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Forest characteristics, population structure and growth trends of Pinus yunnanensis in Tianchi National Nature Reserve of Yunnan, southwestern China
- Source :
- Vegetation Classification and Survey (VCS), Vol 1, Iss, Pp 7-20 (2020)
- Publication Year :
- 2020
- Publisher :
- Pensoft Publishers, 2020.
-
Abstract
- Aims: Pinus yunnanesis is commercially, culturally and economically important, but there is a lack of ecological data on its role in stand dynamics. Our aims are to clarify the structure, composition, regeneration and growth trends of primary mature P. yunnanensis forests. Study area: The Tianchi National Nature Reserve in the Xuepan Mountains, Yunlong County, northwestern Yunnan, China. Methods: We investigated forests containing P. yunnanensis, measured tree ages and analyzed the data. Results: Six forest types were identified: (1) coniferous forest: Pinus yunnanensis (Type 1); (2) mixed coniferous and evergreen broad-leaved forest: P. yunnanensis-Lithocarpus variolosus (Type 2); (3) mixed coniferous and deciduous broad-leaved forest: P. yunnanensis-Quercus griffithii (Type 3); (4) mixed evergreen broad-leaved and coniferous forest: Castanopsis orthacantha-P. yunnanensis-Schima argentea (Type 4); (5) mixed coniferous, evergreen and deciduous broad-leaved forest: Pinus yunnanensis-Schima argentea-Quercus griffithii (Type 5); (6) mixed coniferous and evergreen broad-leaved forest: Pinus armandii-Quercus rehderiana-Pinus yunnanensis (Type 6). The size- and age-structure and regeneration patterns of P. yunnanensis were highly variable within these six forest types. P. yunnanensis regeneration was well balanced in forest Type 1 as compared to the other five types. All six forest types were identified as rare and old-growth with P. yunnaensis trees reaching ages of more than 105 years (a maximum age of 165 years with a diameter 116 cm at breast height) except for the Type 4 forest (a 90-year-old stand). Growth rates of P. yunnanensis, based upon ring width measurements, were high for the first 10 years, then declined after the 10th year. In contrast, basal area increment (BAI) increased for the first 25 years, plateaued, and only declined as trees became older. Trees in the older age classes grew more quickly than younger trees at the same age, a consequence of either site quality or competitive differences. The BAI of P. yunnanensis in all age classes in the Tianchi National Nature Reserve was much higher than those of the secondary and degraded natural P. yunnanensis forests of other areas. Conclusions: The P. yunnanensis forests of the Tianchi area appear to be some of the last remnants of primeval and old-growth forests of this species. These forests are structurally diverse and contain a rich diversity of overstory, mid-story, and understory species. Taxonomic reference: Editorial Committee of Flora Republicae Popularis Sinicae (1959–2004) for vascular plants. Abbreviations: BA = basal area; BAI = basal area increment; DBH = diameter at breast height; H = height; RBA = relative basal area.
- Subjects :
- 0106 biological sciences
Pinus yunnanensis
lcsh:GE1-350
010504 meteorology & atmospheric sciences
biology
Population structure
Forestry
biology.organism_classification
01 natural sciences
Geography
Age-class basal area increment forest stratification growth rate old-growth forest regeneration pattern species diversity
China
National nature reserve
lcsh:Environmental sciences
010606 plant biology & botany
0105 earth and related environmental sciences
Subjects
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 26830671
- Volume :
- 1
- Database :
- OpenAIRE
- Journal :
- Vegetation Classification and Survey (VCS)
- Accession number :
- edsair.doi.dedup.....2a9431c832d0757298baa5df61e9681a