Overstory functional groups indicate the legacy of land use in a secondary tropical forest in southwestern China

Anthropogenic disturbances are widespread in tropical forests and influence the species composition in the overstory.However,the impacts of historical disturbance on tropical forest overstory recovery are unclear due to a lack of disturbance data,and previous studies have focused on understory species.In this study,the purpose was to deter-mine the influence of historical disturbance on the diver-sity,composition and regeneration of overstory species in present forests.In the 20-ha Xishuangbanna tropical sea-sonal rainforest dynamics plot in southwestern China,the historical disturbance boundaries were delineated based on panchromatic photographs from 1965.Factors that drove species clustering in the overstory layer(DBH≥40 cm)were analyzed and the abundance,richness and composition of these species were compared among different tree groups based on multiple regression tree analysis.The coefficient of variation of the brightness value in historical panchro-matic photographs from 1965 was the primary driver of spe-cies clustering in the overstory layer.The abundance and richness of overstory species throughout the regeneration process were similar,but species composition was always different.Although the proportion of large-seeded and vigorous-sprouting species showed no significant differ-ence between disturbed and undisturbed forests in the tree-let layer(DBH<20 cm),the difference became significant when DBH increased.The findings highlight that historical disturbances have strong legacy effects on functional group composition in the overstory and the recovery of overstory species was multidimensional.Functional group composi-tion can better indicate the dynamics of overstory species replacement during secondary succession.

Characteristics of Environment Factors in Secondary Poplar-Birch Forests after Mutual-Belt Selective Cutting

The mutual-belt selective cutting was conducted in the secondary poplar-birch forests. The changes of environmental factors after cutting were observed. The environmental factors of effect belts(cutting belts) of 15m in width had great changes. 10-m effect belts had unnoticed changes in environmental factors. The reserved belts with 10-m effect belts had a greater increase in DBH growth rate and volume growth rate. The reserved belts for 6-m and 8-m effect belts had lower increase in DBH and volume. The environmental factors of 6-m and 8-m effect belts did not change much. comparing with their reserved belts. Cluster analysis and principal component analysis for environmental factors between each two belts were also made. and the results proved that 10-m cutting belt is the best way for management of the secondary poplar-birch forests.

Composition and Distribution of Soil Spider Assemblages in Three Natural Secondary Forests in Ziwuling, Gansu

Soil spiders were pitfall-trapped once every month in three forest vegetation types of Ziwuling natural secondary forest region, Gansu Province from April to October, 2004. A total of 2 164 spiders were collected, belonging to 43 species in 19 families, captured in 630 pitfall trap collections. Linyphiidae, Gnaphosidae and Lycosodae were found to be the dominant families in all habitat types, and the composition of soil spider assemblages was different between the three habitats. Ecological indices of diversity, richness and evenness were significantly different between the three habitats （ P 〈 0.05）. The relative abundance of guilds （based on numbers of individuals） varied greatly （P 〈 0.01）, which may releet resource availability within habitat types. The existence of different patterns within the assemblages reflects the importance of maintaining habitat heterogeneity and vegetation types in order to preserve soil spider biodiversity.

Structure changes and succession dynamic of the natural secondary forest after severe fire interference

The structure and dynamic succession law of natural secondary forest after severe fire interference in recent 20 years were studied by adopting the method of deducing time series from the spatial sequence of vegetation in Heihe region, Heilongjiang, China. Two typical and widely distributed forest types in the study area, namely forest type A and forest type B, were selected as study subjects. Forest type A is pure broadleaf forest or broadleaf mixed forest mainly composing of superior Betula platyphylla and Populus davidiana in the area with gradient 〈25°, while forest type B is pure forest or mixed forest composing of superior Quercus mongolica and Betula davurica in the area with gradient 〉25°. Species richness, vegetation coverage, important value, and similarity index of commtmity in different layers （Herb, shrub, small tree, and arbor layers） were investigated and analyzed for the two typical forests. The results show that after fire interference, the species richness and coverage in each layer in forest type A were higher than that in forest type B. Both for forest type A and B, with elapse of post-fire years, the species richness and coverage of herbs and shrubs showed a decline tendency, while those of arbor layer present a rising tendency. Through comparison of the important values of species in each layer and analysis of community structure changes, the dynamic process of post-fire vegetation succession for forest type A and B was separately determined. Post-fire 80 years＇ succession tendency of forest type A is B. platyphylla and Larix gmelinii mixed forest. Its shrub layer is mainly composed of Corylus heterophylla and Vaccinium uliginosum, and herb layer is dominated by Carex tristachya, Athyrium multidentatum, and Pyrola incarnate; whereas, the post-fire 80 years＇ succession of forest type B is Q. mongolica and B. davurica mixed forest. Its shrub layer is mainly composed of lespedeza bicolar and corylus heterophylla and herb layer is dominated by Carex tristachya, Asparagus densiflorus, and Hemerocallis minor.

Dynamic change of arborous species diversity in natural secondary forests after selective cutting on the north slope of Changbai Mountain, Northeast China

The community characteristics of natural secondary forests on the north slope of Changbai Mountain after selective cutting were investigated, and the dynamics of arborous species diversity during the restoration period of 28 years were studied. The results showed that the arborous species richness (S) had little change and kept the range of 18-22 all along, the Simpson index (D) of the secondary layer and regeneration layer and whole stand had similar trends of change, but that of the canopy layer descended slowly in initial 15 years and had little change later, and the change of diversity index was not obvious and the Shannon-Wiener index (H? fluctuated in a very small scopes (H±10%).

Spatial connectivity and distribution of landscape type in the natural secondary forests of eastern mountainous region,northeast China——a case study of Mao'ershan region in Heilongjiang Province

Mao'ershan region is representative in the natural secondary forested region of the eastern mountainous region, northeast China. The landscape nearest neighbor index and landscape connectivity index were calculated with ARC/INFO software for Mao'ershan region. The spatial distribution of the landscape of the region was analyzed. The results showed that the landscape connectivity index of non-woodland was significantly higher than that of woodland. The landscape connectivity index of natural forest was nearly equal to zero, which means its fragmentation degree is high. The nearest neighbor index of plantation was lower than that of natural forest and non-forestland. Among the man-made forests, the distance index of the coniferous mixed plantation is the lowest, and its pattern is nearly glomeration. The landscape pattern of natural forest presented nearly random distribution. Among non-forest land, the distance index of cut blank was the lowest, and its pattern was also nearly glomeration. Keywords Landscape type - Landscape pattern - Nearest neighbor index - Landscape connectivity index - Natural secondary forest - Northeast China CLC number S759.92 Document code A Foundation item: This paper was supported by the Key Project of State Department of Science Technology (2002BA515B040).Biography: LI SHu-juan (1977), female. Lecture in Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266003, P. R. China.Responsible editor: Zhu Hong

Spatial pattern of dominant tree species of the secondary monsoon rain forest in Lianjiang, Guangdong Province

Based on the summed dominance ratios of species in sample plots, the first three dominant species (Litchi chinensis, Elaeocarpus sylvestris and Canarium album) of the secondary monsoon rain forest of Mt. Royal Shoe in Lianjiang City, western Guangdong, were chosen for analyzing their spatial distribution pattern with the analysis methods such as frequency models of Poisson Distribution, Two Negative Items Distribution, Neyman Distribution, aggregate indexes, Taylor exponential equation and Iwao’s equation modeling. The results showed that these three species distributed in the congregate spatial pattern. Litchi chinensis and Elaeocarpus sylvestris had the characteristic of basic congregate population and attractive characteristic between their plants. The patterns for Canarium album may change and become more evenly distributed with the increase of density. The overall species spatial pattern also depended on the conservation of the secondary monsoon rain forest besides it was affected by the species reproduction characteristics and its growing environment. The congregate spatial patterns of three dominant species showed that it is important to conserve forest urgent conservation of the forest.

Microbial biomass in subtropical forest soils： effect of conversion of natural secondary broad-leaved forest to Cunninghamia lanceolata plantation

Conversion of natural secondary broad-leaved forest to Cunninghamia lanceolata plantation is a common management practice in subtropical China. In this study, we compared soil physico-chemical properties, microbial biomass in one natural secondary broad-leaved forest and two C. lanceolata plantation sites to estimate the effects of forest conversion on soil microbial biomass at the Huitong Experimental Station of Forestry Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences. Concentrations of soil organic carbon, total nitrogen, NH4^＋-N and microbial biomass carbon and nitrogen were much lower under C. lanceolata plantations as compared to natural secondary broad-leaved forest. Soil microbial biomass C in the first and second rotation of C. lanceolata plantations was only 53%, 46% of that in natural secondary broad-leaved forest, and microbial biomass N was 97% and 79%, respectively. The contribution of microbial biomass C to soil organic C was also lower in the plantation sites. However, the contribution of microbial N to total nitrogen and NH4^＋-N was greater in the C. lanceolata plantation sites. Therefore, conversion of natural secondary broad-leaved forest to C. lanceolata plantation and continuous planting of C. lanceolata led to the decline in soil microbial biomass and the degradation of forest soil in subtropical China.

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.

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.

Biomass increment and mortality losses in tropical secondary forests of Hainan, China

Secondary forests, created after heavy logging,are an important part of China's forests. We investigated forest biomass and its accumulation rate in 38 plots in a tropical secondary forest on Hainan Island. These secondary forests are moderate carbon sinks, averaging1.96–2.17 t C ha-1 a-1. Biomass increment is largely by medium-sized(10–35 m) trees. Tree mortality accounts for almost 30% of the biomass and plays a negligible role in biomass accumulation estimates. Mortality rate is highly dependent on tree size. For small trees and seedlings, it is related to competition due to elevated irradiance after logging. Regarding prospective biomass and rates of accumulation, recovery is not as rapid as in secondary forests of cleared land. Therefore, tropical forests are susceptible to logging operations and need careful forest management.

NITROGEN NUTRIENT MECHANISM IN SECONDARY SUCCESSION PROCESS OF THE MIXED BROAD-LEAVED/ KOREAN PINE (PINUS KORAIENSIS) FOREST

Chemical and biochemical analysis methods were used to monitor the vedations of nitrogen nutrient among the dominance trees species in secondary succession process of the mixed broad - leaved/Korean pine forest on Changbai Mountains, Northeast China. Amounts of total nitrogen, anunonium and NRA in soils of virgin broad-leaved/Korean pine forest which is in climax were higher than those of secondary birch forests those are in succession Stage. The amount of nitrate was in the other hand. In climax, dominance trees species are tolerant mesophytic trees such as Pinus Koraiensis, Tilia amurensis, Acer mono and also Fraxinus mandshurica, they are all ammonium + nitrate adapted species, but they show a preference for the anunonium rather than those of the pioneer trees species in secondary birch forest, such as Populus davidiava and Betula platyphylla. Because they have more ammonium in their leaves and roots, especially Pinus koraiensis. Populus davidvana and Betula plaaphlla are intolerant trees, amounts of nitrate and total nitrogen is higher in their leaves and roots and also NRA in their leaves, so they preference for the nitrate rather than the others.In secondary birch forest, the regeneration trees species adapt their nitroggn nutrient to the variation of nitrogen nutrient situation in soil, finally they could survival well and the secondary birch forest would succession to climax. In climax, dominance trees species adapt their Nitrogen nutrient to the situation in soil and there are not strong competition in nitrogen nutrient among them, so they can coexist well and keep the climax as stable vegetation.

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.

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.

Hydrochemical Characteristics and Ion Transfer of Rainfall of Betula Platyphylla Secondary Forest in Xiaowutai Mountain

In order to study hydrochemical characteristics and ion transfer of annual rainfall of Betula platyphylla secondary forest,water samples of rainfall,throughfall,stemflow,litter infiltration water and slope runoff of Betula platyphylla secondary forest in the early growth stage,fastgrowing stage and growth decline stage in Shanjiankou watershed of Xiaowutai Mountain and nine indexes of pH,Ca^2+,Mg^2+,K+,Na+,Zn^2+,Mn^2+,Fe^2+ and Cu^2+ were determined.The results showed that:①The annual rainfall was weakly alkaline,and the ion concentration in different stages was obviously different.According to the ratio of the maximum concentration to the minimum concentration of the same ion,the rank was Mg^2+ > Mn^2+ >Na+ > K+ > Ca^2+ > Cu^2+ > Fe^2+ > Zn^2+.②Compared with the rainfall in the same period,in the early growth stage,Mg^2+,Mn^2+,Na+,K+,Ca^2+,Fe^2+ and Zn^2+ showed leaching loss in each distribution process.In the fastgrowing stage,Ca^2+,Mn^2+ and Fe^2+ showed leaching loss in each distribution process;Mg^2+ showed absorption,Na+ showed leaching loss in slope runoff and showed absorption in other process.K+ showed leaching loss in stemflow and showed absorption in other process.Zn^2+ showed absorption in stemflow and slope runoff and showed a little leaching loss in other process.In the late growth stage,Ca^2+,Mg^2+,Zn^2+,Mn^2+ and Fe^2+ showed leaching loss in each distribution process;Na+ and Cu^2+ showed absorption;K+ showed absorption in stemflow and showed leaching loss in other process.Most of the rainfall and metal ions in Betula platyphylla secondary forest were intercepted by litter layer.

Spatial patterns and storage composition of woody debris in a natural secondary forest dominated by Pinus tabulaeformis on Loess Plateau, China

Woody debris(WD) is an important par of natural Pinus tabulaeformis mixed stands, and i affects the forest ecosystem stability and developmen The WD spatial patterns are especially importan structural characteristics that can provide insights into forest dynamics. In this paper, the WD storage WD spatial patterns and WD associations among the main species were examined in the natural secondary forest on Loess Plateau in northwest China. Data were collected in a 1 ha(100 m × 100 m) permanent plot and all the trees with a diameter at breast height o more than 3 cm were measured and stem-mapped Ripley's K functions from the spatial-point-pattern analysis method were used to analyze the spatia distribution and associations. The results showed tha(1) The total storage of WD was 10.73 t/ha, fallen wood was the main source of WD, and the majority diameters were greater than 20 cm, and in intermediate levels of decay;(2) The overall spatia pattern was closely related to the spatial scale, which exhibited an aggregated pattern on a small scale, and a random pattern on a large scale. The spatia patterns of coarse woody debris also gradually transitioned from an aggregated pattern in fine scales to a random pattern in broader spatial scales, which matched the overall spatial pattern. The spatial intensity was gradually decreased with the increasing diameters, and increased with the decomposition classes;(3) The WD of Pinus tabulaeformis species was negatively associated with Betula platyphylla and Populus davidiana on a small scale but positively associated with these species on a large scale. The spatial pattern and interspecies relations were the results of long-term interactions between the natural secondary forest community and the surrounding natural environment. These findings would provide a scientific basis for the sustainable management and protection of natural secondary forest ecosystems on Loess Plateau.

THE WAY OF RESTORING AND REESTABLISHING BROADLEAVED/CONIFEROUS MIXED FOREST ECOSYSTEM FROM SECONDARY FOREST OF MONGOLIAN OAK

The necessity,basis,characteristic and methods of restoring and reestabling broadleaved/coniferous mixed forest ecosystem from the secondary forest of Mongolian oak(Quercus mongolica)are briefly set forth;then several effective methods of restoration and reestablishment are put forward and discussed as follows:openning up effect belt or island to establish horizontal order mixture;replenishing the blank niche to make vertical orderly mix-ture;planting artificial mixed forest to create biological diversity;developing ecological forestry,establishing integrated agroforestry ecosystem;and closing the land for forest and pre-serving some stands considering special conditions and demads.

SECONDARY SUCCESSION OF NATURAL KOREAN PINE FORESTS

The secondary succession of natural Korean pine(Pinus koraiensis ) forests in Fenglin Nature Reserv, located at northem section of south slope of Xiaoxing’an Mountains, Heilongjiang, wasinvestigated . The currat forest types are ropreseded by broadleaved mixed forests dominated bywhite birch (Betula platyphylla ) and broadleaved-coniferous mixed forest dominated by larch(Larix gmelini). The secondary forests developed after a fire in 1931. Studied results showed that conderousspecies and hardwod species could replace the pioneer species together and the secondary forestscould reach the climax community without passing the hard broadleaved Stage. As the pioneer speciesfor replacing Korean pine, the oak forest was faster, the following was white birch forest, and the lastwas lawh-white birch fotal. For replacing spruce, the white birch forest and larch-white birch foresthad best results and the following was poplar forest and oak forest. White birch forest and larch-whitebirch forest had best result in replacing fir forest.

Structure changes and succession dynamic of the natural secondary forest after severe fire interference

The structure and dynamic succession law of natural secondary forest after severe fire interference in recent 20 years were studied by adopting the method of deducing time series from the spatial sequence of vegetation in Heihe region, Heilongjiang, China.Two typical and widely distributed forest types in the study area, namely forest type A and forest type B, were selected as study subjects.Forest type A is pure broadleaf forest or broadleaf mixed forest mainly composing of superior Betula platyphylla and Populus davidiana in the area with gradient <25°, while forest type B is pure forest or mixed forest composing of superior Quercus mongolica and Betula davurica in the area with gradient >25°.Species richness, vegetation coverage, important value, and similarity index of community in different layers(Herb, shrub, small tree, and arbor layers) were investigated and analyzed for the two typical forests.The results show that after fire interference, the species richness and coverage in each layer in forest type A were higher than that in forest type B.Both for forest type A and B, with elapse of post-fire years, the species richness and coverage of herbs and shrubs showed a decline tendency, while those of arbor layer present a rising tendency.Through comparison of the important values of species in each layer and analysis of community structure changes, the dynamic process of post-fire vegetation succession for forest type A and B was separately determined.Post-fire 80 years' succession tendency of forest type A is B.platyphylla and Larix gmelinii mixed forest.Its shrub layer is mainly composed of Corylus heterophylla and Vaccinium uliginosum, and herb layer is dominated by Carex tristachya, Athyrium multidentatum, and Pyrola incarnate;whereas, the post-fire 80 years' succession of forest type B is Q.mongolica and B.davurica mixed forest.Its shrub layer is mainly composed of lespedeza bicolar and corylus heterophylla and herb layer is dominated by Carex tristachya, Asparagus densiflorus, and Hemerocallis minor.

COMMUNITY ECOLOGY OF POPLAR-BIRCH FOREST IN CHINA

The community ecology of Poplar-Birch forest in China was studied. It includes the distribution, classification. structure. growth.regeneration, succession and forest management. Research direction of community ecology and forest management for PoplarBirch forest was pointed out. Further studies should be made on the relation between stand and ecological environment. the structure and dynamics. nursery role to needle leave trees,target cultivation and classification management. management of the second generation forest and the third generation forest.