Spatial pattern dynamics among co-dominant populations in early secondary forests in Southwest China

The canopy of subtropical natural forests usually consists of several co-dominant populations(CDPs),which play a crucial role in forest structure,formation of the forest environment,and ecological function.However,little attention has been given to changes in spatial patterns in CDPs during natural succession.Cyclobalanopsis glauca(Thunb.)Oerst.,Quercus variabilis Blume,and Pinus yunnanensis var.tenuifolia W.C.Cheng & Y.W.Law are canopy species that form CDPs in zonal forests along the Nanpan River in southwest China.We used the g(r) function and its bivariate distribution model,g_(12)(r),which is based on distances between pairs of points,to explore the dynamics of the three CDP species with respect to distribution patterns and spatial correlations in two secondary forests(one 30-year-old forest [30-YF] and one 57-year-old forest [57-YF]).The following key results were obtained:(1) there was a clumped pattern in the 30-YF,but the intensity of aggregation varied among populations and life stages.The distribution pattern gradually shifted to become random with longer succes sion time(i.e.,30-YF vs.57-YF),expansion of the observation scale(r=0-20 m),and at later life stages.(2) Aside from the mid-sized C.glauca trees and large P.yunnanensis trees,the trees repulsed each other at certain scales(r=0-2,5-6,11-12,14-16 m) in the 30-YF.Almost all of the life stages in the CDPs were independently correlated.This independent correlation was exacerbated by a longer succession time.(3) An increase in life stages and longer succession also promoted independent changes in intraspecific correlations.(4) Intraspecific correlations were stronger than interspecific correlations.Our results showed that reducing exclusive competition is essential to coexistence in CDPs.Inter-and intra-specific repulsion may occur at the same time,but intraspecific repulsion was the main driving force behind the random distributions and independent correlations.

Drivers of spatial structure in thinned forests

Background:As is widely known,an increasing number of forest areas were managed to preserve and enhance the health of forest ecosystems.However,previous research on forest management has often overlooked the importance of structure-based.Aims:Our objectives were to define the direction of structure-based forest management.Subsequently,we investigated the relationships between forest structure and the regeneration,growth,and mortality of trees under different thinning treatments.Ultimately,the drivers of forest structural change were explored.Methods:On the basis of 92 sites selected from northeastern China,with different recovery time (from 1 to 15years) and different thinning intensities (0–59.9%) since the last thinning.Principal component analysis (PCA)identified relationships among factors determining forest spatial structure.The structural equation model (SEM)was used to analyze the driving factors behind the changes in forest spatial structure after thinning.Results:Light thinning (0–20%trees removed) promoted forest regeneration,and heavy thinning (over 35% of trees removed) facilitated forest growth.However,only moderate thinning (20%–35%trees removed) created a reasonable spatial structure.While dead trees were clustered,and they were hardly affected by thinning intensity.Additionally,thinning intensity,recovery time,and altitude indirectly improve the spatial structure of the forest by influencing diameter at breast height (DBH) and canopy area.Conclusion:Creating larger DBH and canopy area through thinning will promote the formation of complex forest structures,which cultivates healthy and stable forests.

Leaf nutrient dynamics and nutrient resorption:a comparison between larch plantations and adjacent secondary forests in Northeast China

Aims Conversion of secondary forests to pure larch plantations is a common management practice driven by the increasing demand for timber production in Northeast China,resulting in a reduction in soil nutrient availability after a certain number of years following conversion.Nutrient resorption prior to leaf senescence was related to soil fertility,an important nutrient conservation strategy for plants,being especially significant in nutrient-poor habitats.However,the seasonal dynamics of leaf nutrients and nutrient resorption in response to secondary forest conversion to larch plantations is not well understood.Methods A comparative experiment between larch plantations(Larix spp.)and adjacent secondary forests(dominant tree species including Quercus mongolica,Acer mono,Juglans mandshurica and Fraxinus rhynchophylla)was conducted.We examined the variations in leaf nutrient(macronutrients:N,P,K,Ca and Mg;micronutrients:Cu and Zn)concentrations of these tree species during the growing season from May to October in 2013.Nutrient resorption efficiency and proficiency were compared between Larix spp.and the broadleaved species in the secondary forests.Important Findings Results show that the seasonal variation of nutrient concentrations in leaves generally exhibited two trends,one was a downward trend for N,P,K,Cu and Zn,and another was an upward trend for Ca and Mg.The variations in foliar nutrient concentrations were mainly controlled by the developmental stage of leaves rather than by tree species.Resorption of the observed seven elements varied among the five tree species during leaf senescence.Nutrient resorption efficiency varied 6–75%of N,P,K,Mg,Cu and Zn,while Ca was not retranslocated in the senescing leaves of all species,and Mg was not retranslocated in Larix spp.Generally,Larix spp.tended to be more efficient and proficient(higher than 6–30%and 2–271%of nutrient resorption efficiency and resorption proficiency,respectively)in resorbing nutrients than the broadleaved species in the secondary forests,indicating that larch plantations had higher leaf nutrient resorption and thus nutrient use efficiency.Compared with Larix spp.,more nutrients would remain in the leaf litter of the secondary forests,indicating an advantage of secondary forests in sustaining soil fertility.In contrast,the larch plantation would reuse internal nutrients rather than lose nutrients with litter fall and thus produce a positive feedback to soil nutrient availability.In summary,our results suggest that conversion from secondary forests to pure larch plantations would alter nutrient cycling through a plantmediated pathway.

Effects of logging on the trade-off between seed and sprout regeneration of dominant woody species in secondary forests of the Natural Forest Protection Project of China

Background:Promoting natural regeneration(including seed and sprout regeneration)of dominant woody species is essential for restoring secondary forests.However,such restoration processes have been decelerated by the enclosure under Natural Forest Protection Project of China(NFPP).It remains unclear how to implement appropriate management measures(e.g.,whether to apply logging and the suitable intensity)to facilitate natural regeneration according to the responses of two regeneration modes to management measures.We monitored the early stages of seed regeneration(seed rain,soil seed bank,and 1–3-year-old seedlings)and sprout regeneration(stump sprout rate,stump survival rate,probability of sprouting,and number of sprouts per stump)over the first 3 years(2017–2019)after logging under three intensity regimes(control[0%],25%,and 50%logging intensity)in secondary forests.Results:The seed rain density decreased markedly,seedling density increased insignificantly after logging,and logging promoted seedling survival at an increasing conversion rate of 3-year-old seedlings(37.5%under 0%,100%under 25%,and 80.95%under 50%logging)compared to those of the control.The proportion of 3-year-old seedlings increased with logging intensity and was the highest(16.2%)at 50%logging intensity.Sprout density was not affected by logging intensity,however,under 25%and 50%logging,it decreased by 27%and 6%in 2018,and by 37%and 33%in 2019,respectively.Seedling density was 41.65-and 15.31-fold higher than that of sprouts in the 50%and 25%logging treatments,respectively.Based on the relative contributions of the two regeneration modes after logging,three groups of natural regeneration patterns were classified for dominant woody species in temperate secondary forests,i.e.,seed regeneration preference(Betula dahurica,Carpinus cordata and Fraxinus mandshurica),sprout regeneration preference(Acer mono and Acer pseudosieboldianum)and no preference(Quercus mongolica,Fraxinus rhynchophylla,and Juglans mandshurica).Conclusion:In addition to enclosure,appropriate logging can be applied according to the responses of various natural regeneration patterns of dominant woody species to logging in temperate secondary forests under the NFPP.

Intensities of human disturbance dictate the floral diversity in tropical forest:the case of a secondary forest in Benguet, Philippines

This study inventoried the floral diversity of a secondary forest in Tuba,Benguet,Philippines as affected by different intensities of human disturbance.This study is unique from other land use studies in Southeast Asia in having conventional farms as the most disturbed land use while other sites have oil palm plantations.A total of 267 species belonging to 222 genera and 78 families was documented.Results showed that the level of human disturbance is the major factor affecting the floral diversity while the effect of elevation is secondary.The level of human disturbance is significantly associated with species richness,species composition,dominant species and biodiversity indices.Greater human disturbance,as in the case of conventional farms,results in lower species richness,predominantly weed composition,dominant weed species and lower biodiversity indices.On the other hand,lesser human disturbance(as in the case of secondary forest)leads to higher species richness,greater native species composition,dominance of indigenous species,and higher diversity indices.The most disturbed land use experienced the greatest loss of species richness,change in floristic composition and vegetation structure,as well as a shift from native to alien-dominated plant communities.These results showed that the effect of land use change is not limited to species richness but also to species composition,dominant species and biodiversity indices.Locally,the study is an important baseline data for biodiversity conservation of the Marcos Highway Watershed Forest Reserve.

Relationship between species diversity and tree size in natural forests around the Tropic of Cancer

Although numerous hypotheses have been proposed to explain the patterns of species diversity of forests at local and landscape levels,it is still difficult to predict the alpha diversity of species,especially in tropical and subtropical natural forests where trees of different sizes and shapes are highly mixed.Size might characterize species diversity,and the possible correlation between these variables may contribute to the development of easy-to-use growth indicators to predict diversity and to understand the status of trees within a stand.In this study,diameter classes were divided using the equal diameter class(EDC)and minimum measured diameter(MMD)methods,and five species diversity indices were calculated for each diameter class of 14 permanent plots in five national nature reserves surrounding the Tropic of Cancer(23.5°),southwest China.The results show that species richness,abundance,and spatial diversity indices decreased in a typical inverted J-shape pattern with increasing diameter class and MMD,and could be easily modeled by a negative exponential function.The ShannonWiener index showed a linear decrease while Pielou’s evenness index displayed a linear increase,with a small degree of instability.The results suggest that species diversity in subtropical forests is closely related to tree size,and the relationship is possibly independent of habitat.Measuring DBH of some trees in a stand could be informative regarding species diversity and contribute to the investigation and assessment of biodiversity.

A Case Study of Forest Carbon Trade in China:Sino-Forest Funded Protection of Natural Secondary Forests in Heyuan City,Guangdong

Climate change has posed a great risk and treats to global environment.To address the problem,international community resorts to carbon emission reduction,and many countries have implemented afforestation and reforestation project under Clean Development Mechanism.China started the research and has done a great load of works on forest carbon trade as early as the year of 2002 to contribute to the carbon emission reduction.This paper introduces the implementation of forest carbon trade in Heyuan City,Guan...

Twenty years of population dynamics in European beech-oak forest at their rear range margin anticipate changes in its structure and composition

There is an increasing interest in restoring degraded forests,which occupy half of the forest areas.Among the forms of restoration,passive restoration,which involves the elimination of degrading factors and the free evolution of natural dynamics by applying minimal or no management,is gaining attention.Natural dynamics is difficult to predict due to the influence of multiple interacting factors such as climatic and edaphic conditions,composition and abundance of species,and the successional character of these species.Here,we study the natural dynamics of a mixed forest located in central Spain,which maintained an open forest structure,due to intensive use,until grazing and cutting were banned in the 1960s.The most frequent woody species in this forest are Fagus sylvatica,Quercus petraea,Quercus pyrenaica,Ilex aquifolium,Sorbus aucuparia,Sorbus aria and Prunus avium,with contrasting shade and drought tolerance.These species are common in temperate European deciduous forest and are found here near their southern distribution limit,except for Q.pyrenaica.In order to analyze forest dynamics and composition,three inventories were carried out in 1994,2005 and 2015.Our results show that,despite the Mediterranean influence,the natural dynamics of this forest has been mainly determined by different levels of shade tolerance.After the abandonment of grazing and cutting,Q.pyrenaica expanded rapidly due to its lower shade tolerance,whereas after canopy closure and forest densification,shade-tolerant species gained ground,particularly F.sylvatica,despite its lower drought and late-frost tolerance.If the current dynamics continue,F.sylvatica will overtake the rest of the species,which will be relegated to sites with shallow soils and steep slopes.Simultaneously,all the multi-centennial beech trees,which are undergoing a rapid mortality and decline process,will disappear.

Response of species and stand types to snow/wind damage in a temperate secondary forest,Northeast China

Snow/wind damage is one of the important natural disturbances in forest ecosystems,especially in a montane secondary forest.However,the effects of snow/wind damage remain unclear which affects the management of these forests.Therefore,we investigated the responses of species,individual tree traits and stand structure to snow/wind damage in a montane secondary forest.Results show that,amongst the canopy trees,Betula costata exhibited the most uprooting,bending and overall damage ratio(the number of damaged stems to the total number of stems in a plot); Quercus mongolica showed the highest breakage ratio and Fraxinus mandshurica and Juglans mandshurica the least overall damage ratios.Among the subcanopy trees,Carpinus cordata,Acer mono,Acer tegmentosum and Acer pseudo-sieboldianum showed the least uprooting and breakage,and the most bending damage.A.pseudo-sieboldianum demonstrated the lowest breakage and highest bending damage ratios.Thesefindings indicate that different species have various sensitivities to snow/wind damage.Larger trees(taller,wider crowns) tend to break and become uprooted,while smaller trees are bent or remain undamaged,suggesting that tree characteristics significantly influence the types of damage from snow and wind.Stands of Q.mongolica and B.costata had the highest damage ratios,whereas A.pseudosieboldianum had the lowest snapping ratio.In summary,the severity and type of snow/wind damage are related to individual tree attributes and stand-level characteristics.Therefore,selection of suitable species(e.g.,shorter,smaller with deep root systems,hard wood,bending resistance and compression resistance) and appropriate thinning are recommended for planting in the montane secondary forests.

Soil Nitrogen Status of Larch Plantations in Comparison with SecondaryBroad-leaved Forest

Soils were collected from.three neighboring forest sites: 36-year-old larch plantation, 11-year-old larch plantation, and natural secondary broad-leaved forest (as control). Soil pH, total C. totaI N, C/N ratio. and available N (NO3-N and NH4-N) were measured. Laboratory incubations of soil samples were conducted during a 50 days period for the measurement of nitrogen mineralization rate and nitrification potenial. The results proved a degeneration in soil nitrogen status with stand age of larch plantations, which implicated one important aspect of soil degradation when natural forest was replaced by coniferous plantations.

Species diversity and stability of natural secondary communities with different cutting intensities after ten years

Species diversity and stability of natural secondary communities in different layers with different cutting intensities 10 years later were investigated by calculating Marglef Richness index（R）,Shannon-Wiener diversity index（H）,Simpson diversity index（P）,and Pielou Evenness index（J）.Results show that the values of R,H and P among different layers are listed in a decreasing order：the shrub layer the arbor layer the herb layer,all the three indices values reach the maximum under medium selective cutting intensity after 10 years.The J value of the shrub layer shows a concave parabolic change with the increase in cutting intensity;it shows a linear increase for the arbor layer,whereas the J value of the herb layer shows an opposite change pattern.The values of R at different cutting intensities had high significant difference,but other indices had not significant difference.The stability of communities at different cutting intensities after 10 years is non-cutting low selective cutting intensity medium selective cutting intensity high selective cutting intensity extra-high intensity clear cutting.The stability of communities at different cutting intensities after 10 years shows that the greater cutting intensities,the worse the stability is.

Neighborhood diversity structure and neighborhood species richness effects differ across life stages in a subtropical natural secondary forest

Natural secondary forest has a strong capacity to regrow naturally and recover biodiversity rapidly on abandoned lands.However,at the neighborhood scale,which can truly reflect the facilitative or competitive interactions among individual plants,the local diversity spatial structure in secondary forest and the feedback effects of neighborhood diversity on natural regeneration remain unclear,and this may be the key to properly understand the mechanisms of natural secondary forest species diversity recovery.To this end,this study established a dynamic plot in a rehabilitated secondary forest after disturbance and conducted a comprehensive survey of 68,336 individual plants with repeated measurements at 5-year interval to assess the characteristics of neighborhood diversity structure across life history stages and link the neighborhood species richness(NSR)effect translated by species interactions at species diversity structure with individual trees recruitment/mortality in secondary forest regeneration.The results showed that,compared with tropical and temperate natural forests,a higher proportion of diversity accumulators and a lower proportion of repellers in subtropical secondary forests resulted in neighborhood diversity structures characterized by heterospecific or high-diversity patches,which are beneficial to the maintenance or restoration of biodiversity.As an important supplement to the research on the relationship between diversity and productivity,our findings show a positive diversity-survival relationship in subtropical secondary forests.Importantly,we observed that the neighborhood diversity structure exhibited a trend of accumulator-dominated to neutral-dominant changes with life stage from sapling to adult,which,in turn,determined the direction and strength of NSR effects on recruitment/mortality.Specifically,diverse local neighborhoods at a later successional stage characterized with‘neutral’species-species interactions can act as a‘welfare net’by offering favorable microhabitats for the most vulnerable recruitments or saplings,i.e.,the NSR effects that promoted individual recruitment/survival in our study.These results not only enrich our understanding of the biodiversity-productivity-survival relationship but also highlight the importance of retaining latesuccessional species of native trees in intensive forest production or in situ conservation policies.

Responses of terrestrial bryophytes to simulated climate change in a secondary evergreen broad-leaved forest in southern China

Tropical regions are biodiversity hotspots and are well-suited to explore the potential influence of global climate change on forest ecosystems. Bryophytes have essential ecological functions in tropical forest ecosystems, but knowledge of the potential impact of global warming and possible changes in water availability patterns on terrestrial bryophytes is limited. We transplanted eight terres- trial moss species from two elevations (900 and 500 m) to warmer and drier elevations (500 and 100 m) during a halfyear observation period on Tai Mo Shan, southern China. The simulated climate change resulted in severely declined health status and marked decrease in growth of the trans- planted species when compared with their performance at the original elevations. Five of the eight selected species survived for six months after being transplanted to the warmer and drier lowlands, though their health status deteriorated severely. Sematophyllum subhumile , Pseudotaxiphyllum pohliaecarpum and Brachythecium buchananii were highly susceptible to changes in temperature and rainfall patterns and might be used as suitable bioindicators. As the tropics are expected to become hotter and drier, terrestrial mosses might be negatively affected or even be at risk of extinction. Bryophytes in the tropics could represent one of the best biological communities to reflect the direct adverse impact of climate change and provide early warning of the biological outcomes induced by ongoing climate crisis.

The impact of landslides on chemical and microbial properties of soil in a temperate secondary forest ecosystem

In forest ecosystems,landslides are one of the most common natural disturbances,altering the physical,chemical and microbial characteristics of soil and thus further altering ecosystem properties and processes.Although secondary forests comprise more than 50%of global forests,the influence of landslides on the soil properties in these forests is underappreciated.Therefore,this study investigates the influence of landslides on the chemical and microbial nature of the soil.Study of these modifications is critical,as it provides baseline evidence for subsequent forest revegetation.We selected four independent landslides and adjacent secondary forest stands as references in a temperate secondary forest in northeastern China.Soils were obtained from each stand at 0–10 cm and 10–20 cm depths to determine chemical and microbial properties.Soil total carbon(TC),total nitrogen(TN),nitrate(NO_(3)^(-)-N),available phosphorus(P),microbial biomass carbon(MBC),microbial biomass nitrogen(MBN),microbial biomass phosphorus(MBP)and phenol oxidase,exoglucanase,β-glucosidase,N-acetyl-β-glucosaminidase,L-asparaginase and acid phosphatase activities were 29.3–70.1%lower at the 0–10 cm soil depth in the landslide sites than at the secondary forest sites,whereas total phosphorus(TP)and ammonium(NH_(4)^(+)-N)were unaffected by the landslides.N-related enzymes,N-acetyl-β-glucosaminidase and L-asparaginase were reduced by more than 65%in the landslide sites,consistent with the decrease in nitrate concentration at the same 0–10 cm depth.At a depth of 10–20 cm,the variations in the soil properties were consistent with those at the 0–10 cm depth.The results demonstrated that soil chemical and microbial properties were significantly disrupted after the landslides,even though the landslides had occurred 6 years earlier.A long time is thus needed to restore the original C and nutrient levels.In temperate secondary forests,soil TC and TN contents were found to be more suitable for estimating the state of soil restoration than soil TP content.

Impact of Terminal Bud Quality on the Growth of Different Growth Forms of Seedlings in Tropical Secondary Forest

Health condition and replacement time of terminal bud were selected as quality indexes of regenerated seedlings in 3 different growth forms to analyze their impact on seedling height and ground diameter. The results showed that quality of terminal bud was related to the seedling growth, the regenerated seedlings with healthy terminal buds but no replacement experienced the largest growth amount and slight damage of terminal bud or one replacement stimulated growth of ground diameter. Multiple replacements of terminal bud would reduce seedling quality and influence its growth. Exploration of the quality characters of seedlings helped to know the dynamic features of early seedling growth, and provided theoretical support for the tending operation to improve quality of natural tropical forest.

The effects of anthropogenic noise on nest predation with respect to predator species across different habitats and seasons

Noise pollution is a maj or component of sensory pollution that can disrupt the well-being and functioning of living organisms,affect a variety of life history traits in animals,and reduce their reproductive success.In this study,we used artificial nest experiments with noise manipulation to investigate the influence of anthropogenic noise on nest predation during the breeding and non-breeding seasons and in different forest habitats.We found that the noise treatment did not alter the predation rates or survival probabilities of birds in artificial nests.However,the diversity and species composition of nest predators in artificial pine forests varied between breeding and nonbreeding seasons,which may be explained by season-specific adaption of nest predators to bird nests or the unstable ecosystems of artificial forests.The diversity and species composition of nest predators differed between the different forests,probably because of differences in habitat heterogeneity.Predation time varied with treatment,season,and habitat,although most predators were nocturnal mammals.Niche segregation or changes in optimal foraging time may explain this phenomenon.

热带次生林利用方式与土壤微生物活性

热带次生林利用方式与土壤微生物活性许炼烽，朱伍坤（国家环保局华南环境科学研究所，广州５１０６５５）ＷａｙｓｏｆＵｔｉｌｉｚｉｎｇＴｒｏｐｉｃａｌＳｅｃｏｎｄａｒｙＦｏｒｅｓｔａｎｄＳｏｉｌＭｉｃｒｏｂｉａｌＡｃｔｉｖｉｔｙ．￥ＸｕＬｉａｎｆｅｎｇ；Ｚ...

Effects of forest cover types and environmental factors on soil respiration dynamics in a coastal sand dune of subtropical China

Trees on sand dunes are more sensitive to environmental changes because sandy soils have extremely low water holding capacity and nutrient availability. We investigated the dynamics of soil respiration(Rs) for secondary natural Litsea forest and plantations of casuarina,pine, acacia and eucalyptus. Results show that significant diurnal variations of Rsoccurred in autumn for the eucalyptus species and in summer for the pine species, with higher mean soil respiration at night. However, significant seasonal variations of Rswere found in all five forest stands. Rschanged exponentially with soil temperatures at the 10-cm depth; the models explain 43.3–77.0% of Rs variations. Positive relationships between seasonal Rsand soil moisture varied with stands. The correlations were significant only in the secondary forest, and the eucalyptus and pine plantations. The temperature sensitivity parameter(Q10 value) of Rsranged from 1.64 in casuarina plantation to 2.32 the in secondary forest; annual Rswas highest in the secondary forest and lowest in the pine plantation. The results indicate that soil temperatures and moisture are the primary environmental controls of soil respiration and mainly act through a direct influence on roots and microbial activity. Differences in root biomass, quality of litter,and soil properties(pH, total N, available P, and exchangeable Mg) were also significant factors.

Growth and photosynthetic responses of Fraxinus mandshurica seedlings to various light environments

To determine light requirement and adaptability of Fraxinus mandshurica seedlings, the seasonal variations of photosynthetic variables were measured in 3-year-old seedlings grown under four light levels （100%, 60%, 30%, and 15% of full sunlight） with a LI-6400 portable photosynthesis system. The leaf chlorophyll content, special leaf weight, annual height and basal diameter increment of seedlings were also observed. The maximum and minimum values of net photosynthetic rate, maximum rate of carboxylation, and maximum rate of electron transport of F. mandshurica seedlings were detected with 60% and 15% of full sunlight treatments, respectively. With the decrease of light level, both light saturation point and special leaf weight significantly declined （p 0.05）, but leaf chlorophyll content significantly increased （p 0.05）. Annual height and basal diameter increments of seedlings grown under 60% of full sunlight treatment were significantly greater than those of seedlings under other treatments （p 0.05）. It was concluded that F. mandshurica seedlings can adapt to a wide range of light environments from 15% to 100% of full sunlight by adjusting light saturation point, leaf chlorophyll content and special leaf weight. According to the maximum of relative growth, 60% of full sunlight treatment is the optimum light level for the growth of 3-year-old F. mandshurica seedlings.