的增大,不同径级根碳密度呈上升趋势,且不同径级根碳密度随林分密度变化差异达显著水平(P<0.05);不同...     

微藻光密度与细胞密度及生物质的关系

以四种常见微藻,小球藻(Chlorella sp.XQ-20044)、栅藻(Scenedesmus sp.SS-200716)、绿球藻(Chlorococcum sp.)和螺旋藻(Spirulina sp.CH-164)为实验材料,用梯度稀释法测定对数生长期不同浓度藻液的光密度(OD)、细胞密度和生物质干重(DW),在光自养分批培养模式下对4种微藻进行OD-波长(350—800 nm)扫描,同时测定细胞密度和生物质干重,分析藻液OD与细胞密度、生物质干重的关系。结果表明:在任何波长下,对数生长期的4种微藻细胞密度与OD值、生物质干重与OD值的变化都不成比例,波长不同其拟合曲线偏离直线的程度不同。但是,在435 nm处这种关系最接近直线,可以用直线方程近似描述(R20.98),其它波长处细胞密度-OD、干重-OD的关系都可以用二项式方程很好地描述(R20.99)。因此,光密度法适用于连续和半连续培养,可以用435 nm处测得的OD值计算细胞密度与干重。但是在分批培养模式下,4种微藻DW/OD比值随着培养时间均逐渐上升。小球藻DW/OD540为0.19—0.44 g/L,栅藻DW/OD540为0.36—0.53 g/L,绿球藻DW/OD540为0.48—0.75 g/L,螺旋藻DW/OD560为0.46—0.74 g/L,因此分批培养模式下采用测定藻液OD值反映细胞密度和生物质的方法不适用,只有直接测定细胞密度和生物质才是准确的。研究结果为正确使用分光光度法监测微藻生长提供依据。     

池塘圈养密度对大口黑鲈生长性能和健康状况的影响

通过分析不同圈养密度的大口黑鲈(Micropterus salmoides)生长及其相关健康指标, 探讨大口黑鲈适宜圈养密度。试验大口黑鲈初始体重为(9.71±3.75) g, 设置低密度组(LSD; 1000尾/圈, 50尾/m3)、中密度组(MSD; 2000尾/圈, 100尾/m3)和高密度组(HSD; 4000尾/圈, 200尾/m3)3个养殖密度组, 每个密度组3个重复, 养殖周期为2019年5月17日至11月16日, 为期180d。结果表明, 0—30d阶段, HSD组平均体重(W)和特定生长率(SGR)显著高于LSD、MSD组(P<0.05), 30—180d阶段, 平均体重(W)和特定生长率(SGR)随密度升高呈降低趋势。在养殖结束时, HSD组的甘油三酯(TG)、碱性磷酸酶(ALP)、葡萄糖(GLU)和谷丙转氨酶(ALT)显著升高(P<0.05); HSD组的总抗氧化力(T-AOC)、超氧化物歧化酶(SOD)和过氧化氢酶(CAT)活性显著降低(P<0.05), 而丙二醛(MDA)浓度显著升高(P<0.05)。以上结果表明养殖前30d, 高密度(4000尾/圈, 200尾/m3)对生长有利; 但随养殖时间延长, 高密度对生长及有关生理指标和抗氧化性能产生一定的负面影响。大口黑鲈早期阶段(9.7—40 g/尾)圈养密度宜为4000尾/圈(200尾/m3); 鱼体重达到40 g后, 圈养密度宜为2000—3000尾/圈(100—150尾/m3)。     

密度对尖头叶藜生物量分配格局及异速生长的影响

植物器官指示植物不同的功能,而植物器官生物量分配比例的变化表征了植物对资源获取能力的调整。在植物生长发育过程中,植物各器官呈一种明显的异速生长规律。利用异速生长分析方法,通过模拟不同密度(16、44.4、100、400株/m~2)下尖头叶藜(Chenopodium acuminatum)的生长特性,研究密度对尖头叶藜器官生物量分配格局及异速生长的影响。结果表明,随密度增加,尖头叶藜地上和地下器官都存在不同程度的竞争:其中,根和主茎生物量分配增加,茎和地上生物量分配减少,而叶和繁殖生物量分配不随密度变化而变化。研究发现,尖头叶藜各器官间具有显著的异速生长关系:其中叶∶主茎、根∶地上部分、根∶茎、根∶主茎、繁殖器官∶地上部分及繁殖器官∶根生物量间的异速生长不随密度变化而变化,属于表观可塑性;而叶∶地上部分、叶∶根、叶∶茎、茎∶地上部分、主茎∶地上部分、繁殖器官∶茎、繁殖器官∶主茎生物量间具有极显著的异速生长关系,异速指数和个体大小显著受密度变化影响,属于真正可塑性,这表明密度能够影响尖头叶藜各器官的生长变化。尖头叶藜叶∶主茎、叶∶根及主茎∶地上部分生物量间的异速指数在D4-密度时与3/4差异不显著(P0.05),符合生态代谢理论,而在D1—D3密度时与3/4差异显著(P0.05),表明充分竞争的植株更符合代谢理论,而竞争不激烈的植株对资源的投入具有物种特异性。     

北京地区侧柏人工林密度效应

密度是影响森林尤其是人工林生长的重要因素,林冠层是森林生态系统与其他系统进行能量和物质交换的重要场所,树木及树冠生长对林分密度的响应关系可以看作是生物对环境变化产生的适应性现象。林分密度效应是生态学和森林培育学的重要研究内容之一。以23块8种不同密度梯度的北京山区侧柏人工幼龄林林分为研究对象分析其树木生长及树冠生长对密度的响应关系,其中树冠指标使用了参照了美国林务局(USDA)的树冠调查指标。研究结果表明:(1)林分平均胸径、平均树高和平均冠幅生长均随密度增大而减小,林分密度大于3000株/hm2时各指标减小的趋势变缓,使用异速生长模型可以很好地拟合这种变化关系;(2)随密度增加,树冠水平方向和垂直方向生长均到显著地抑制作用,树冠外形表现出由饱满冠型向狭长冠型变化的适应性现象;(3)使用树冠二维、三维指标与密度进行相关性分析可知树冠长度、树冠率等指标与林分密度呈负相关关系,树冠圆满度及树冠生产效率与密度表现出极显著正相关关系;(4)采用枝解析的方法研究了树枝长度、材积的平均生长量、连年生长量与密度的关系,结果表明幼龄期各生长量差异不大;(5)在建立冠幅模型时考虑了自变量间的多重共线性问题,所建的胸径单自变量二次方模型能够很好地预测侧柏人工幼龄林冠幅生长过程,模型相关系数R2为0.961。     

I-69杨竞争密度效果分析

用竞争密度效果的倒数式分析了I－69杨（Populus deltoids）的生长过程。随着时间的推移,C－D线在双对数图上向上移动。生物时间τ（τ被定义为逻辑斯蒂生长曲线中生长系数λ（t）的积分）与物理时间t的关系可以用双曲线方程表示。C－D效果倒数式（即1／w＝Aρ＋B,式中w和ρ分别代表平均单株材积和密度）中的系数A和B被求出。随着生物时间τ的增加,系数A急剧增另到最大值后逐渐下降。而系数B呈指数下降,倾向于接近零。随着林分的生长,生长系数λ（t）倾向于下降。     

典型草原啮齿动物密度与牧草损失量的关系

研究啮齿动物密度对牧草损失量的关系,对于计算草地经济损害水平至关重要,可以为草地畜牧业管理决策提供指导。本研究于2012 - 2016 年,在锡林郭勒典型草原(东乌珠穆沁旗),应用标志重捕法和样方法对啮齿动物密度以及9 月份植物地上生物量进行调查,用啮齿动物密度及其日食量来估算鼠类对牧草的损害程度,确定牧草损失量。研究结果表明:(1)啮齿动物密度与牧草损失量的最佳拟合曲线是三参数S 型曲线,为:Loss = k/(1+e ^{a - rdensity});(2)当啮齿动物密度>906 个标准鼠单位/hm² 时,牧草产量发生最大损失(牧草产量损失比=23.30% );(3)根据所拟合的曲线,得出该类型草地啮齿动物对牧草损害的危害阈值为174 个标准鼠单位/hm² 。     

飞播马尾松林碳密度分配特征及其影响因素

研究江西省赣州市飞播马尾松林碳密度的分配特征,选取有关立地、林分、林下植被及凋落物等方面的15个因子,建立林分碳密度与影响因子的关系模型,筛选出主要影响因子.结果表明: 林分平均碳密度为98.29 t·hm^-2,表现为土壤层(49.58 t·hm^-2)＞乔木层(45.25 t·hm^-2)＞林下植被层(2.23 t·hm^-2)＞凋落物层(1.23 t·hm^-2);乔木层、凋落物层、土壤层碳密度之间呈显著正相关,其他各层次碳密度之间的相关性均不显著.株数密度、平均胸径、土层厚度、坡位、林龄、郁闭度是影响飞播马尾松林林分碳密度的主要因子,各因子的偏相关系数为0.331～0.434,t 检验结果为显著;运用多元数量化模型I复相关系数为0.796,F 检验结果为显著(F=9.28).对于林分碳密度,株数密度以1500～2100株·hm^-2最好,而郁闭度以0.4～0.7最好,株数密度及郁闭度过高或过低对林分固碳能力均会产生不利影响;林龄及平均胸径越大、土层越厚,其林分碳密度越高,下坡位的林分碳密度高于其他坡位.     

DENSITY DEPENDENT GROWTH IN NORTH PACIFIC SPERM WHALES

Data from the North Pacific sperm whale (Physeter catodon Linnaeus, 1758) fishery were examined for a possible density dependent change in growth during 40 yr harvesting after World War II. Early in this period males from the eastern stock were 16.8 m or less in length. By the early 1970s the largest males in the catch exceeded 16.8 m in length and reached 18.9 m in the late 1970s. The proportion of males measuring over 16.8 m, among sexually mature males (≥14.0 m), increased from 0 to >20% during the 1970s. Increases in the maximum size of males were possibly preceded by a change in the frequency distribution of body lengths in the middle 1960s when only 10% of the postwar catch had been taken. Testis weights suggested an increase in body length at sexual maturity. Two of the three putative North Pacific stocks showed similar growth changes. Adult males taken in the Bering Sea did not show such changes during the exploitation which ended in 1972 because of overfishing. Females showed no detectable change in body size. It is concluded that: (1) density dependent effects on male growth are greater before sexual maturity than after it, (2) males may show density dependent changes even at a population level above 90% of the carrying capacity, (3) polygynous males acquire more mates and realize higher reproductive success because of increased body size, and (4) females appear to maximize production by maturing earlier and shortening calving intervals in response to density change.     

西双版纳不同斑块望天树种群的密度、结构和生物量

 根据5个不同斑块的野外调查数据,分析了残存分布在西双版纳的国家一级保护稀有树种望天树（Parashorea chinensis）的种群密度与数量、 年龄结构与生物量动态, 组建了不同生长发育阶段的望天树个体生长与年龄的回归模型、个体生物量模型及种群年龄结构模型, 编制了不同 斑块的望天树种群及整个种群的静态生命表、存活曲线和年龄结构图。结果表明,不同斑块的望天树种群因种群年龄及所受到的干扰方式的不 同,其种群密度和年龄结构差异很大,不同年龄阶段的死亡率也不同。面积最小的斑块缺乏成熟个体,并出现龄级结构缺省的现象。不同斑块 局部种群的生物量随林龄的变化近似于Logistic增长,但各斑块局部种群的最大生物量以及生物量随时间的动态变化有所不同。整个种群的年 龄结构为稳定增长型种群,1～60龄的种群个体的死亡率随林龄的增加而下降,60～150龄的个体死亡率随林龄的增加而上升,180 龄后种群呈 现生理衰退,个体出现死亡高峰。种群的生物量在180 龄前呈Logistic 增长,此后,生物量下降。部分斑块受到严重的人为干扰,已严重威胁 其局部种群的生存。     

Positive tree diversity effect on fine root biomass: via density dependence rather than spatial root partitioning

The importance of species richness to ecosystem functioning and services is a central tenet of biological conservation. However, most of our theory and mechanistic understanding is based on diversity found aboveground. Our study sought to better understand the relationship between diversity and belowground function by studying root biomass across a plant diversity gradient. We collected soil cores from 91 plots with between 1 and 12 aboveground tree species in three natural secondary forests to measure fine root (≤ 2 mm in diameter) biomass. Molecular methods were used to identify the tree species of fine roots and to estimate fine root biomass for each species. This study tested whether the spatial root partitioning (species differ by belowground territory) and symmetric growth (the capacity to colonize nutrient-rich hotspots) underpin the relationship between aboveground species richness and fine root biomass. All species preferred to grow in nutrient-rich areas and symmetric growth could explain the positive relationship between aboveground species richness and fine root biomass. However, symmetric growth only appeared in the nutrient-rich upper soil layer (0–10 cm). Structural equation modelling indicated that aboveground species richness and stand density significantly affected fine root biomass. Specifically, fine root biomass depended on the interaction between aboveground species richness and stand density, with fine root biomass increasing with species richness at lower stand density, but not at higher stand density. Overall, evidence for spatial (i.e. vertical) root partitioning was inconsistent; assumingly any roots growing into deeper unexplored soil layers were not sufficient contributors to the positive diversity–function relationship. Alternatively, density-dependent biotic interactions affecting tree recruitment are an important driver affecting productivity in diverse subtropical forests but the usual root distribution patterns in line with the spatial root partitioning hypothesis are unrealistic in contexts where soil nutrients are heterogeneously distributed.     

EVALUATING THE IMPACT OF INSECT COMMUNITY ON PINE CATERPILLAR DENSITY IN DIFFERENT STAND CONDITIONS

Abstract  Natural enemies play an important role in inhibiting population growth of pine caterpillar, but they are difficult to be used in systematic management models. This paper attempts to use some forest stand factors to substitute the effect of natural enemies, which could be used in management models. Through the studies from more than 200 stand plots with different stand conditions in Qu County, Changshan County, and Longyou County of Zhejiang Province, 16 predominant species groups from insect community were selected, and the canonical correlation coefficient between the diversity index, species number, individual number of predominant species and the stand factors was analyzed. The results indicated that the canopy density and ground vegetation were the key stand factors for characterizing the function of insect community. The forest area was divided into four types according to the variation of canopy and vegetation conditions by using cluster analysis. The regression models between the rate of variation of pine caterpillar density and the forest factors including canopy density and vegetation covers were developed in each type of forests. There were significant differences in diversity index, species number, individual number of insect community and population density of pine caterpillar among four types of forests, and correlation coefficients of the four regression models were rather high ( r =0. 924 — 0. 964). This means that the classification of the forest stands is reasonable and the stand factors can characterize the effect of natural enemies in practice.     

不同立地条件下昆虫群落对松毛虫密度影响的估计(英文)

天敌在松毛虫种群动态中起重要作用,但把天敌的作用加入系统管理模型中却很困难。本文试图用林分因子代替天敌的作用,因为林分条件可以方便地用于系统模型中。通过对浙江省衢县、常山县和龙游县不同立地条件的222块样地的调查数据的分析,从70多科的昆虫群落中选择了16个关键种（科）,并对林分因子和各样地关键种的种数、个体数、多样性之间的关系进行了典型相关分析。结果表明郁闭度和植被条件（灌木层盖度、灌木层高度、草木层盖度、草木层高度、总盖度）是刻划昆虫群落功能的关键林分因子。根据郁闭度的变化和植被条件用系统聚类方法可以把林区分为四种类型,这四种类型林地的昆虫多样性指数、种数、个体数量和松毛虫的密度都存在明显差异;在每种林地都建立了松毛虫密度的变化率与关键林分因子间的回归模型,所有的回归的相关系数都相当高（0．924－0．964）,因此可以认为对林地的分类是合理的,而且用林分因子评估天敌的影响在实践中是可行的。     

Canopy dynamics estimated from shoot morphology in an evergreen broad-leaved forest

Summary A forest canopy structure may be defined as the spatial distribution pattern of foliage density, and dynamics of canopy can be considered as changes of spatial distribution of foliage density. To study this process, the annual intrinsic growth factor (r) of foliage and the speed with which foliage shifts its position were estimated from shoot branching and shoot length. The spatial distributions of these parameters were obtained from a profile of evergreen broad-leaved forest. r was large in the upper canopy layer and canopy gap; this indicated the active development of foliage. This phenomenon may be a major reason for the existence of dense foliage in the upper canopy. The speed with which foliage shifts its position was high in the canopy gap. For dominant species, light conditions affected positively on the distribution of r.     

Density effect, self-thinning and size distribution in Pinus densiflora Sieb. et Zucc. stands

The competition-density (C-D) effect for given times and self-thinning over time in even-aged, natural, pure stands of Pinus densiflora Sieb. et Zucc. were analyzed with the reciprocal equation of the C-D effect in self-thinning stands, and the equation describing the time-trajectory of mean stem volume and stand density. The C-D effect and self-thinning were consistently well explained by the two equations. Differences in mean stem volume and in stand density among the stands tended to merge with increasing stand age. The self-thinning line with a slope of approximately –3/2 was reached by the higher density stand prior to the medium and lower density stands. The skewness of tree height distribution showed positive values, which means that the distribution is more or less L-shaped, and in addition the skewness decreased with increasing mean tree height, which indicates that smaller trees died as the stands grew. This trend is consistent with the asymmetric (one-sided) competition hypothesis that self-thinning is driven by competition for light. The tree height distribution was analyzed using the Weibull distribution. The location parameter h _min of the Weibull distribution increased with increasing stand age, and the scale parameter a tended to increase slightly with increasing stand age. The range of the shape parameter b of the Weibull distribution corresponded to that of the skewness.     

Studies on theAbies population of Mt. Shimagare

The survivorship curve is estimated for theAbies population of the subalpine wave-regenerated forest on Mt. Shimagare in the northern Yatsugatake Mountains, Central Japan. The repetition of decay and regeneration of nearly even-aged stands is the nature of this forest in a steady-state, so that the survivorship curve is given as the decrease of density with stand age. Four distinct stages are recognized on the curve. The mortality is high in the first 10 years (stage i). Though germination is observed from the floor under dense canopy to the forest edge, only a portion of the seedlings can survive and form a nearly even-aged young regeneration. The established regeneration enjoys a low mortality before it attains a full density state (stage ii, until 32 years). When full density is reached, as indicated by the ?3/2 power law, the mortality increases again due to an intensive self-thinning (stage iii). However, mortality rate declines with age. This decline is thought to occur because canopy trees become uniform in size and spatial distribution. In the last stage the aggregative dying-off of trees takes place (stage iv, about 90 years). The uniformity among trees is believed to promote the collapse of the stand.     

Canopy structure and radiation interception of Salix matsudana: Stand density dependent relationships

Aims Plants can enhance their photosynthetic efficiency and competitiveness by adjusting canopy structure and radiation interception. The objective of this paper was to quantify the relationship between canopy structure (crown depth and crown area) and light interception (LI) in a Salix matsudana stand under three different stand densities in a flood plain of Zhangye.Methods Our study site is located at the Heihe flood plain of Xichengyi in Ganzhou district, Zhangye City, Gansu Province in the middle Heihe River, where S. matsudana is the dominant species. Based on stand density (10 m × 10 m), the S. matsudana community is divided into three types: low density (I, 25-36 Ind.·plot^-1), medium density (II, 37-48 Ind.·plot^-1), and high density (III, 49-60 Ind.·plot^-1). Community characteristics, soil physical and chemical properties of each type were measured. At each plot, we measured photosynthetically active radiation (PAR), LI, net photosynthetic rate (P_n), transpiration rate (T_r), crown depth, crown area, leaf area index (LAI), twig numbers, twig length, and bifurcation angle. The standardized major axis (SMA) estimation method was used to determine the relationships between LI and canopy structure.Important findings With increasing in stand density, we found that soil moisture increased, and soil electric conductivity decreased, while twig length and crown depth increased, and PAR, twig numbers, bifurcation angle and crown area decreased. LAI and LI, P_n and T_r reached their maximum at the stand of medium density. There was a significant, positive correlation and negative correlation (p < 0.01), respectively, between the LI, crown depth and crown area at low density (I), whereas low significant (p < 0.05) at high density (III), and high significantly positive correlation (p < 0.01) at the medium density (II). S. matsudana has more horizontal branches that reduce LI. Canopy thickness and increased crown area at low density. More vertical distribution of branches at high density, and a more balanced spacial distribution were found at medium density.