The modification in structure, composition, and diversity, shrub, as well as herb strata ofPinus koraiensis-Tilia amurensis-Abies nephrolepis forest after 16a of selection cutting in northeastern China was studied. In...The modification in structure, composition, and diversity, shrub, as well as herb strata ofPinus koraiensis-Tilia amurensis-Abies nephrolepis forest after 16a of selection cutting in northeastern China was studied. In the selection cutting forest, individuals with small DBH classes characterized size distribution. The virgin forest, on the other hand, was mainly composed of individuals having larger DBH classes. The density of dominant species and the species diversity at tree stratum in the selection-cutting stand was significantly larger than that of in the primeval forest. The shrub layer also showed a similar result. However, the herb layer had comparatively low species diversity. Large growing space and strong light in the artificial gaps must have provided opportunities for the species of shade tolerance or shade intolerance to establish on the stand. The juveniles of non-pioneer species, which were hardly found in highly shaded virgin forest, were also released by the disturbance. Regeneration in the selection-cutting stand was prompted by the disturbance, where the density of saplings occurred nearly 3 times as much as that in the virgin stand. The growth of shrub layer was improved due to the alteration in light condition. The projection volume of the herb layer was less affected. Restoration of a semi-virgin forest to the original status after selection cutting could be possible in several decades. However, for those subjected to clear cutting, it might take several centuries. In order to promote biodiversity, it is reasonable to practice selection cutting in communities for consisting of species with various levels of shade tolerance.展开更多
Forest management such as timber harvesting shapes fire regimes and landscape patterns, and these patterns often differ significantly from those under natural disturbances. Our objective was to examine the effects of ...Forest management such as timber harvesting shapes fire regimes and landscape patterns, and these patterns often differ significantly from those under natural disturbances. Our objective was to examine the effects of timber harvesting modes on fire regimes and landscape patterns in a boreal forest of Northeast China. We used a spatially explicit landscape model, LANDIS, to simulate the changes of forest landscape in the Huzhong forest region of the Great Khingan Mountains under no-cutting, clear-cutting, gradual-cutting and selective-cutting modes. Results showed that：（1） the fine fuel loadings generally decreased while the coarse fuel loadings increased with the increase of timber harvesting intensity;（2） the potential burn area significantly varied among different cutting modes, but the potential fire frequency had no obvious difference. Moreover, timber harvesting generally increased the potential fire risk;（3） clear-cutting mode significantly decreased the mean patch size and the aggregation of larch forests and increased the mean patch size and the aggregation of white birch forests. Therefore, clear-cutting mode should be abandoned, and selective-cutting mode be recommended for the sustainable forest management in the Great Khingan Mountains.展开更多
文摘The modification in structure, composition, and diversity, shrub, as well as herb strata ofPinus koraiensis-Tilia amurensis-Abies nephrolepis forest after 16a of selection cutting in northeastern China was studied. In the selection cutting forest, individuals with small DBH classes characterized size distribution. The virgin forest, on the other hand, was mainly composed of individuals having larger DBH classes. The density of dominant species and the species diversity at tree stratum in the selection-cutting stand was significantly larger than that of in the primeval forest. The shrub layer also showed a similar result. However, the herb layer had comparatively low species diversity. Large growing space and strong light in the artificial gaps must have provided opportunities for the species of shade tolerance or shade intolerance to establish on the stand. The juveniles of non-pioneer species, which were hardly found in highly shaded virgin forest, were also released by the disturbance. Regeneration in the selection-cutting stand was prompted by the disturbance, where the density of saplings occurred nearly 3 times as much as that in the virgin stand. The growth of shrub layer was improved due to the alteration in light condition. The projection volume of the herb layer was less affected. Restoration of a semi-virgin forest to the original status after selection cutting could be possible in several decades. However, for those subjected to clear cutting, it might take several centuries. In order to promote biodiversity, it is reasonable to practice selection cutting in communities for consisting of species with various levels of shade tolerance.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (41201185, 31070422, 41271201)the Strategic Priority Research Program of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (XDA05050201)the Agricultural Science and Technology Research Projects Foundation of Shenyang (F13-146-3-00)
文摘Forest management such as timber harvesting shapes fire regimes and landscape patterns, and these patterns often differ significantly from those under natural disturbances. Our objective was to examine the effects of timber harvesting modes on fire regimes and landscape patterns in a boreal forest of Northeast China. We used a spatially explicit landscape model, LANDIS, to simulate the changes of forest landscape in the Huzhong forest region of the Great Khingan Mountains under no-cutting, clear-cutting, gradual-cutting and selective-cutting modes. Results showed that：（1） the fine fuel loadings generally decreased while the coarse fuel loadings increased with the increase of timber harvesting intensity;（2） the potential burn area significantly varied among different cutting modes, but the potential fire frequency had no obvious difference. Moreover, timber harvesting generally increased the potential fire risk;（3） clear-cutting mode significantly decreased the mean patch size and the aggregation of larch forests and increased the mean patch size and the aggregation of white birch forests. Therefore, clear-cutting mode should be abandoned, and selective-cutting mode be recommended for the sustainable forest management in the Great Khingan Mountains.
