Distribution patterns of tree species in an evergreen broadleaved forest in eastern China

Ecological assembly rules in evergreen broad-leaved forest are far from clear understanding. Spatial dispersion of individuals in a species is central in ecological theory. We analyzed the spatial patterns as well as associations between adult and juvenile of each tree species in a 5-ha subtropical evergreen broad-leaved forest plot in eastern China. Out of the 74 species occurring with more than 10 individuals, 88.4% of these species are aggregated. Most of them are aggregated from small to large scales. Spatial distributions of some species corre-spond with topography. Many bad dispersed species in the Baishanzu exhibit a highly aggregated distribution at small scales. These suggest that environmental heterogeneity and/or dispersal limitation may be the most important mechanisms that control the distribution patterns of these species. Our observations of the aggregations of abundant species basically support the hypothesis that dispersal limitation decreases as the number of reproductive trees increases. The rest species are randomly distributed, with less than 10 individuals. For most common species, spatial aggregation is weaker in larger diameter classes, and the distance between adults is larger than that between juveniles and adults, suggesting that density-dependence works on loosing aggregation and excluding conspecific juveniles away from adult trees. However, the density-dependent effect is not strong enough to eliminate all seedlings near adult trees and to result in a regular distribution of trees; thus the density dependence is usually masked by the refuge effect.     

Distribution patterns and conservation of eastern Brazilian coastal forest tree species

The distributions of 127 tree species, each with at least part of their range in the moist coastal forest of eastern Brazil, are analyzed. Of these, 53.5% are endemic to the coastal forest, 11.8% endemic to the coastal forest plus some part of the Planalto of Brazil, 7.8% disjunct with the Amazonian hylaea, and 26% widespread. This high endemism in the coastal forest of eastern Brazil, in view of its rapid destruction, emphasizes the need for increased preservation of the few remaining natural areas. In addition, this study supports the theory that there are at least two centers of endemism in the coastal forests, one centering around Rio de Janeiro and one in southern Bahia/Rio Doce, Espírito Santo. In order to protect the diverse flora of the coastal forests, preservation areas should be established intermittently along their entire length and especially in the centers of endemism.     

浙江天童20ha常绿阔叶林动态监测样地的群落特征

常绿阔叶林是我国东部低海拔地区的典型植被,基于大型动态监测样地的群落特征分析是揭示其生物多样性维持机制的基础.作者在天章国家森林公园建立了20 ha的样地,并完成了第一次群落学特征调查和分析.结果显示,样地内共有胸径≥1 cm的木本植物152种94,603株,隶属51科94属.重要值最大的前3个科依次是山茶科、樟科和壳斗科.属水平上热带区系成分占总属数的52.1%,温带区系成分占42.6%.常绿物种在样地内占绝对优势,占总重要值的80.3%.重要值最大的3个种依次是细枝柃(Eurya loquaiana)、黄丹木姜子(Litsea elongata)和南酸枣(Choerospondias axiliaris);稀有种共计55种,占总物种数的36.2%.木本植物整体径级结构呈逆"J"字型.萌枝分枝 情况表明,常绿物种的萌、分枝能力强于落叶物种.此结果表明天童常绿阔叶林物种组成丰富,群落成熟稳定,更新良好,反映了亚热带东部常绿阔叶林的典型特征.     

Comparison of tree sprouting in three regeneration stages of an evergreen broadleaved forest in a karst landscape, SW China

Little is known about the role of tree sprouting in the regeneration of karst forest communities. In Shilin Stone Forest Geographical Park, southwestern China, all genets with the largest stem ?3 cm DBH (diameter at breast height) and/or stumps ?3 cm BD (basal diameter) were identified and number of sprouts counted in 10 transects (10 m × 100 m) in each of three evergreen broadleaved forest stands representing three regeneration stages (about 10, 20, and 30 years old). Species with >10 genets accounted for 72.4% of the 76 species, and all of them showed evidence of sprouting. One-third to two-thirds of the genets in the three forests were sprouting, with an average of 4.0–5.7 sprouts per sprouting genet. Sprouting capability (sprouting genets/total genets) and intensity (sprouts per sprouting genet) differed significantly among the three forest stages. More than 90% of the damaged genets were sprouting. The number of sprouts in a non-damaged genet was determined by intrinsic sprouting ability, and the number of sprouts in damaged genets was determined by stump size. As the forest developed, percentage of damaged genets increased, the portion of shoots ≥3 cm DBH co-existing in a genet decreased, and the portion of shoots <3 cm DBH sprouted from damaged genet increased. Thus the role of sprouting changed from contributing recruitment in the young stage to persistence in the later stage.     

Comparison of tree sprouting in three regeneration stages of an evergreen broadleaved forest in a karst landscape, SW China

Little is known about the role of tree sprouting in the regeneration of karst forest communities. In Shilin Stone Forest Geographical Park, southwestern China, all genets with the largest stem ?3 cm DBH (diameter at breast height) and/or stumps ?3 cm BD (basal diameter) were identified and number of sprouts counted in 10 transects (10 m × 100 m) in each of three evergreen broadleaved forest stands representing three regeneration stages (about 10, 20, and 30 years old). Species with >10 genets accounted for 72.4% of the 76 species, and all of them showed evidence of sprouting. One-third to two-thirds of the genets in the three forests were sprouting, with an average of 4.0–5.7 sprouts per sprouting genet. Sprouting capability (sprouting genets/total genets) and intensity (sprouts per sprouting genet) differed significantly among the three forest stages. More than 90% of the damaged genets were sprouting. The number of sprouts in a non-damaged genet was determined by intrinsic sprouting ability, and the number of sprouts in damaged genets was determined by stump size. As the forest developed, percentage of damaged genets increased, the portion of shoots ≥3 cm DBH co-existing in a genet decreased, and the portion of shoots <3 cm DBH sprouted from damaged genet increased. Thus the role of sprouting changed from contributing recruitment in the young stage to persistence in the later stage.     

中国东部地区常绿阔叶林景观破碎化

常绿阔叶林是中国东部地区的地带性植被,常绿阔叶林景观破碎化的监测与评价是对其进行生态恢复、保护和经营管理的基础。本文应用NOAA-AVHRR计算出时间序列的NDVI合成影像所得的植被遥感分类数据,结合景观格局指数,对中国东部地区常绿阔叶林景观破碎化进行研究。结果表明:中国东部地区常绿阔叶林残存面积仅为35427km2,占全区面积的5.9%,平均斑块面积为8.55km2,斑块密度为0.69个.100km-2,≤5km2的斑块数量占全部常绿阔叶林斑块数量的61.2%,但面积比例则仅为5.75%,而≥25km2的斑块数量比例仅为10%,面积比例却达58%;对各省的常绿阔叶林破碎化状况分析表明,常绿阔叶林斑块总面积、斑块密度、斑块平均面积、边界密度、景观形状指数、最大斑块指数以及平均分维数均呈福建浙江江西安徽,而斑块之间的隔离距离则正好相反。所有这些均表明,中国东部地区的常绿阔叶林已经处于严重的破碎化状态。加强常绿阔叶林的保护、生态恢复及管理成为一项迫切的任务。     

Cold tolerance of photosynthesis as a determinant of tree species regeneration patterns in an evergreen temperate forest

Niche partitioning of light among seedling species is a key mechanism supporting coexistence in forests. Species sort along light gradients through direct responses to light and through indirect responses mediated by other environmental factors. Canopy gaps in temperate evergreen rainforests experience sub-zero temperatures and thus gap-dependent species are vulnerable to cold photoinhibition from exposure to high light at low temperatures. We used a shadehouse experiment to test two hypotheses: (1) that gap-dependent species are resistant to cold photoinhibition; and (2) that gap-dependence observed in the field may be driven by the interaction between high light and low temperatures. Specifically, we predicted that some species restricted to shade in the field are excluded from gaps because of low resistance to cold photoinhibition. Gap dependence of angiosperm and conifer seedlings was estimated from expert opinion, and from experimental growth and survival responses to light treatments representing a forest understorey and forest gap. Additional seedlings were used to evaluate resistance to cold photoinhibition (sub-zero temperatures at dawn). Gap-dependent species were resistant to cold photoinhibition. Our second hypothesis was supported by Beilschmiedia tawa (Lauraceae), which had low resistance to photoinhibition, a strong positive growth response to the light treatments, and is restricted to shade in the field. Seedling regeneration niches in temperate rainforest are shaped in part by the interaction between light and low temperatures, and this interaction will be crucial for determining seedling responses to climate warming.     

古田山亚热带常绿阔叶林树皮厚度的变异特征

树皮是木本植物茎干最外层结构,具有保护茎干、养分储存与运输等重要作用。因此,树皮厚度是一项非常重要的功能性状,其变异不仅影响树皮的各种生态功能,还能影响群落构建与物种共存。然而,以往对树皮厚度的研究集中于火灾易发生态系统,对火灾不易发生的亚热带常绿阔叶林的研究仍较缺乏。测量了古田山国家级自然保护区亚热带常绿阔叶林内树种的树皮厚度,并检验了总树皮厚度、内树皮厚度与外树皮厚度在各分类群间以及功能群间的差异。结果发现：1）39个树种807个个体的总树皮厚度、内树皮厚度与外树皮厚度均值分别为1.90 mm、1.38 mm和0.54 mm。漆树科（Anacardiaceae）、杨梅科（Myricaceae）以及亚热带常绿阔叶林代表类群壳斗科（Fagaceae）、山茶科（Theaceae）的树皮厚度较大。短柄枹（Quercus serrata）、木荷（Schima superba）、小叶青冈（Cyclobalanopsis myrsinifolia）等树种的树皮厚度较大。2）种间、科间的各树皮厚度差异均显著。不同功能类群间,乔木类群的各树皮厚度均较灌木类群大,常绿类群的各树皮厚度均较落叶类群大（内树皮厚度除外）。本次研究结果表明,相对于火灾易发生态系统中的树皮厚度,古田山亚热带常绿阔叶林群落内的树皮厚度相对较薄,表明这些森林树种对当地湿润气候的适应性。同时,树皮厚度在各种分类水平与功能群水平间的显著变异,反映了群落内不同生态策略的共存。     

Distribution patterns of tree species in a Malaysian tropical rain forest

Abstract. Spatial patterns of tree species were studied in a 50-ha tropical rain forest plot in the Pasoh forest, Malaysia. This forest is characterized by a high diversity and very high number of rare species. Out of the 745 species occurring with > five individuals, 80.4 % had an aggregated distribution, 19.5% were randomly distributed and one species had a regular distribution. The spatial patterns of rare vs. common species, juvenile vs. adult trees, and coarse vs. fine scales were compared. Rare species are generally less aggregated than common ones and most of the randomly distributed species are rare. Spatial patterns shift from high clumping to looser intensity or random distribution when moving from juveniles to adults for the same species. No adult tree species display a regular pattern, however. Regular distributions were rarely found; this is probably due to intraspecific competition at a local scale. There is a negative correlation between per capita death rate and population density. This study suggests that the Pasoh forest and its high diversity are subjected to multiple controlling factors, e.g., topography, spacing effect, density-dependent processes and species rarity. The importance of any factor changes across spatial and temporal scales.     

广西木论保护区喀斯特常绿落叶阔叶混交林优势种空间格局及其相关性

基于广西木论国家级自然保护区喀斯特常绿落叶阔叶混交林1 hm²样地调查数据,采用点格局方法分析了混交林4个优势种群空间格局,及种内和种间的相关关系.结果表明：木论常绿落叶阔叶混交林乔木层Ⅰ亚层以小栾树为主,Ⅱ亚层和Ⅲ亚层均以东女贞、铁榄和广西密花树为主;4个优势种群不同林层的空间分布格局在<10 m尺度上呈显著的聚集分布,>25 m尺度呈随机分布,有些尺度呈均匀分布,10～25 m尺度内则为聚集分布向随机分布过渡,且不同树种聚集分布向随机分布转化的临界尺度不同.Ⅰ亚层小栾树与Ⅱ亚层4个优势种的相关性较弱;Ⅲ亚层各优势种与Ⅱ亚层4个优势种中,小栾树与4个优势种相关关系波动较大,东女贞<50 m尺度内呈显著正相关,铁榄与4个优势种没有明显的相关性,广西密花树在<20 m尺度没有相关性,而在20～50 m尺度上呈显著负相关.     

常绿阔叶林外生和丛枝菌根树种细根形态和构型性状对氮添加的可塑性响应

以中亚热带常绿阔叶林外生菌根树种罗浮栲和丛枝菌根树种木荷为研究对象,采用根袋法进行野外原位氮添加试验,研究了细根形态性状(比根长、比表面积、组织密度、平均根直径)和构型性状(分枝数、分枝比、根长增长速率、根尖密度、分枝密度),分析不同菌根树种细根形态和构型性状对氮沉降的响应.结果表明:随序级增加,外生和丛枝菌根树种细根...     

Throughfall,stemflow and interception of rainwater in an evergreen broadleaved forest

In order to analyze the dyanmics of heavy metals in a forest ecosystem, throughfall and stemflow were collected for individual rain showers in an evergreen broad-leaved forest dominated byCastanopsis cuspidata. The relation between throughfall (or stemflow) (Px) and gross rainfall (P) was approximated by a linear regression equationPx=a(P-b). The values of coefficient “a” were 0.32–2.02 for throughfall at each sampling point and the mean values for 1976 and 1977–1978 were 0.682 and 0.767, respectively. The stemflow volume differed widely among individual trees, depending mainly on the tree form of each species. In particular, the tree form ofPasania edulis was found to be especially suited to collecting stemflow. OneP. edulis tree collected 64% of the rainwater that fell onto its crown as stemflow. The ratio of stemflow to gross rainfall decreased in summer resulting from an increase in leaf biomass and an increase in air temperature. In fact, the values of coefficient “a” for mean stemflow per unit area were 0.180 for summer and 0.229 for other seasons in 1976, and 0.145 for summer and 0.155 for other seasons in 1977–1978 for different sampled trees.     

Spatial associations of tree species in a subtropical evergreen broad-leaved forest

Aims The spatial segregation hypothesis and the low-frequency hypothesis are two important proposed mechanisms that delay or prevent competitive exclusion in ecosystems. Because tree species interact with their neighbors, the importance of these potential processes can be investigated by analyzing the spatial structures of tree species.Methods The distribution of the adults of 27 common tree species in a fully mapped 5-ha subtropical forest plot in Baishanzu, eastern China, was analyzed to investigate the community-level intra- and interspecific spatial association patterns. We first tested for the overall spatial pattern in the 5- to 40-m neighborhoods and classified first-order bivariate associations with a diametric scheme based on Ripley's K and nearest-neighbor statistic (G -function). Then heterogeneous Poisson null models were used to distinguish second-order interactions from overall spatial associations (including first-order effects). Finally, we analyzed correlations between the existence of species interactions and some attributes of the species involved.Important findings Partial overlap and segregation increased with scale, whereas mixing decreased. Nearly 70% of the species pairs occurred less than expected at random, and only 3.4% of the species pairs were well mixed; 11.0% of all species pairs showed significant small-scale interactions, which was a greater frequency than expected by chance if species are abundant or prefer the same habitat, but less frequent than expected if species are highly aggregated. This suggests that both spatial segregation and low frequency of species facilitate species coexistence by reducing the opportunity that trees of two species encounter each other. The study also revealed that positive interactions were more prevalent than negative interactions in the forest, which indicates that positive interactions may have important effects on forest species assemblies.     

不同季节亚热带常绿阔叶林6个树种凋落叶钙、镁、锰的释放特征

采用凋落物分解袋法,研究了亚热带常绿阔叶林区马尾松、柳杉、杉木、香樟、红椿、麻栎6个典型树种凋落叶的Ca、Mg、Mn在第一个分解年不同雨热季节的释放特征.结果表明：经历1年的分解,6种凋落叶Ca、Mg、Mn释放率分别为-13.8%～92.3%、4.0%～64.8%和41.6%～81.1%.马尾松和香樟凋落叶Ca释放动态呈现富集-释放模式,其余4种凋落叶整体上呈现释放的模式;香樟凋落叶Mg释放动态呈现富集-释放模式,其余5种凋落叶呈现直接释放模式;柳杉和红椿凋落叶Mn释放动态呈现富集-释放模式,其余4种凋落叶呈现直接释放模式.凋落叶Ca、Mg、Mn的释放明显受到季节性降雨的影响,且因凋落叶种类不同而有差异.Ca、Mg、Mn在雨季的释放率和释放量均高于旱季.初始养分含量和降雨量是影响凋落物分解过程元素释放的重要因子.     

雪灾后粤北山地常绿阔叶林优势树种幼苗更新动态

对遭受2008年雪灾破坏的车八岭山地常绿阔叶林进行连续3 a(2008-2010年)的监测,研究在冠层恢复过程中优势树种的林下幼苗动态,旨在了解幼苗灾后的更新规律及其对冠层结构变化(以叶面积指数LAI的变化来表示)的响应。结果表明,12个优势种的林下幼苗对冠层恢复有明显的响应。非参数的多元方差分析(perMANOVA)显示,优势种幼苗的组成和分布存在着极显著的年际差异(P<0.001);其中2008年与2009年及2010年的差异均极显著(P<0.001);2009年与2010年的差异不显著。这与冠层LAI的变化情况相应:2008年LAI最低,2009年LAI值迅速增加;2010与2009年相比LAI增长缓慢,并逐渐趋于稳定。不同的优势树种幼苗对样方中LAI变化的响应不同,阳性树种幼苗的相对多度和频度一般会随林分郁闭度的增加而锐减,阴性及耐阴树种幼苗数量则随冠层恢复而增加。随着冠层恢复,林下指示种截然变化。2008年的林下幼苗指示种为8个喜光的种类,而2010年则仅见较耐阴的香楠Randia canthioides 为指示种。指示种分析从另一个角度反映了幼苗对冠层恢复的响应。     

鼎湖山季风常绿阔叶林物种多样性指数空间分布特征

生态学模式和生态学过程都具有尺度效应,研究取样尺度与物种多样性之间的关系,探索物种多样性空间分布的内在机制有助于更好地理解植物群落结构及其组织方式.作者研究了鼎湖山季风常绿阔叶林20 ha样地中Simpson指数、Shannon-Weiner指数和Pielou均匀度指数在空间上的分布特征及其与取样尺度的关系,并采用方差和变异系数描述它们的空间变异特征.结果表明,这3种指数均表现出较强的区域性分布特征,且这种区域性特征与取样尺度有关.它们的方差随尺度的增加都表现出单峰分布的特征,在80 m×100 m尺度上达到最大值;而变异系数则随尺度的增加而减小,其中Shannon-Weiner指数和Pielou均匀度指数在＜20 m×25 m尺度上,其变异系数急剧减小,之后则较为平缓.本研究结果表明在分析鼎湖山季风常绿阔叶林20 ha样地物种多样性时应考虑尺度效应和取样区域.     

哀牢山亚热带常绿阔叶林与林外草地太阳辐射比较

太阳辐射是森林生态系统的主要能量来源,为探讨亚热带常绿阔叶林对太阳辐射的影响,本研究利用哀牢山亚热带森林生态系统研究站太阳辐射观测数据,对林外草地、林冠上的太阳辐射平衡各分量的年、季节变化特征进行了分析.结果表明:森林辐射的季节变化因随植被的变化而与林外草地辐射有所差异.森林有效辐射占总辐射的比率、反射率均低于林外草地,导致净辐射占总辐射比率高于后者.与我国各地的辐射分配率相比,哀牢山亚热带常绿阔叶林的净辐射占总辐射比率较高,反射率较低.总辐射与相近纬度同植被类型的鼎湖山、鹤山相比,分别高207.7和357.5MJ·m-2,这对生长在海拔2200m以上、温凉潮湿环境下的亚热带常绿阔叶林来说,显得异常重要.     

The spatio-temporal pattern of historical disturbances of an evergreen broadleaved forest in East China: a dendroecological analysis

Evergreen broadleaved forests (EBLF), the zonal forest ecosystem of the subtropical zone in east China, have been degraded from recent anthropogenic disturbance. Understanding the role of past disturbances in EBLFs would be helpful to the restoration of degraded EBLFs. We used dendroecological techniques to reconstruct the disturbance history of a secondary EBLF dominated by Schima superba and Castanopsis carlesii in Tiantong National Forest Park (29°48′N, 121°47′E), Zhejiang Province, East China. The disturbances were inferred from tree-ring growth release and long-term establishment patterns obtained from 91 overstory trees. The initial growth rates of these trees were compared to trees originating in the understory to evaluate the intensity of past disturbances. The spatial distribution patterns of disturbances were portrayed with tree mapping. The results revealed that there were five disturbances, averaging one disturbance per decade over the past half century. The first disturbance event was probably most intense given that most canopy trees established at that time and displayed high initial growth rates. The timing of the second disturbance event coincided with the documented selective logging. The last three disturbances, having lower tree growth responses and a clumped spatial distribution of gap creation, were probably the result of recurring typhoons. The first two disturbances led to tree regeneration and secondary succession, represented mainly by long-lived deciduous trees in the forest. The subsequent disturbances facilitated the stand development process, creating a complex three-dimensional structure from a pre-existing single-age cohort. This study suggests that EBLFs affected by large disturbances can recover in a few decades and the frequent gap disturbances probably facilitate its process in the early successional stages.     

亚热带常绿阔叶林89种木本植物一级根直径的变异

细根直径变异是根系形态变化的常见形式, 对细根变异研究具有重要意义。为了揭示亚热带天然常绿阔叶林一级根直径变异特征, 该研究选取福建省建瓯市万木林自然保护区天然常绿阔叶林的89种木本植物进行研究。每个树种选取胸径或地径相近的3株, 用完整土块法进行根系取样, 用根序法对根系进行分级。采用单因素方差分析分别检验叶片习性(常绿、落叶树种)、生长型(乔木、小乔木或灌木、灌木)和主要科之间一级根直径的差异; 通过计算Blomberg’s K值以检验系统发育信号; 利用线性回归方法, 分析科水平的分化时间与一级根直径的相关性。结果显示: 1)亚热带常绿阔叶林一级根直径变异系数为23%; 2)常绿树种与落叶树种一级根直径没有显著差异, 但灌木一级根直径显著小于小乔木或灌木、乔木; 3)一级根直径系统发育信号不显著, 科水平分化时间与一级根直径呈正相关关系。研究结果表明, 亚热带天然常绿阔叶林木本植物一级根直径变异受系统发育影响较小, 但受生长型影响, 表现为一定的趋同适应。