Characters and Species Diversity of Torreya fargesii Franch. Community in the Jinfo Mountains

This paper aims to study characteristics and biodiversity of the Torreya fargesii community in the Jinfo Mountains to provide baseline information related to the protection of T. fargesii. The results indicated that among the 5 plots(100 m2 each) set along an altitudinal gradient, 176 species of vascular plants, 136 genera and 64 families were recorded. These included 7 species of pteridophytes, 6 genera and 4 families, 3 species of gymnosperms, 3 genera and 2 families, and 166 species of angiosperms, 127 genera and 58 families. The community physiognomy was mainly dominated by phanerophytes with medium-sized herbaceous and simple leaves. The proportions of phanerophytes among the fl oristic spectrum, frequency spectrum and vegetational spectrum are 68.75%, 73.13% and 67.48% respectively. The vertical structure can be divided into the shrub and herb layers in this community. The dominant species in shrub layer were T. fargesii, Zanthoxylum ovalifolium, Rubus coreanus, Kerria japonica, Cotoneaster horizontalis etc.. The dominant herbs included Miscanthus sinensis, Carex gibba, Artemisia lactifl ora, Pteridium aquilinum var. latiusculum, Pilea notata, Aster ageratoides etc.. Species richness(S) and the Simpson(D), Shannon-Wiener(H') and Pielou evenness(Jsw) indices of shrub layer species richness are higher than those of the herb layer; the distribution of the species in the community is obviously uneven. The species richness and diversity indices increase with the rising altitude.