Effects of selection cutting on the forest structure and species diversity of evergreen broa-leaved forest in northern Fujian, southern China

The short-term effects of selection cutting of different intensities on the forest structure and species diversity of evergreen broad-leaved forest in northern Fujian Province were investigated and analyzed. The results showed that selection cutting of low and medium intensities caused little variation in the forest structure. After cutting, the dominant species retained their leading status in the community. However, the community structure changed significantly following selection cutting of high and extra-high intensities; the status of the dominant species of the community declined dramatically. Some tree species began to disappear from the sampling plots. Except for extra-high intensity cutting, the diversity of tree species did not change significantly for the other three cutting intensities. However, the evenness of the stands was very different among the four kinds of cutting plots. For low and medium intensity selection cutting, the evenness declined slightly. For extra-high intensity selection cutting, the evenness increased to some extent, which might be due to a more even distribution of tree species after cutting. Cutting operations resulted in some adverse reactions to development of arborous species diversity of evergreen broad-leaved forest, particularly serious damage to the forest canopy. But the rational selection cuttings, which may benefit the restoration and maintenance of species diversity over a long period and may come about from the variations in environmental factors such as sunlight, temperature and humidity.     

Effects of single-tree selection harvesting on hymenopteran and saproxylic insect assemblages in the canopy and understory of northern temperate forests

Insects respond to changes in microhabitat caused by canopy disturbance, and thus can be used to examine the ecological impacts of harvesting. Single-tree selection harvesting is the most common silvicultural system used to emulate local small-scale natural disturbance and maintain uneven-aged forest structure in temperate forests. Here, we test for differences in richness, abundance, and composition of hymenopteran and saproxylic insect assemblages at four different taxon levels (selected insect orders; and all hymenopteran families, and braconid subfamilies and morphospecies) between the canopy and understory of unharvested and single-tree selection harvested sites in a northern temperate forest from central Canada. Harvesting had no effect on insect assemblage richness, composition or abundance at the three highest taxon levels (order, family and subfamily). Similarly, richness and abundance at the lowest-taxon level (braconid morphospecies) were similar, although composition differed slightly between unharvested and harvested stands. Insect assemblages were vertically stratified, with generally higher abundance (for Diptera, Hymenoptera, some hymenopteran families and braconid subfamilies) and richness (for braconid morphospecies) in the understory than the canopy. In particular, composition of the braconid morphospecies assemblage showed relatively low similarity between the understory and canopy. Single-tree selection harvesting appears to influ-ence wood-associated insect taxa only subtly through small changes in community composition at the lowest taxon level, and thus is recommended as a conservative approach for managing these northern temperate forests.     

Effects of selection cutting on the forest structure and species diversity of evergreen broad-leaved forest in northern Fujian, southern China

The short-term effects of selection cutting of different intensities on the forest structure and species diversity of evergreen broad-leaved forest in northern Fujian Province were investigated and analyzed. The results showed that selection cutting of low and medium intensities caused little variation in the forest structure. After cutting, the dominant species retained their leading status in the community. However, the community structure changed significantly following selection cutting of high and extra-high intensities;the status of the dominant species of the community declined dramatically. Some tree species began to disappear from the sampling plots. Except for extra-high intensity cutting, the diversity of tree species did not change significantly for the other three cutting intensities. However, the evenness of the stands was very different among the four kinds of cutting plots. For low and medium intensity selection cutting, the evenness declined slightly. For extra-high intensity selection cutting, the evenness increased to some extent,which might be due to a more even distribution of tree species after cutting. Cutting operations resulted in some adverse reactions to development of arborous species diversity of evergreen broad-leaved forest, particularly serious damage to the forest canopy. But the rational selection cuttings, which may benefit the restoration and maintenance of species diversity over a long period and may come about from the variations in environmental factors such as sunlight, temperature and humidity.     

Importance of forest structure versus floristics to composition of avian assemblages in tropical deciduous forests of Central Highlands,India

We investigated how much forest structure and floristics independently contributed to the composition of avian assemblages at multiple scales and for individual foraging guilds in tropical deciduous forests of Central Highlands, India. We derived dissimilarity matrices between all pairs of the 36 sampling sites with respect to forest structure, floristics, and bird species composition and ran Mantel's randomization tests to detect significant associations among the matrices after partialling out the effect of geographic distance between sites. Bird species composition was found to be significantly related to forest structure across habitats, and floristics within the moist-deciduous forests. This finding is consistent with earlier observations that birds respond, in their species composition, to vegetation structure across habitats and to vegetation composition within a habitat. As predicted, the composition of insectivorous birds was influenced by forest structure, but the phytophagous guild did not show any relation to vegetation composition in contrast to patterns observed elsewhere. We explain this anomaly as a result of availability of a wide choice of food plants for phytophagous birds in central Indian tropical forests and weak species–environment relationships on account of their nomadism. Extraction of non-timber forest products remains a key economic activity in central India and our results imply that it can potentially influence the composition of forest bird communities through alteration of forest structure and floristics.     

Forest structure, composition, and tree diversity response to a gradient of regeneration harvests in the mid-Cumberland Plateau escarpment region, USA

Upland hardwood stands on mesic, escarpment-oriented sites on the Cumberland Plateau region of northeastern Alabama provide a myriad management opportunities. Stands are primarily managed for Quercus, but the high species diversity allows for management that targets multiple species. Stand composition is unique in that dominant species include shade tolerant species such as Acer saccharum, intermediate tolerant Quercus spp. and Carya spp., and intolerant Liriodendron tulipifera. Three replications of five levels of disturbance were created to assess species compositional changes; disturbances included three levels of harvest intensity, a mid-story herbicide treatment, and a control. After eight growing seasons, there were no discernable differences in species richness, diversity or evenness. Importance values based on relative basal area and relative density also changed little, except for clearcuts where L. tulipifera greatly increased. An initial gradient in basal area, canopy cover, and light created by harvesting or thinning dissipated following five growing seasons. Options exist for future stand management, including promoting two-aged or uneven-aged systems. Maintenance of Quercus will require additional tending.     

伞伐更新法对赫卡尼亚(Hyrcanian)森林系统中森林再生和林分结构的影响

研究伞伐更新法对赫卡尼亚森林系统中森林再生和林分结构的影响。在伊朗北部优势种为山毛榉（Fagus orientalisLipsky）的硬木林,采取伞伐更新法和非伞伐更新法方法设计实验区。结果表明,在山毛榉（F orientalis Lipsky）林中采用伞伐更新法处理,明显影响林下草本植物种的频度和密度。伞伐更新法处理后,林堇菜（Viola silvestris Lam.）、车叶草（Asperula odorata L.）、苔草（Carex spp.）和悬钩子（Rubushyrcanus Juz）的种频度明显增加。在对照区,树种的胸高直径（57.50±2.15cm）大于被处理区（50.67±1.88cm）的树种的胸高直径（50.67±1.88 cm）,但对照区和处理区的树种的高度值相似。在1995-2005年间,波斯铁木（Parrotia persica）苗木数量增加到13.2%,而山毛榉（F orientalis）和欧洲鹅耳枥（Carpinus betulus）的苗木数量却明显减少。总之,应该利用其它育林方法,如,带状择伐作业,而不是伞伐更新法培育赫卡尼亚森林中山毛榉林。     

微山湖喜鹊和池鹭巢址选择的研究

2011年3～5月使用直接观察法对微山湖新薛河湿地内的鸟类巢穴进行调查,共发现鸟类巢穴90个,其中喜鹊Pi-ca pica巢36个,池鹭Ardeola bacchus巢54个,其他鸟类的巢穴2个。对影响鸟类巢址选择的因素进行了分析,结果显示距水源的距离、营巢树高和营巢树是影响喜鹊巢址选择的主导因子,次要因子是巢距地面高度、距公路的距离和人为干扰状况,再次是巢分支数;距公路的距离、巢距地面的高度、营巢树胸径和营巢树高是影响池鹭巢址选择的主导因子,次要因子是距水源的距离、人为干扰状况和巢分支数。     

厦门城市生态风景林树种选择与景观构建技术

文章探讨了城市生态风景林的概念与内涵,分析厦门生态风景林植被现状,提出南亚热带城市厦门生态风景林的树种选择,总结了城市生态风景林景观构建技术。     

The impact of aspect on forest structure and floristics in some Eastern Australian sites

Aspect exerts a major influence on the structure and floristics of forests at upslope positions on steep ridges near the escarpment of north-eastern New South Wales. The vegetation of northwest facing sites differed from that of the southeast aspect in species richness and diversity, canopy cover, and canopy height, whilst differences between northeast and southwest aspects were significant for fewer attributes. The gross effect of aspect was in segregating eucalypt and rainforest communities. Aspect-induced differences in light, heat, moisture and edaphic conditions produced a sort of potential canopy species during recruitment. In the absence of substantial disturbance, the divergence of the structural character of developing forest canopies between aspects tends to enhance the floristic divergence in the subcanopy space. Although the study area is representative of a large region of forested steeplands in the hinterland of north-eastern New South Wales, the upper slope segments and four aspects studied can be expected to represent the extreme manipulation. In any event, it is unlikely that the extent of site divergence represented in these old-growth forests would be maintained under managed re-growth strategies.     

Litterfall, litter decomposition and nutrient dynamics in a subtropical natural oak forest and managed plantation in northeastern India

In northeastern India, subtropical forests are over-exploited for timber, fuel wood and common agricultural practice like shifting cultivation, which are responsible for the degradation of natural forest. In degraded areas, large-scale plantations of different species of Quercus have been raised since 1980 for the production of economic Tasar silk. Conversion of natural forest into plantation affects the process of nutrient cycling due to management practices. Thus, it would be of importance to study the litterfall, litter decomposition process and the factors regulating the rate of litter decay in these ecosystems to improve recommendations for their management and conservation. We recorded litterfall by using litter traps and decomposition of leaf litter by nylon net bag technique to understand the amount of organic matter and nutrient return and their release in soils of forest and plantation in Manipur, northeast India. Total litterfall was 419.9 g m⁻² year⁻¹ in plantation and 547.7 g m⁻² year⁻¹ in forest. Litter decomposition rate was faster at plantation site than the forest in the early stage of litter decomposition whereas the reverse was observed at later stages of decomposition. Stepwise regression analysis showed the significant role of relative humidity and mean temperature on mass loss rates in the forest. Relative humidity, maximum temperature, population of fungi and actinomycetes were the best predictor variables for mass loss rates in plantation. Nutrient retranslocation efficiency and the immobilization of N and P in forest litter were higher than plantation. This suggests that Q. serrata growing in natural ecosystem in oligotrophic condition adapted strong nutrient conservation mechanisms to compete with the other plant species for the meager soil nutrients. The same species in plantation loses these adaptive capabilities because of exogenous supply of nutrients and in the absence of intense competition with other plant species. Thus, the optimization of organic and chemical fertilizer input in plantation is recommended for maintaining the soil fertility level to produce quality leaf for silkworm by conserving essential nutrients in the system.     

Soil properties in forest gaps and under canopy in broad-leaved Pinus koraiensis forests in Changbai Mountainous Region, China

The species composition and diversities, and soil properties under canopy gaps in broad-leaved Pinus koraiensis forests were studied in the Changbai Mountains. The results indicated that the species composition and diversities in gap were different from those under canopy. The Shannon-Wiener index, evenness index, and abundance index in gap were higher than those under canopy in the seedling layer, while the community dominance in the seedling layer increased in closed canopy. The physicochemical properties of soil changed with the change of space and resource availability in gaps. The thickness, standing crop, and water holding capacity of the litter layer under canopy were significantly (p<0.01) higher than those in gap. The content of total nitrogen and total potassium of litter in gap were 10.47% and 20.73% higher than those under canopy, however, the content of total phosphorus and organic carbon under canopy were 15.23% and 12.66% more than those under canopy. The water content of 0–10 cm and 10–20 cm of soil layer in gap were 17.65% and 16.17% more than those under canopy. The soil buck density of 0–10 cm were slightly higher under canopy than that in gaps, but there was no significant difference in the soil buck density of the 10–20 cm soil layer. The soil pH values were 5.80 and 5.85 in gap and under canopy, respectively, and were not significantly different. The content of soil organic matter, total nitrogen, and total potassium in gap were 12.85%, 7.67%, and 2.38% higher than those under canopy. The content of NH₄ ⁺-N, available phosphorus, available potassium, and total phosphorus in soil under canopy were 13.33%, 20.04%, 16.52%, and 4.30% higher than those in gap. __________ Translated from Forest Research, 2006, 19(3): 347–352 [译自: 林业科学研究]     

高州水库林分改造树种选择试验分析

对高州水库生态现状进行分析,并阐述高州水库林改技术要点,对已引种的10种阔叶树种植试验进行调查分析,结果表明：高山榕、格木、红花荷是水库森林群落林相改造的首选树种。     

大青杨胶合板用材林优树选择效果的评价

从营造胶合板用材林的角度出发,研究大青杨优树选择的可能性与效果,结果表明:7 a生无性系测定林的树高、胸径、材积生长量指标分别有110株、117株和102株,与对照达到极显著差异水平,有效选择率分别为91.7%、97.5%和85.0%;综合生长指标表现最为突出的前12个无性系依次为37号、20号、15号、25号、73号、94号、36号、65号、77号、84号、96号、107号;胸径的有效选择率和遗传力最高。     

七叶一枝花种源选择与林下栽培技术研究

采挖分布于湖南省不同地区的5种野生重楼属植物,在洪江市群峰乡蛇形村进行种源选择试验,并以洪江市八面山七叶一枝花的种子和根茎切块为繁殖材料,选择常绿林地、阔叶落叶林地与灌木林地3种类型的林地,开展林下育苗移栽和直播、直栽试验。结果表明:洪江市八面山的七叶一枝花具有较强的抗病能力和高产性能,适宜在湖南省洪江市推广种植。经低温处理和控温催芽的七叶一枝花种子,在不同林地直播育苗,冷藏种子的出苗率和成活率均高于沙藏的,且均以核桃林的最高,杉木林的次之,金银花林的最低;根茎育苗的无论带顶芽切块和不带顶芽切块的发芽率和出苗率都比较高,均达到80%以上;根茎切块直栽的3年生单株块茎鲜重高于种子直播的;种子和根茎育苗的七叶一枝花3年生单株块茎产量均以核桃林的为最高,杉木林的次之,金银花林的最低。     

千岛湖生态景观林林相改造树种选择与配置模式探讨

根据景观生态学及林相改造的相关理论,对千岛湖森林的原生植被、林地类型、目的阔叶树种丰缺度和立地质量等4要素进行了调查,以地带性顶级群落及进展演替中期的森林植被类型为目标景观林分,提出了林相改造11种树种配置模式。     

Variation in canopy structure, light and soil nutrition across elevation of a Sri Lankan tropical rain forest

Mixed dipterocarp forests are perhaps the single most important rain forest type in the wet tropics. Only a few studies have purposefully examined differences in resource availability across mixed dipterocarp forest landscapes by simply measuring the abiotic variables of light, soil nutrition and soil water availability in relation to forest structure. We sought to directly measure the environment of canopy gaps across elevation and geology—from lowland mixed dipterocarp forest (100 m amsl) to lower montane dipterocarp forest (1200 m amsl) in southwest Sri Lanka. Middle elevation gap sites (300–900 m amsl) were subdivided into valley, mid-slope and ridge topographic positions. Eighteen natural disturbances all of which were canopy openings caused by tree fall, were randomly selected within primary rain forest that ranged across 100–1200 m elevation. Plots were placed in gap centers and in adjacent understories and measurements taken of forest structure (basal area, canopy height, canopy cover index, CCI), shade (light sensors—photosynthetically active radiation [PAR], canopy hemispherical photographs—global site factor [GSF]) and soil nutrition (pH, exchangeable Al, K, Mg and Ca; Total N; and plant available P). Soil moisture was measured at bi-weekly intervals for five years across middle elevation sites only (300–900 m amsl). Stand basal area, mean canopy height, and canopy cover index all declined with increase in elevation. Understory PAR and GSF decreased with increases in canopy height, basal area and CCI. Size of canopy opening decreased with increase in elevation, but PAR and GSF increased. Valley sites had significantly greater levels of mean percent soil water content as compared to mid-slope and ridge sites of middle elevation sites. However, at the onset of the southwest monsoons in May all sites were similar. Differences were most pronounced during the dry season (December–April). No differences in soil moisture content could be found between gap and understory microsites. K and Ca in gap centers and adjacent forest understories increased with increase in elevation and change in associated geology. pH increased and Al decreased with elevation and associated geology but only for forest understory conditions. Results demonstrate strong differentiation in soil and light resources with elevation that appears related to size of tree-fall disturbance, stature of the forest, topographic position and underlying geology and soil-weathering environment. This suggests that forest management and conservation practices need to develop and tailor techniques and treatments (silviculture) to the forest that emulate and/or account for change in elevation, geology and topographic position. Further studies are needed to identify which are the primary underlying mechanisms (e.g. temperature, wind, soil nutrients, soil moisture availability) defining change in forest structure across elevation.     

Spatial correlation of pit and mound topography with canopy gaps in a virgin mixed beech forest,northern Iran

In a reserved forest parcel in a virgin eastern Hyrcanian mixed beech forest,80 ha was surveyed to determine the pit and mound topography,canopy gaps and dead trees.The aim was to investigate the spatial patterns and correlation of pit and mound features with canopy gaps.Seventy-five canopy gaps and 61 pit and mound features were identified.The univariate first order nearest neighbor(R_CE)and bivariate second order test(Ripley’s K)statistic were applied.R_CE statistics highlighted a general aggregation pattern for canopy gaps and pits and mounds,while pits and mounds alone were more clumped.Distances between canopy gaps were 130 m average,whereas distances between pit and mound features and dead trees were 60 and 78 m,respectively.Spatial positive correlation of canopy gaps with pits and mounds were observed with all distances.The result of spatial correlations between canopy gaps with pits and mounds confirmed that windthrows cause micro successions in fallen tree ecosystem-scale correlated with gap phase dynamics in the forest community-scale.     

湖南低山丘陵区鹅掌楸纸浆林种源选择研究

采用完全随机区组设计营造了包含20个鹅掌楸种源的种源选择试验林。对13年生的种源试验林进行调查和分析,结果表明:反映纸浆林产量和质量的主要指标在种源间均存在明显的差异,方差分析显示种源间树高、胸径和材积生长量差异达到显著或极显著的水平。利用主成分分析对20个种源进行评价,结果表明贵州黎平、松桃、陌南,浙江富阳,湖北鹤峰和美国密苏里州等地的种源为湖南低山丘陵区纸浆林最佳种源。     

Shoot structure,light interception,and distribution of nitrogen in an Abies amabilis canopy

We studied the effects of variation in shoot structure and needle morphology on the distributions of light and nitrogen within a Pacific silver fir (Abies amabilis (Dougl.) Forbes) canopy. Specifically, we investigated the role of morphological shade acclimation in the determination of resource use efficiency, which is claimed to be optimal when the distribution of nitrogen within the canopy is directly proportional to the distribution of intercepted photosynthetically active radiation (PAR). Shoots were collected from different heights in the crowns of trees representing four different size classes. A new method was developed to estimate seasonal light interceptance (SLI, intercepted PAR per unit needle area) of the shoots using a model for the directional distribution of above-canopy PAR, measurements of shoot silhouette area and canopy gap fraction in different directions. The ratio SLI/SLI(o), where the reference value SLI(o) represents the seasonal light interceptance of a spherical surface at the shoot location, was used to quantify the efficiency of light capture by a shoot. The ratio SLI/SLI(o) doubled from the top to the bottom of the canopy, mainly as a result of smaller internal shading in shade shoots than in sun shoots. Increased light-capturing efficiency of shade shoots implies that the difference in intercepted light by sun shoots versus shade shoots is much less than the decrease in available light from the upper to the lower canopy. For example, SLI of the five most sunlit shoots was only about 20 times greater than the SLI of the five most shaded shoots, whereas SLI(o) was 40 times greater for sun shoots than for shade shoots. Nitrogen content per unit needle area was about three times higher in sun needles than in shade needles. This variation, however, was not enough to produce proportionality between the amounts of nitrogen and intercepted PAR throughout the canopy.     

Ramet population structure of Fargesia nitida in different canopy conditions of the subalpine dark coniferous forest in the Wolong Nature Reserve, China

The bamboo Fargesia nitida, one of the giant panda’s main food sources and the dominant shrub species of the forest understory, is mainly distributed in the dark coniferous belt in western Sichuan and southern Gansu in China. To study the impact of different forest canopy conditions on subalpine dwarf bamboo populations, ramet population structures of clonal Fargesia nitida were surveyed in: forest understory (FU), moderate gap (MG), large gap (LG) and marginal open space (MOS). In order to determine how the ramet structures could be affected and its effects on these four canopy conditions, a field survey of the age structure of Fargesia nitida population, its morphological traits and biomass was conducted in the Abies faxoniana forest situated in the Wolong Nature Reserve, western Sichuan, China. The main results were as follows. First, at the ramet level, the structures of the ramet populations in four canopy conditions were significantly different, and as the canopy density decreased, the mean height, basal diameter and biomass of the populations increased following the order: LG<MG<FU. Second, the biomass proportions of ramets modularly varied with different canopy conditions and leaf biomass proportion was positively related to the canopy density except for the MOS where the biomass proportions of rhizome and roots were both higher than those in the three other canopy conditions. Third, ramet specific leaf weight increased in parallel with the decrease in canopy density. In the MG, the values of the individual leaf biomass and leaf area were the largest, followed by those in the MOS. Both the individual leaf biomass and leaf area were significantly different from those in the FU and LG. Leaf number per ramet was significantly different among the four different canopy conditions and the biggest in the LG. Fourth, the ramet population mortality was the lowest in the FU (Chi-square test, p < 0.01), while there was no significant difference in the average population age (Mann-Whitney test, p > 0.05). All the results indicated that it was not ramet age, but the morphological changes and biomass distribution that exhibited the response of the ramet population of Fargesia nitida to the changed canopy conditions. Translated from Acta Ecologica Sinica, 2006, 40(1): 730–736 [译自: 生态学报]