Species Diversity Characteristics of a Natural Pinus taiwanensis Community with Different Diameter Classes and Forest Densities

doi:10.5814/j.issn.1674-764x.2020.04.003

Abstract

Abstract:

Pinus taiwanensis is a species endemic to China. This study selected four typical plots of Pinus taiwanensis in the natural secondary forest around Macheng City, in order to reveal the characteristics of and the relationships between different diameter classes (determined based on the diameter at breast height or DBH), forest densities and species diversity, as well as the similarities of species diversity of different plots within the community. The result showed that Pinus taiwanensis was the dominant species in the community. The ratio of Pinus taiwanensis trees of diameter class IV reached a peak of 19.46% of the total followed by diameter class VII at 18.92%. The study recorded 156 species of vascular plants from 130 genera of 71 families; Pinus taiwanensis was the dominant species in the community. When the forest density was 1200 trees ha ^-1 with the largest average diameter of DBH=36.779±4.444 cm, the diversity (Shannon index H'=1.6716) and the evenness (Pielou index E=0.6727) of the tree layer was the highest. When the forest density reached 1525 trees ha ^-1 with the lowest average diameter of DBH=18.957±5.141 cm, the richness (D_ma=5.4308), the diversity (H'=2.9612) and the evenness (E=0.8985) of all shrub layers climbed to the maximum. When the forest density was 1325 trees ha ^-1, the richness (D_ma=5.8132), the diversity (H'=3.0697) and the evenness (E=0.9025) of all herb layers peaked. In terms of vertical structure, the average diversity indexes were herb layer>shrub layer>tree layer. High canopy density weakened light intensity in the community, causing a reduction in the species diversities of herbs and shrubs. The average similarity coefficient between the sample plots was 0.3356, which was at the medium dissimilarity level. External disturbances and improper management were major contributors to the low species diversity of the community. The implementation of scientific management measures is urgently needed to optimize the forest structures of Pinus taiwanensis, create a benign community environment, and promote species diversities and establish a stable forest community structure.

Key words: Pinus taiwanensis, diameter class, forest density, species diversity

WANG Yang, JIANG Xiongbo, WU Dezhi. Species Diversity Characteristics of a Natural Pinus taiwanensis Community with Different Diameter Classes and Forest Densities[J]. Journal of Resources and Ecology, 2020, 11(4): 349-357.

Figures/Tables 6

References 28

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Plot No.	Elevation (m)	Longitude	Latitude	Slope (?)	Aspect	Canopy density	Forest density (trees ha^-1)	Average DBH (cm)	Average height (m)	Average biomass (t ha^-1)
1	792	115°17′23″	31°22′34″	20	Southeast	0.85	1425	22.479±10.114	13.913±3.942	296.097
2	812	115°18′50″	31°22′56″	15	North	0.70	1525	18.957±5.141	11.502±2.206	197.714
3	739	115°20'21	31°23'32	22	Northeast	0.65	1325	29.470±8.694	11.775±3.468	297.193
4	658	115°21′41″	31°23′25″	18	Southeast	0.80	1200	36.779±4.444	14.865±1.828	664.605

Plot No.	Elevation (m)	Longitude	Latitude	Slope (?)	Aspect	Canopy density	Forest density (trees ha^-1)	Average DBH (cm)	Average height (m)	Average biomass (t ha^-1)
1	792	115°17′23″	31°22′34″	20	Southeast	0.85	1425	22.479±10.114	13.913±3.942	296.097
2	812	115°18′50″	31°22′56″	15	North	0.70	1525	18.957±5.141	11.502±2.206	197.714
3	739	115°20'21	31°23'32	22	Northeast	0.65	1325	29.470±8.694	11.775±3.468	297.193
4	658	115°21′41″	31°23′25″	18	Southeast	0.80	1200	36.779±4.444	14.865±1.828	664.605

Plot No.	Vegetation layer	Richness			Diversity		Evenness
Plot No.	Vegetation layer	Patrick (S)	Margalef (D_ma)	Menhinick (D_mc)	Shannon-Weiner (H')	Simpson GINI (D)	PieLou (E)	Alatalo (E_a)
1	Herb	14	2.3267	0.8568	1.7314	0.7618	0.6561	0.6879
	Shrub	16	2.9666	1.2769	2.1661	0.8266	0.7812	0.6170
	Tree	14	2.9839	1.5852	1.6215	0.6203	0.6144	0.4023
2	Herb	34	5.7461	1.9249	2.3669	0.8237	0.6712	0.4836
	Shrub	27	5.4308	2.4648	2.9612	0.9306	0.8985	0.7314
	Tree	9	1.7410	0.9045	1.4145	0.6369	0.6438	0.5631
3	Herb	32	5.8132	2.2242	3.0697	0.9853	0.9025	0.9593
	Shrub	22	4.3351	1.9522	2.5248	0.8673	0.8168	0.5687
	Tree	9	1.9384	1.1430	1.1886	0.5016	0.5410	0.4408
4	Herb	24	4.4244	1.7839	2.7411	0.9097	0.8625	0.6944
	Shrub	18	3.8577	1.9878	2.4750	0.8876	0.8563	0.7253
	Tree	12	2.0040	0.7714	1.6716	0.7705	0.6727	0.7768

Plot No.	Vegetation layer	Richness			Diversity		Evenness
Plot No.	Vegetation layer	Patrick (S)	Margalef (D_ma)	Menhinick (D_mc)	Shannon-Weiner (H')	Simpson GINI (D)	PieLou (E)	Alatalo (E_a)
1	Herb	14	2.3267	0.8568	1.7314	0.7618	0.6561	0.6879
	Shrub	16	2.9666	1.2769	2.1661	0.8266	0.7812	0.6170
	Tree	14	2.9839	1.5852	1.6215	0.6203	0.6144	0.4023
2	Herb	34	5.7461	1.9249	2.3669	0.8237	0.6712	0.4836
	Shrub	27	5.4308	2.4648	2.9612	0.9306	0.8985	0.7314
	Tree	9	1.7410	0.9045	1.4145	0.6369	0.6438	0.5631
3	Herb	32	5.8132	2.2242	3.0697	0.9853	0.9025	0.9593
	Shrub	22	4.3351	1.9522	2.5248	0.8673	0.8168	0.5687
	Tree	9	1.9384	1.1430	1.1886	0.5016	0.5410	0.4408
4	Herb	24	4.4244	1.7839	2.7411	0.9097	0.8625	0.6944
	Shrub	18	3.8577	1.9878	2.4750	0.8876	0.8563	0.7253
	Tree	12	2.0040	0.7714	1.6716	0.7705	0.6727	0.7768

Plot No.	Tree species	IV_t(%)	Shrub species	IV_s(%)	Herb species	IV_h(%)
1	Pinus taiwanensis	84.33	Rhododendron simsii	34.72	Oplismenus undulatifolius	39.33
	Paulownia fortunei	2.17	Camellia sinensis	21.74	Goodyera repens	18.73
	Vernicia fordii	2.07	Euscaphis japonica	8.39	Alpinia japonica	15.73
	Diospyros lotus	1.72	Wisteria sinensis	6.63	Aristolochia mollissima	14.61
	Euscaphis japonica	1.57	Alangium platanifolium	5.19	Viola verecunda	3.75
	Celtis biondii	0.78	Viburnum dilatatum	4.40	Parthenocissus dalzielii	2.25
2	Pinus taiwanensis	81.84	Lindera erythrocarpa	22.31	Polygonum hydropiper	34.94
	Carya cathayensis	5.60	Lindera glauca	10.65	Oplismenus undulatifolius	19.23
	Quercus serrata	1.68	Euscaphis japonica	6.92	Alpinia japonica	8.33
	Symplocos paniculata	1.16	Schisandra sphenanthera	5.90	Viola verecunda	4.81
	Mallotus japonicus	0.70	Corylus heterophylla	5.88	Teucrium viscidum	4.49
	Lindera erythrocarpa	0.59	Phyllanthus glaucus	4.27	Phryma leptostachya	4.81
3	Pinus taiwanensis	81.12	Rhododendron simsii	38.61	Geum aleppicum	13.43
	Lindera glauca	6.69	Lindera erythrocarpa	12.87	Kummerowia striata	14.63
	Dalbergia hupeana	4.48	Camellia sinensis	11.88	Erigeron annuus	10.79
	Carya cathayensis	3.57	Akebia trifoliata	8.91	Setaria faberii	8.87
	Diospyros lotus	2.21	Kerria japonica	6.93	Crassocephalum crepidioides	6.71
	Castanea seguinii	1.76	Lespedeza formosa	5.94	Fragaria nilgerrensis	5.04
4	Pinus taiwanensis	63.10	Lespedeza formosa	15.85	Anaphalis sinica	20.44
	Quercus acutissima	15.79	Lespedeza buergeri	15.23	Aster ageratoides	12.71
	Quercus serrata	12.26	Rhododendron simsii	14.63	Amphicarpaea edgeworthii	8.84
	Dalbergia hupeana	4.20	Glochidion wilsonii	8.54	Syneilesis aconitifolia	8.29
	Albizia kalkora	2.31	Elaeagnus pungens	4.54	Fragaria nilgerrensi	5.65
	Quercus variabilis	1.32	Rosa cymosa	3.95	Cyperus rotundus	5.52