Initial vegetation recovery following a blowdown of a conifer plantation in monsoonal East Asia: Impacts of legacy retention, salvaging, site preparation, and weeding

All or a part of a sequence of forest practices (i.e., salvage logging, site preparation, planting crop trees, and weeding) has been implemented after natural disturbances for the rapid re-establishment of tree cover. Forest policies in Japan have recently changed from monocultural planting of coniferous crop trees to planting native broadleaved trees to restore forests and nurture local biodiversity following large windthrows. However, the effects of this new practice on preserving biodiversity, as well as the effects of legacy retention, have never been verified in Asia. Thus, the objective of our research was to compare the effects of legacy retention with plantation after salvaging on the initial stage of vegetation recovery in a blowdown area, specifically focusing on plant species diversity, the occurrence of alien species, and the composition of plant species. Following the analysis of our results, we finally describe appropriate practices to alter disturbed coniferous plantations to bring the species composition closer to that of the original natural mixed forests.A control (A, legacy retention) and three experimental treatment sites (B, salvage logged, site prepared, and Quercus crispula seedlings planted; C, same as B, but weeded once during the summer; and D, residual rows that emerged after establishing sites for planting) were prepared, and quadrats were set. Eleven indicators of the ground condition and the number of vascular plant species, including ferns, were quantified, and the number and abundance of residual and newly colonized plants of the main woody species were estimated.Our main findings were as follows: (1) in unsalvaged sites and residual rows, the diversity of plant species was poor, but a variety of plant species compositions were observed due to the heterogeneous conditions of the ground and ample residual plants; (2) in the planting site, many species appeared, but little variety of the species composition was observed due to the homogeneous condition of the ground and the destruction of residual plants; (3) a large number of alien species emerged in broad, unvegetated areas; (4) the impact of site preparation overwhelmed the impact of salvage logging on the initial recovery of plant species; and (5) to restore a natural mixed forest, a combination of legacy retention and plantation after salvaging would be the most appropriate.     

退化森林生态系统人工针叶林恢复对鸟类群落的影响

2005-2006年夏季在河北塞罕坝地区运用固定样线法对退化森林生态系统人工针叶林恢复形成的40年生人工针叶林鸟类群落进行调查,并同自然恢复形成的天然落叶阔叶林和天然针阔混交林进行比较.共记录鸟类39种.分别隶属于8目17科.结果表明:人工针叶林恢复对退化森林生态系统鸟类群落具有重要影响;人工针叶林鸟类物种数为(4.14±0.60)种·hm-2,密度为(26.21±7.64)只·hm-2,均高于或显著高于(P=0.018)天然阔叶林,且密度与天然混交林无显著差异(P=0.902),人工针叶林中的沼泽山雀和黄眉柳莺的密度有了显著提高,分别从(2.78±0.67)只·hm-2和(1.21±0.45)只·hm-2增加到(13.57±5.58)只·hm.(P=0.027)和(5.95 4-1.56)只·hm-2(P=0.009,0.002),但人工针叶林鸟类群落物种多样性值(H')较小(0.98 4-0.10)、均匀度(J)显著较低(0.73 ±0.04)(P=0.003,0.045);在鸟类4个取食集团中,人工针叶林有2个取食集团的物种组成与自然恢复无显著差异,但密度却有较大的变化,人工针叶林可以显著提高食虫鸟的密度(P=0.041),但杂食鸟和食谷鸟密度均显著低于天然混交林(P=0.007,0.002).     

卧龙自然保护区大熊猫栖息地植物群落多样性研究:丰富度、物种多样性指数和均匀度

根据64个植被样方调查资料,分析卧龙自然保护区大熊猫栖息地植物群落多样性特征.结果表明:卧龙自然保护区大熊猫栖息地不同植被类型的物种多样性指数值H'、D和均匀度指数Jsi基本表现出一致的变化趋势:常绿落叶阔叶林＞温性针阔混交林＞落叶阔叶林＞温性针叶林＞亚高山针叶林,而物种丰富度S变化为温性针叶林＞落叶阔叶林＞常绿落叶阔叶林＞亚高山针叶林＞温性针阔混交林.在不同的植物群落中,由于地形地势、坡度、土壤、水热条件等原因,其物种多样性指数不同,但其多样性测度指标除物种丰富度外均呈现出基本一致的变化趋势.随海拔的升高,大熊猫栖息地物种丰富度、多样性指数和均匀度变化先增加,然后下降,最后趋于平稳.坡度不是影响卧龙野生大熊猫栖息地生物多样性的关键因子.不同的坡向其物种丰富度S变化为西＞北＞东＞南,物种多样性指数H'、D呈现西＞南＞北＞东的递降格局,均匀度指数Jsi呈现南＞西＞东＞北的递降格局.在不同的群落中,物种丰富度变化表现为灌木层＞乔木层＞草本层,且42.9%群落中乔木层大于灌木层、64.3%群落中乔木层大于草本层、92.9%群落中灌木层大于草本层,落叶针叶林乔木层树种丰富度小于灌木层和草本层,但其灌木层物种丰富度大于草本层.在同一或不同生长型中,物种多样性指数和均匀度指数变化大体一致.     

日本落叶松与天然萌芽阔叶树人工混交培育效果的分析

通过对日本落叶松与天然萌生阔叶树人工混交林的调查分析,结果表明:日本落叶松与天然萌芽阔叶树人工混交培育降低了培育成本,提高了生态效益,混交林培育28a后,林分生长稳定,生产力较高;混交林中的植物种类丰富,数量较多,各层次的物种多样性指数均好于人工营造的日本落叶松与白桦针阔混交林和日本落叶松纯林;日本落叶松与天然萌生阔叶树人工混交林,对恢复森林生态原始林貌有一定促进作用。     

Bird abundance and diversity across a hardwood gradient within early seral plantation forest

The extensive removal of competing broadleaved shrubs in forest plantations typically results in structural and compositional simplification of early seral habitat. However, information on the tradeoffs between such intensive forestry practices and biodiversity is scant. Here we assess the magnitude and direction of potential impacts of intensive forest management on populations of early seral-associated breeding birds. Observed population declines of several Neotropical migrant bird species are hypothesized to be linked to the loss of early seral habitat on the breeding grounds. We investigated the association between broadleaved hardwood cover and avian abundance and diversity in intensively managed early seral Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii) stands of the Pacific Northwest. Bird species richness decreased across an elevational gradient, but did not vary as a function of either local vegetation composition or structure. In contrast, bird abundance was strongly associated with hardwood cover at local and landscape scales, especially for foliage-gleaning species. We found strong support for the existence of a threshold in relative bird abundance as a function of hardwood at the stand scale; abundance doubled with an increase from 1% to ∼6% hardwood and then reached a plateau. Though abundance of leaf-gleaners increased even more strongly across a gradient in hardwood cover, evidence for a distinct threshold was less clear. We conclude that when early seral hardwood forest is scarce, even small increases in hardwood may provide substantial conservation benefits. However, for some species (i.e., foliage gleaners), there may be more direct trade-offs in abundance and juvenile recruitment with hardwood management intensity.     

不同森林类型物种多样性及影响因子研究

采用丰富度指数、多样性指数、均匀度指数对雾灵山不同森林类型灌木层和草本层的物种多样性进行了研究,并在此基础上用逐步回归方法研究影响森林物种多样性的主要因子。结果表明,在不同森林类型中灌木层和草本层物种多样性由高到低依次为:针阔混交林>落叶阔叶林>针叶林;多数森林类型草本层丰富度指数和多样性指数均高于灌木层,而均匀度指数则相反。影响灌木层物种多样性的主要因子包括林龄、郁闭度和坡向,影响草本层物种多样性的主要因子包括林分公顷株数、郁闭度和土层厚度。     

马尾松阔叶树混交林不同更新方式对林分生长的影响

通过对将乐县马尾松阔叶树混交林进行天然更新、人工促进天然更新和人工营造杉木林等3种更新方式的林分恢复调查,比较探讨其生长量、生物量及物种丰富度,结果表明：不同更新方式对林分生长、林下植物发育及林分物种丰富度影响较大,采用天然和人工促进天然更新形成的阔叶树林分树种多样,结构稳定,生长良好,是保护和发展阔叶林的一种有效途径。     

Assessment of tree diversity and above-ground biomass in coffee agroforest dominated tropical landscape of India's Central Western Ghats

The purpose of this study was to quantify the changes in tree diversity and above-ground biomass associated with six land-use types in Kodagu district of India's Western Ghats. We collected data on species richness,composition and above-ground biomass(AGB) of trees,shrubs and herbs from 96 sample plots of 0.1 ha. Totals of83 species from 26 families were recorded across the landuses. Tree species richness, diversity and composition were significantly higher in evergreen forest(EGF) than in other land-uses. Similarly, stem density and basal area were greater in EGF compared to other land-uses. Detrended correspondence analysis(DCA) yielded three distinct groups along the land-use intensities and rainfall gradient on the first and second axes, respectively. The first DCA axis accounted for 45% and second axis for 35% of the total variation in species composition. Together the first two axes accounted for over 2/3 of the variation in species composition across land-use types. Across the land-uses,AGB ranged from 58.6 Mg ha-1 in rubber plantation to327.3 Mg ha-1 in evergreen forest. Our results showed that species diversity and AGB were negatively impacted bythe land-use changes. We found that coffee agroforests resembled natural forest and mixed species plantation in terms of tree diversity and biomass production, suggesting that traditional coffee farms can help to protect tree species, sustain smallholder production and offer opportunities for conservation of biodiversity and climate change mitigation.     

What can tree plantations do for forest birds in fragmented forest landscapes? A case study in southern Brazil

Despite the fact that tree plantations are not able to completely replace the ecological function of natural forests, the present study proposes to evaluate for which bird species or avian groups tree plantations act as habitat in fragmented landscape in southern Brazil. We compared the richness and abundance of bird species in a natural forest to adjacent plantations of Araucaria, a native tree species and of pine, an exotic plant in South America. Moreover, we evaluated the impact of tree plantations on richness of avian groups with different levels of dependence on forest habitat, feeding habits and foraging strata as well as on threatened species. The fixed 100 m radius point-counts method was used. A total of 114 bird species were recorded in all areas. Of those, 93 occurred in natural forest, 87 in Araucaria plantations and 81 in pine plantations. These results indicate that richness and abundance were lower in the pine plantations than in the natural forest and in the Araucaria plantations. Araucaria plantations can be used by a high number of bird species and their richness was not significantly lower than that observed in the adjacent natural forest. Our results suggest that Araucaria plantations could act as habitat for a large number of bird species, especially for forest-dependents species, insectivores, frugivores and species at different threat categories.     

兴隆山国家级自然保护区鸟类群落初报

通过对兴隆山自然保护区阔叶林、混交林和针叶林鸟类群落结构的调查，结果表明：混交林中鸟类物种数和鸟类物种多样性最高，阔叶林最低。其中，山雀科和鳾科在阔叶林中占优势，而柳莺亚科在混交林和针叶林中占优势。提出了保护区每种生境都应保持一定面积，以便保护该地区鸟类物种多样性的建议。     

红松、刺楸人工针阔混交林物种多样性研究

通过对红松、刺楸人工混交林,红松纯林物种多样性的研究,结果表明,红松、刺楸混交林物种丰富度最大,植物种类最多,红松纯林仅为混交林的43%,总数量为混交林的32%,红松、刺楸混交林乔木层多样性指数为1.430 5,均匀度指数为0.687 9,优势度指数为0.290 6,丰富度指数为1.413 7,而红松纯林多样性指数、均匀度指数均为0,优势度指数为1,丰富度指数为0.371 2。在灌木层中,混交林与纯林各项指标区别不大,只有丰富度指数为混交林(纯林。在草本层中,混交林各项指数基本都大于纯林,只有均匀度指数红松纯林(混交林。     

桉树人工林和邻近天然林内土著的木本植物再生状况比较(英文)

本文调查了桉树人工林和邻近天然林内土著的木本植物多样性、密度和物种组成。桉树人工林和邻近天然林内分别圈画出20个20m×20m样地,记录下每块样地内的物种名称、物种丰富度、植株直径和高度以及采集亚样方(4m2)内幼苗数目。本试验中,记录人工林内木本植物46种,邻近天然林内52种,分别来自36个科。人工林内,物种多样性(H’)为2.19,林下木本植物密度为3842株/hm2,幼苗密度为4151株/hm2;而天然林内的物种多样性、林下树木密度和幼苗密度分别为2.74,4122株/hm2和8101株/hm2。两种林分的木本植物物种组成相似性较高。研究还表明,桉树人工林适合于Millitia ferruginia和小果咖啡生长和再生,而对下层木本则不适合。     

香港人工林改造对林下植物自然更新 和物种多样性的早期影响

人工林在保护香港自然环境起着重要作用,但绝大多数人工林为纯林,生态系统较为脆弱。人工林的改造对于增加林地生物多样性、提升人工林的生态服务功能具有重要意义。研究选取20 a 生的尾叶桉（Eucalyptus urophylla）林和马占相思（Acacia mangium）林进行间伐套种处理,套种密度为1665株／hm2;以不间伐林分为对照,比较间伐套种后林分的物种多样性及套种树种的生长表现。结果表明,间伐＋套种3 a后,与未间伐林分相比,尾叶桉间伐林分植物的科、属和种数分别增加了78．6％、116．7％和100％,马占相思间伐林分相反。DCA 分析结果显示,群落中灌木层和草本层物种主要聚集在尾叶桉间伐林分,马占相思未间伐林分物种数次之。与未间伐相比,间伐＋套种措施显著提高了尾叶桉林乔木层 Shannon-Wiener 指数和均匀度指数、灌木层的物种丰富度指数和均匀度指数及草本层的丰富度和 Shannon-Wiener 指数（P ＜0．05）;但马占相思间伐＋套种林分的乔木层、灌木层和草本层的 Shannon-Wiener 指数均显著低于未间伐林分（P ＜0．05）;物种多样性指标总体表现为尾叶桉间伐林＞未间伐林,马占相思未间伐林＞间伐林。套种树种在尾叶桉和马占相思林分中的早期生长表现良好,树种间生长量没有明显差异。     

半干旱黄土丘陵沟壑区人工林土壤水分与其群落特征研究

2009年,对定西巉口林场人工针叶林、阔叶林及针阔混交林23个植被类型土壤水分和林下物种多样性特征进行了连续观测和调查.结果显示:山杏林地土壤水分最低,青杨林和青杨+油松混交林地最高,均与其他林地存在显著性差异,荒草地土壤水分高于其他林地介于中间;土壤水分亏缺量最大的为阔叶乔木或灌木林,其次为针叶林或针阔混交林,衰退的人工林地土壤水分亏缺量最小;浅层土壤水分(0～80 mm)与Margalef丰富度指数、Shannon-wiener多样性指数和均匀度指数相关性极显著,存在线性关系.而深层土壤水分与上面3个植物多样性指数无相关性.该研究对阐明人工林地土壤水分环境以及其与群落发育阶段和植物多样的相应关系,指导科学培育人工林提供理论基础.     

Effects of artificial afforestation and successional stage on a lowland forest bird community in southern China

To examine the relationship between forest succession after severe logging forestry practices and the composition of avian communities, we investigated how forest bird composition and guild structure change as a function of structural properties along a successional gradient, including a climax mature forest (>400 years), a rehabilitated mixed forest (50-70 years), and a disturbed Masson pine forest (70 years) of the Dinghushan Nature Reserve, Guangdong Province, China. Of a total of 51 resident species recorded, mixed forests hosted the highest numbers of individuals and species, reflecting the high species richness of both forest and non-forest species. For forest-dependent species, however, mature stands had the highest observed and estimated species richness. Of 6 habitat-use guilds identified, vertical-profile generalists and understory-birds formed the two dominant guilds, accounting for 54.0% and 38.7% of all individuals respectively. The results of canonical correspondence analysis (CCA) clearly showed that most forest-dependent species were associated with high proportions of native canopy cover and the mean density of dead trees and large trees, which are characteristic of old-growth mature forests (horizontal heterogeneity) at stand level. Accordingly, conservation efforts should focus on the specialized requirements of the most habitat-restricted species in the future, especially for understory insectivores (Babblers) and large-tree users in mature subtropical monsoon forests of southern China. Moreover, since regenerating mixed forests are very similar to mature forests in both vegetation structure and bird community composition, we recommend that logging cycles (>50 years) be increased to a minimum of 50 years in southern China, so that a balance between economic and ecological interest can be reestablished.     

Breeding bird community composition in different successional vegetation in the montane coniferous forests zone of Taiwan

To examine the relationship between forest succession following fire and the composition of bird communities, we investigated the vegetation structure, bird population density, foraging behavior and guild structure in bamboo grasslands (11 years since the last fire), pine savanna (41 years), pine woodland (58 years), old-growth hemlock forest (never burned), and old-growth spruce forest (never burned) in the Tatachia area of central Taiwan. Canopy height, total foliage cover, tree density, total basal area of tree, total basal area of snags, foliage height diversity, and tree species richness all increased with successional age. However, shrub cover peaked in intermediate successional stages. The vertical profile of foliage cover was more diverse in later successional forests, which had more breeding bird species and ecological guilds. All the breeding bird species recorded in early and intermediate stages were also found distributed in the late successional forests. Because Taiwan has high precipitation and humidity, and most forest fires in Taiwan are caused by human activities, forest fires and large areas of early successional vegetation were probably rare in the mountain areas of Taiwan prior to the arrival of humans. Therefore, bird species have not had enough time to adapt to areas with early or intermediate successional vegetation. Moreover, late successional forests host all the major plant species found in the early and intermediate stages and have higher foliage height diversity index, which was positively correlated with the bird species richness and bird species diversity index in this study. As a result, all breeding bird species and guilds in the area can be found in late successional forests. Efforts for conserving avian diversity in Taiwan should focus on protecting the remaining native old-growth forests.     

冰雪灾害后生态公益林乔木层物种结构变化

于2008年冰雪灾害后在福建省宁化县水茜乡生态公益林内常绿阔叶林、针阔混交林代表地段设置固定样地,探讨封育对冰雪灾害后的次生幼龄林乔木物种结构的变化。结果表明:经5 a封育,乔木层物种丰富度指数明显增加,自然恢复为以壳斗科、山茶科、樟科、杉科、安息香科等物种为建群种或共建种的次生常绿阔叶林、针阔混交林。随着封育的延续,针阔混交林往常绿阔叶林方向发展,使林分形成一个稳定的顶级森林群落。     

Distribution and composition of carabid beetle (Coleoptera, Carabidae) communities across the plantation forest cycle—Implications for management

If national afforestation targets are met, the proportion of area under plantation forest cover in Ireland will almost double by the year 2030 to 17%, and will consist of mostly non-native trees. There is an urgent and vital need to assess and to maximise the biodiversity potential of these forests. This study compares carabid beetle (Coleoptera, Carabidae) composition and assemblage patterns across different stages of the forest cycle, in addition to intensive grassland habitats, the habitat the plantation forest will most likely be replacing. The clearfell habitat had the highest median species richness, while the grassland habitat had the highest species diversity, but lowest species dominance. Ordination analysis revealed that the species assemblages of all stages of the forest cycle could be clearly separated from the grassland habitat, while differences were also observed between forest stages. Canonical correspondence analysis revealed that the most significant factors influencing carabid community composition were percent cover of ground vegetation and mosses, and also percent soil moisture. Differences in species with varying physical traits and microhabitat preferences were also observed between habitats, with larger, brachypterous species positively associated with increasing canopy cover and smaller macropterous species displaying the opposite pattern. The presence and abundance of forest-associated species increased with increasing plantation age, with a corresponding decrease in open habitat-associated and generalist species. The results of this study suggest that at the landscape scale, a variety of different aged forest stands would maximise the biodiversity potential of the planned afforestation.     

Conservation value of forest plantations for bird communities in western Kenya

Tree plantations of native and exotic species are frequently used to compensate for forest loss in the tropics. However, these plantations may support lower species diversity and different communities than natural forest. We therefore investigated bird communities in stands of natural forest, different types of tree plantations and secondary forest in Kakamega Forest, western Kenya. We compared birds differing in habitat specialisation, i.e. forest specialists, generalists, and visitors. We recorded significant differences in mean species richness and number of individuals among the different forest types. Stands of natural forest and plantations of indigenous tree species comprised more species and individuals than plantations of exotic tree species and secondary forest. This was caused by a significant decline of forest specialists and generalists from natural forest and indigenous plantations to exotic plantations and secondary forest. Species composition of the bird communities did not differ between natural forest stands and plantations of a mixture of indigenous tree species, but clearly changed between natural forest and plantations of single tree species. These findings demonstrate that natural forest areas are needed for the conservation of forest bird diversity, but that plantations with a mixture of indigenous tree species can have similarly high conservation value.     

Effects of management, environment and landscape conditions on establishment of hardwood seedlings and saplings in central Japanese coniferous plantations

There is an increasing need to restore natural hardwood forests in landscapes dominated by monocultural conifer plantations. A convenient restoration approach is to exploit natural regeneration processes. Natural regeneration, however, is affected by diverse interacting factors, for which better understanding is required, in order to optimize restoration programs. To identify optimal management practices for improving natural regeneration of hardwood trees in coniferous plantations, we examined the effects of multiple factors on the abundance of seedlings, small saplings and large saplings (height <0.3, 0.3-1.3 and ?1.3 m, respectively) of hardwood tree and shrub species in both line thinned (LT) and unthinned (UT) plantations of sugi (Cryptomeria japonica) and hardwood forests (HF) in central Japan. The effects of management practices (number of the times of weeding and cleaning, thinning method, years after thinning and forest age), environment (slope position, slope angle and canopy openness), and landscape conditions (distance from nearest hardwood forest, altitude and landuse before planting) on the number of hardwood individuals were examined by using the data obtained from the LT plantations. We also compared hardwood density between LT and UT plantations to examine the effect of line thinning. Finally, we examined species composition of LT plantations and HF to identify hardwood forest components in the thinned plantations. The effects on hardwood regeneration of environmental conditions, landscape factors and management practices applied in the plantations varied, depending on the size class and life form of the regenerating species. The abundance of large saplings of tall tree species was affected by several management factors, especially number of the times of weeding. Landscape conditions (distance from the nearest hardwood forest and altitude) affected the abundance of small saplings and seedlings of tall tree species, but not the other classes. Seedlings and small saplings of many tall tree species that contribute to hardwood forest canopies were less abundant in the LT plantations. The results show that numerous factors affect the establishment and abundance of naturally regenerating hardwood tree species, and suggest that successful establishment during early plantation stages can have long-lasting effects on natural regeneration of tall tree species.