Larch caterpillar (Dendrolimus superans) is very common in the Da Hinggan Mountains, Northeast China, affecting fire regime and forest ecosystem change at large spatio-temporal scales. In this study, we used a spatial...Larch caterpillar (Dendrolimus superans) is very common in the Da Hinggan Mountains, Northeast China, affecting fire regime and forest ecosystem change at large spatio-temporal scales. In this study, we used a spatially explicit landscape model, LANDIS, to simulate the changes of fire regime and forest landscape under four larch caterpillar disturbance intensity levels scenarios in Huzhong forest area, northern of Da Hinggan Mountains. The results indicate that larch caterpillar disturbances would decrease fine fuel load and increase coarse fuel load in the 300 simulation years. Larch caterpillar disturbances would decrease fire frequency in the first 200 years, and the disturbances also decrease fire intensity and fire risk in the early and late stage of simulation. Larch caterpillar disturbances would decrease the area percent of larch cohorts and increase the proportion of white birch, and increase the degree of aggregation of white birch as a result of its strong seed dispersal and colonization ability. Disturbances would also decrease the mature and over-mature larch cohorts and increase all cohorts of white birch, especially the mature and over-mature cohorts. Larch caterpillar disturbances will decrease the stability of forest landscape, therefore,some measures preventing in- sect outbreak and ensuring the sustainable management of forest ecosystem should been taken in the study area.展开更多
基金Under the auspices of National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.31070422,40871245)Strategic Priority Research Program of Chinese Academy of Sciences(No.XDA05050201)
文摘Larch caterpillar (Dendrolimus superans) is very common in the Da Hinggan Mountains, Northeast China, affecting fire regime and forest ecosystem change at large spatio-temporal scales. In this study, we used a spatially explicit landscape model, LANDIS, to simulate the changes of fire regime and forest landscape under four larch caterpillar disturbance intensity levels scenarios in Huzhong forest area, northern of Da Hinggan Mountains. The results indicate that larch caterpillar disturbances would decrease fine fuel load and increase coarse fuel load in the 300 simulation years. Larch caterpillar disturbances would decrease fire frequency in the first 200 years, and the disturbances also decrease fire intensity and fire risk in the early and late stage of simulation. Larch caterpillar disturbances would decrease the area percent of larch cohorts and increase the proportion of white birch, and increase the degree of aggregation of white birch as a result of its strong seed dispersal and colonization ability. Disturbances would also decrease the mature and over-mature larch cohorts and increase all cohorts of white birch, especially the mature and over-mature cohorts. Larch caterpillar disturbances will decrease the stability of forest landscape, therefore,some measures preventing in- sect outbreak and ensuring the sustainable management of forest ecosystem should been taken in the study area.
