Study on north boundary of subtropical zone in Funiu Mountain according to soil geochemistry

The boundary between subtropical zone and temperate zone is not only important in physical geography, but also attractive in agricultural production. Seven soil profiles studied in this paper are placed along the southern slope of Funiu Mountain at different heights above sea level. Many compositions and properties of these soils have been determined in laboratory. In this paper, the laws of migration and accumulation of soil materials on the southern slope of Funiu Mountain are discussed first, then the division of the boundary between subtropical zone and temperate zone in this area according to soil geochemistry is discussed with qualitative methods and mathematical classification method in which twelve selected indexes such as K m , Saf, Ba, β, Feo/Fet, Mno/Mnt and so on are used. The result indicates that the boundary between subtropical zone and temperate zone on the southern slope of Funiu Mountain is about 950 m above sea level.

ON THE DIVISION OF NORTH BOUNDARY OF SUBTROPICALZONE ACCORDING TO THE COMPOSITIONS AND PROPERTIES OF SOIL HUMUS

In this paper predecessors′achievements about the division between subtropical zone and warm temperate zone on the south slope of Funiu Mountain are firstly summarized, and the cause why these viewpoints about the division are different also has been presented. Seven soil profiles at different heights above sea level are dug along the south slope of Funiu Mountain. Many compositions and properties of soil humus have been analyzed in laboratory. A comprehensive study has been made about the division according to the compositions and properties of soil humus with mathematical method. During the analysis process eight indexes have been used, such as altitude, organic carbon, humic acid (HA), fulvic acid (FA), the ratio of humic acid and fulvic acid (HA/FA), two extinction coefficients (E4,E6), and their ratio (E4/E6).The result indicates that the boundary is at about 1000 meters above sea level.

Vegetation-Climate Relationship and Its Application in the Division of Vegetation Zone in China

Distribution of vegetation is closely coupled with climate; the climate controls distribution of vegetation and the vegetation type reflects regional climates. To reveal vegetation_climate relationships is the foundation for understanding the vegetation distribution and theoretically serving vegetation regionalization. Vegetation regionalization is a theoretical integration of vegetation studies and provides a base for physiogeographical regionalization as well as agriculture and forestry regionalization. Based on a brief historical overview on studies of vegetation_climate relationships and vegetation regionalization conducted in China, we review the principles, bases and major schemes of previous vegetation regionalization and discuss on several contentious boundaries of vegetation zones in the present paper. We proposed that, under the circumstances that the primary vegetation has been destroyed in most parts of China, the division of vegetation zones/regions should be based on the distribution of primary and its secondary vegetation types and climatic indices that delimit distribution of the vegetation types. This not only reveals the closed relationship between vegetation and climate, but also is feasible practically. Although there still are divergence of views on the name and their boundaries of the several vegetation zones, it is commonly accepted that there are eight major vegetation regions in China, i.e. cold temperate needleleaf forest region, temperate needleleaf and broadleaf mixed forest region, warm temperate deciduous broadleaf forest region, subtropical evergreen broadleaf forest region, tropical monsoon forest and rain forest region, temperate steppe region, temperate desert region, and Qinghai_Xizang (Tibetan) Plateau high_cold vegetation region. Analyzing characteristics of vegetation and climate of major vegetation boundaries, we suggested that: 1) Qinling Mountain_Huaihe River line is an important arid/humid climatic, but not a thermal climatic boundary, and thus can not also be regarded as the northern limit of the subtropical vegetation zone; 2) the northern limit of subtropical vegetation zone in China is along the northern coast of the Yangtze River, from Hangzhou Bay, via Taihu Lake, Xuancheng and Tongling in Anhui Province, through by southern slope of the Dabie Mountains, to Wuhan and its west, coinciding with a warmth index ( WI ) value of 130-140 ℃·month; 3) the tropical region is limited in a very small area in southeastern Hainan Island and southern edge of Taiwan Island; and 4) considering a significant difference in climates between the southern and northern parts of the warm temperate zone, we suggested that the warm temperate zone in China is divided into two vegetation regions, deciduous broadleaf woodland region and deciduous and evergreen broadleaf mixed forest region, the Qinling Mountain_Huaihe River line being as their boundary. We also claimed that the zonal vegetation in North China is deciduous broadleaf woodland. Finally, we emphasized the importance of dynamic vegetation regionalization linked to climate changes.

Forest structure,productivity and soil properties in a subtropical ever-green broad-leaved forest in Okinawa,Japan

Structure, species composition, and soil properties of a subtropical evergreen broad-leaved forest in Okinawa, Japan, were examined by establishment of plots at thirty sites. The forest was characterized by a relatively low canopy and a large number of small-diameter trees. Mean canopy height for this forest was 10 m and stands contained an average of 5400 stems-ha^-1 （ -〉 3.0 cm DBH）; 64% of those stems were smaller than 10 cm DBH. The total basal area was 54.4 m^2-ha^-1, of which Castanopsis sieboldii contributed 48%. The forest showed high species diversity of trees. 80 tree species （≥ 3.0 cm DBH） from 31 families was identified in the thirty sampling plots. C. sieboldii and Schima wallichii were the dominant and subdominant species in terms of importance value. The mean tree species diversity indices for the plots were, 3.36 for Diversity index （H＇）, 0.71 for Equitability index （J＇） and 4.72 for Species richness index （S＇）, all of which strongly declined with the increase of importance value of the dominant, C. sieboldii. Measures of soil nutrients indicated low fertility, extreme heterogeneity and possible A1 toxicity. Regression analysis showed that stem density and the dominant tree height were significantly correlated with soil pH. There was a significant positive relationship between species diversity index and soil exchangeable K^＋, Ca^2＋, and Ca^2＋/Al^3- ratio （all p values 〈0.001） and a negative relationship with N, C and P. The results suggest that soil property is a major factor influencing forest composition and structure within the subtropical forest in Okinawa.

Environmental effect of vegetation restoration on degraded ecosystem in low subtropical China

The environmental effect of degraded ecosystem's vegetation restoration in low subtropical China was studied. Results indicated that the vegetation recovery on degraded lands significantly ameliorates surrounding environment, increases species diversity, improves soil structure, raises soil fertility, enhances productivity, and promotes regional agricultural production and social economic development dramatically. Through the combining engineering and biological measures, the restoration of degraded ecosystem in low subtropical area is possible and economical. The restoration experience in Xiaoliang, Wuhua and other sites are valuable for other degraded subtropical area was introduced.

Discussion on position of China’s north-south transitional zone by comparative analysis of mountain altitudinal belts

The Qinling Mountains has always been regarded as an essential dividing line between the warm temperate zone and the subtropical zone in eastern China and plays a vital role in the geoecological pattern of China.However,there is controversy about the specific location of this geographical boundary in the academic community.As a product of the combined effects of zonal and non-zonal factors,the mountain altitudinal belts(MABs)can reflect both the horizontal zonality and the vertical zonality of vegetation distribution.Using the MAB information,we can not only profoundly understand the complex mountain system of QinlingDaba Mountains but can also judge its nature as a geographical boundary more scientifically.Therefore,based on the comparative analysis of basal belt,dominant belt characteristics and belt structure characteristics of the MABs in Qinling-Daba Mountains,subtropical and temperate mountains,this paper analyzed the MAB differences and similarities among Qinling-Daba Mountains,subtropical and temperate typical mountains,to reveal the vegetation distribution characteristics in the north-south transitional zone.The results show that:(1)The MABs of the southern part of QinlingDaba Mountains(southern slope of the Daba Mountains)are the same or similar to those of the Subtropical Mountains,and the MABs of the northern part of Qinling-Daba Mountains(northern slope of the Qinling Mountains)are similar to those of the temperate mountains.While it shows obvious transitional characteristics in the vast area between the northern slope of the Daba Mountains and the southern slope of the Qinling Mountains:the basal belts gradually transit from the evergreen broadleaved forest belt(basal belt in subtropical mountains)to the evergreen and deciduous broad-leaved mixed forest belt,and the dominant belts also transit from the evergreen broad-leaved forest belt to the evergreen and deciduous broad-leaved mixed forest belt or the deciduous broad-leaved forest belt.(2)The transitional zone between the subtropical zone and the warm temperate zone is located between the northern slope of the Daba Mountains and the southern slope of the Qinling Mountains.The southern boundary of the transitional zone is along the northern slope of Shennongjia Mountain-the northern slope of Micang Mountain-Baishuijiang Nature Reserve,and the northern boundary is along the southern slope of Funiu Mountain-the southern slope of Taibai Mountain-Lianhua Mountain.Additionally,in the transitional zone,the average temperature in January is between-5°C and 1°C,the annual average temperature is between 10°C and 13°C except Hanzhong Basin and Hanshui Valley,and the accumulated temperature above 10°C ranges from 2000°C to 4000°C,the annual rainfall is about 800-1000 mm.The results provide a scientific basis for revealing the characteristics of China’s north-south transitional zone and scientific division of the boundary between the subtropical zone and warm temperate zone in China.

Spatial patterns of Pinus tabulaeformis and Pinus massoniana forests in Qinling-Daba Mountains and the boundary of subtropical and warm temperate zones

The Qinling Mountains is not only the geographical boundary between North and South China,but also the boundary between subtropical and warm temperate zones.It plays an important role in the geo-ecological pattern of China.However,there is controversy about the specific location of this geographical boundary in academic community due to the complexity,transition and heterogeneity of the transitional zone,as well as the differences in the delimitation indicators and research purposes.To further reveal the characteristics of the North-South transitional zone and clarify the specific location of the geo-ecological boundary between North and South China,combined with SRTM topographic data,temperature and precipitation data,Pinus massoniana forest and Pinus tabulaeformis forest,which represent subtropical coniferous forest in South China and temperate coniferous forest in North China respectively,were chosen to analyze their spatial distributions in the Qinling-Daba Mountains and the climatic conditions at their boundary with the climatic indexes of annual precipitation,the coldest month(January) average temperature,the warmest month(July) average temperature and the annual average temperature.The results show that:(1) Pinus massoniana and Pinus tabulaeformis forests and the climate indicators of their boundary can be used as one of the vegetation-climate indexes for the delimitation of subtropical and warm temperate zones.The boundary between the subtropical coniferous forest(Pinus massoniana forest) and temperate coniferous forest(Pinus tabulaeformis forest) is located along the south slope of Funiu Mountain to the north edge of Hanzhong Basin(the south slope of Qinling Mountains) at an altitude of 1000–1200 m,where the climatic indictors are stable:the annual precipitation is about 750–1000 mm,the annual average temperature is about 12–14℃,the coldest monthly average temperature is 0–4℃,and the warmest monthly average temperature is about 22–26℃.(2) It can be more scientifically to delimitate the boundary of subtropical and warm temperate zones in China by comprehensively considering the vegetation-climate indicators.Additionally,the boundary between subtropical and warm temperate zones in Qinling-Daba Mountains should be a transitional zone consisting of the boundaries of coniferous forests,broad-leaved forests and shrubs between subtropical and warm temperate zones.The results provide a scientific basis for the selection of delimitation index of subtropical and warm temperate zones.

Comparative studies on phenotypic plasticity of two herbs,Changium smyrnioides and Anthriscus sylvestris

The endangered medicinal herb, Changium smyrnioides can only be found in deciduous forest gaps within the middle to northern subtropical broad-leaved evergreen forest zone of China. The considerable plasticity of its shoot and root structure helps it to capture light more effectively in winter and early spring, and to adapt to the soil moisture conditions in its narrow habitat. Another medicinal plant, Anthriscus sylvestris, is of similar economic importance but commonly distributed widely. In contrast to C. smyrnioides, it has low structural plasticity. It is also specialized to adapt to the moist and sunny environment, where habitat, such as the banks of creeks and rivers, is abundant.