Understory plants are an integral part of forests,serving a variety of functions that help maintain healthy ecosystems.The structure and composition of the understory are influenced by numerous biotic and abiotic fact...Understory plants are an integral part of forests,serving a variety of functions that help maintain healthy ecosystems.The structure and composition of the understory are influenced by numerous biotic and abiotic factors,with light being critical.The introduction of the pathogen Cronartium ribicola,which causes white pine blister rust,into North America in the early 20 th century led to the near total loss of western white pine(Pinus monticola)from moist forests of the Northern Rockies.Management is reintroducing blister rust-resistant western white pine across the landscape,but the effects on the understory are unknown.We examined the effects of stand structure and proportion of western white pine in the overstory on understory diversity of vascular plants in closed canopy stands dominated by blister rust-resistant western white pine across northern Idaho.Habitat series explained the greatest amount of variation(34%)in species presence-absence,while canopy cover accounted for 25%,basal area of all trees for 18%,and the proportion of western white pine composition by 14%.Our analysis revealed positive relationships between the proportion of western white pine in the overstory and both the presence of understory plants and the cover of several understory species.For both the presence and cover,separate sets of thirteen species were found to have a positive relationship with the proportion of western white pine in the overstory,with eight species in common.This research fills a knowledge gap by using data from a range of stands across northern Idaho with varying abundance of western white pine in the overstory to evaluate the relationship between the understory and overstory composition.As land managers plant more western white pine trees,we are likely to see the concomitant increase in understory plant diversity across the landscape,in addition to numerous other benefits,including disturbance resistance and resilience.展开更多
The establishment of plantations has become a critical approach for reducing greenhouse gas emissions,particularly in fragile environments with carbon sequestration potential.In karst areas,plantations based on fastgr...The establishment of plantations has become a critical approach for reducing greenhouse gas emissions,particularly in fragile environments with carbon sequestration potential.In karst areas,plantations based on fastgrowing afforestation species made significant contributions to enhancing carbon sequestration.However,the impact of understory vegetation on carbon accumulation remains unclear.Especially,the carbon accumulation associated with litter produced during the replacement of understory species receives insufficient attention,which leads to the neglect of the carbon sequestration potential in plantations of karst areas.Leaf is a crucial organ that links the litter production.To explore how leaf traits adapt to competitive environments and drive litter carbon accumulation during understory species replacement,this study observed leaf traits and litter carbon content changes in three types of plantations in the Liujiang River Basin,a typical karst area.A total of 37 sampling plots were selected for field investigation over a twoyear period.Leaf traits,species diversity,vegetation coverage,and litter carbon characteristics in understory vegetation were measured.Variance analysis,allometric equations,and path analysis were used for data analysis.The results showed that most understory species adopted a biomass conservation strategy under high-coverage conditions(>44.27%)and expanded competitive leaf area under low-coverage conditions(<44.27%).However,Bidens pilosa and Miscanthus floridulus exhibited strong competitiveness during understory species replacement.They showed an expansion of competitive leaf area under high-coverage conditions.This competitive strategy reduced species diversity and community specific leaf area.But the rapid expansion of Bidens pilosa and Miscanthus floridulus increased understory vegetation coverage,and their increased specific leaf area facilitated leaf shedding,resulting in significant litter weight accumulation(P<0.05),thereby enhancing litter carbon content per unit area.These competitive strategies were key driving factors for the increase in litter carbon content per square meter,which reached a maximum of 49.6% higher than that in natural grasslands.And the maximum increase in litter carbon accumulation derived from understory vegetation reached 3.37 times from 2023 to 2024 in plantations.In the understory vegetation of plantations,the competitive strategies reflected by leaf adaptation of key competitive species are critical factors influencing litter carbon accumulation.Future research could deeply explore the carbon sequestration effects resulting from the dynamic changes in competition within the understory vegetation of plantations.展开更多
Accurate estimation of understory terrain has significant scientific importance for maintaining ecosystem balance and biodiversity conservation.Addressing the issue of inadequate representation of spatial heterogeneit...Accurate estimation of understory terrain has significant scientific importance for maintaining ecosystem balance and biodiversity conservation.Addressing the issue of inadequate representation of spatial heterogeneity when traditional forest topographic inversion methods consider the entire forest as the inversion unit,this study pro⁃poses a differentiated modeling approach to forest types based on refined land cover classification.Taking Puerto Ri⁃co and Maryland as study areas,a multi-dimensional feature system is constructed by integrating multi-source re⁃mote sensing data:ICESat-2 spaceborne LiDAR is used to obtain benchmark values for understory terrain,topo⁃graphic factors such as slope and aspect are extracted based on SRTM data,and vegetation cover characteristics are analyzed using Landsat-8 multispectral imagery.This study incorporates forest type as a classification modeling con⁃dition and applies the random forest algorithm to build differentiated topographic inversion models.Experimental re⁃sults indicate that,compared to traditional whole-area modeling methods(RMSE=5.06 m),forest type-based classi⁃fication modeling significantly improves the accuracy of understory terrain estimation(RMSE=2.94 m),validating the effectiveness of spatial heterogeneity modeling.Further sensitivity analysis reveals that canopy structure parame⁃ters(with RMSE variation reaching 4.11 m)exert a stronger regulatory effect on estimation accuracy compared to forest cover,providing important theoretical support for optimizing remote sensing models of forest topography.展开更多
The authors regret that an error occurred during the preparation of their article:One of the official databases,which was used for functional trait collections,contained an incorrect term–'chametophytes'–for...The authors regret that an error occurred during the preparation of their article:One of the official databases,which was used for functional trait collections,contained an incorrect term–'chametophytes'–for the life form category'chamaephytes'.Unfortunately,this incorrect term was used throughout the article following the nomenclature of this official database:in one instance in the main text,in Fig.3 and its caption,in Fig.5,and in two instances in the supplementary material.展开更多
Unmanned aerial vehicle light detection and ranging(UAV–LiDAR)is a new method for collecting understory terrain data.The high estimation accuracy of understory terrain is crucial for accurate tree height measurement ...Unmanned aerial vehicle light detection and ranging(UAV–LiDAR)is a new method for collecting understory terrain data.The high estimation accuracy of understory terrain is crucial for accurate tree height measurement and forest resource surveys.The UAV–LiDAR flight altitude and forest canopy cover significantly impact the accuracy of understory terrain estimation.However,since no research examined their combined effects,we aimed to investigate this relationship.This will help optimize UAV–LiDAR flight parameters for understory terrain estimation and forest surveys across various canopy cover.This study analyzed the impacts of three flight altitudes and three canopy cover on the estimation accuracy of understory terrain.The results showed that when canopy cover exceeded a specific value,UAV–LiDAR flight altitudes significantly affected understory terrain estimation.Given a forest canopy cover,the reduction in ground point coverage increased significantly as the flight altitude increased;given a flight altitude,the higher the canopy cover,the more significant the reduction in ground point coverage.In forests with a canopy cover≥0.9,there were substantial differences in the accuracies of understory digital elevation models(DEMs)generated using UAV–LiDAR at different flight altitudes.For forests with a canopy cover<0.9,the mean absolute error(MAE)of understory DEMs from UAV–LiDAR at different flight altitudes was≤0.17 m and the root mean square error(RMSE)was≤0.24 m.However,for forests with a canopy cover≥0.9,the UAV–LiDAR flight altitude significantly affected the accuracy of understory DEMs.At the same flight altitude,the MAE and RMSE of the estimated elevation for forests with a canopy cover≥0.9 were approximately twice those of the estimated elevation for forests with a canopy cover<0.9.In forests with low canopy cover,it is possible to improve data collection efficiency by selecting a higher flight altitude.However,UAV–LiDAR flight altitudes significantly affected understory terrain estimation in forests with high canopy cover,it is essential to adopt terrain-following flight modes,reduce flight altitudes,and maintain a consistent flight altitude during longterm monitoring in high canopy cover forests.展开更多
Accurate reconstruction of understory terrain is essential for environmental monitoring and resource management.This study integrates 1:10,000 Digital Elevation Model,Global Ecosystem Dynamics Investigation(GEDI),and ...Accurate reconstruction of understory terrain is essential for environmental monitoring and resource management.This study integrates 1:10,000 Digital Elevation Model,Global Ecosystem Dynamics Investigation(GEDI),and AW3D30 Digital Surface Model data,combined with three machine learning algorithms—Random Forest(RF),Back Propagation Neural Network(BPNN),and Extreme Gradient Boosting(XGBoost)—to evaluate the performance of canopy height inversion and understory terrain reconstruction.The analysis emphasizes the impact of topographic and vegetation-related factors on model accuracy.Results reveal that slope is the most influential variable,contributing three to five times more to model performance than other features.In low-slope areas,understory terrain tends to be underestimated,whereas high-slope areas often result in overestimation.Moreover,the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index(NDVI)and land cover types,particularly forests and grasslands,significantly affect prediction accuracy,with model performance showing heightened sensitivity to vegetation characteristics in these regions.Among the models tested,XGBoost demonstrated superior performance,achieving a canopy height bias of-0.06 m,a root mean square error(RMSE)of 4.69 m for canopy height,and an RMSE of 9.82 m for understory terrain.Its ability to capture complex nonlinear relationships and handle high-dimensional data underlines its robustness.While the RF model exhibited strong stability and resistance to noise,its accuracy lagged slightly behind XGBoost.The BPNN model,by contrast,struggled in areas with complex terrain.This study offers valuable insights into feature selection and optimization in remote sensing applications,providing a reference framework for enhancing the accuracy and efficiency of environmental monitoring practices.展开更多
This study was conducted for the purposes of reducing consumption of wild resources of Paris polyphylla Smith, satisfying the market demand, saving the production cost, improving utilization rate of forest land, incre...This study was conducted for the purposes of reducing consumption of wild resources of Paris polyphylla Smith, satisfying the market demand, saving the production cost, improving utilization rate of forest land, increasing income of foresters and protecting ecological environment. Three types of fores{ land, i.e., the evergreen forest land （China fir forest）, deciduous forest land （walnut forest） and shrub land （honey suckle forest.） were selected, and seeds and cut rhizomes of Paris polyphylla Smith produced in Bamian Mountain, Hunan, were used in the study on understory seedling raising and cultivation techniques. The results showed that： when using different propagation materials, seed propagation could be adopted to reduce the consumption of wild resources and provide a large number of seedlings, and was beneficial to large-scale planting; and when conducing seedling and plantlet raising followed by transplanting and direct seeding and planting using different propagation materials in large-scale understory cultivation, direct seeding/ planting was appropriate for saving save production cost with the advantage of early production. Among the 3 different types of forest land, the best choice was broad- leaved forest land, which could achieve better economic benefit because of con- forming with the ecological habit and growth and development law of Paris poly- phylla Smith.展开更多
CH4 is one of the most important greenhouse gases, and mainly comes from soils in forest ecosystems. The objective of this study was to determine the effects of forest management practices such as understory removal a...CH4 is one of the most important greenhouse gases, and mainly comes from soils in forest ecosystems. The objective of this study was to determine the effects of forest management practices such as understory removal and N-fixing species （Cassia alata） addition, on soil CH4 fluxes in four forest plantations in southern China. Fluxes of CH4 were measured in Eucalyptus urophylla plantation （B1）, Acacia crassi-carpa plantation （B2）, 10-native-species-mixed plantation （B3）, and 30-native-species-mixed plantation （B4） stands using the static chamber method in Southern China. Four forest management treatments, includ-ing （1） understory removal and replacement with C. alata （UR＋CA）; （2） understory removal only （UR）; （3） C. alata addition only （CA）; and （4） control without any disturbances （CK）, were applied in the four forest plantations. The results showed that plantation types had a significant effect on soil CH4 fluxes. B1 and B2 tended to be CH4 consumers, while B3 and B4 inclined to be CH4 producers. UR decreased CH4 fluxes by providing a more optimal soil temperature and moisture regime for mi-croorganism community and increasing substrate mineralization. How-ever, CA enhanced CH4 fluxes in B1 and B2 for N-fixing function of C. alata while lowered CH4 fluxes in B3 and B4. Soil CH4 flux rate was significantly related to soil temperature and moisture conditions in the top 10-cm soil layer. Furthermore, the quality of substrates, such as Soil Organic Carbon （SOC） and mineral N might also be important driving factors for CH4 fluxes. This study improved our understanding on CH4 fluxes in plantations under different management practices such as UR and CA.展开更多
Understory plants are important components of forest ecosystems and play a crucial role in regulating community structures,function realization,and community succession.However,little is known about how abiotic and bi...Understory plants are important components of forest ecosystems and play a crucial role in regulating community structures,function realization,and community succession.However,little is known about how abiotic and biotic drivers affect the diversity of understory species in cold temperate coniferous forests in the semiarid climate region of North China.We hypothesized that(1)topographic factors are important environmental factors affecting the distribution and variation of understory strata,and(2)different understory strata respond differently to environmental factors;shrubs may be significantly affected by the overstory stratum,and herbs may be more affected by surface soil conditions.To test these hypotheses,we used the boosted regression tree method to analyze abiotic and biotic environmental factors that influence understory species diversity,using data from 280 subplots across 56 sites in cold temperate coniferous forests of North China.Elevation and slope aspect were the dominant and indirect abiotic drivers affecting understory species diversity,and individual tree size inequality(DBH variation)was the dominant biotic driver of understory species diversity;soil water content was the main edaphic factors affecting herb layers.Elevation,slope aspect,and DBH variation accounted for 36.4,14.5,and 12.1%,respectively,of shrub stratum diversity.Shrub diversity decreased with elevation within the range of altitude of this study,but increased with DBH variation;shrub diversity was highest on north-oriented slopes.The strongest factor affecting herb stratum species diversity was slope aspect,accounting for 25.9%of the diversity,followed by elevation(15.7%),slope(12.2%),and soil water content(10.3%).The highest herb diversity was found on southeast-oriented slopes and the lowest on northeast-oriented slopes;herb diversity decreased with elevation and soil water content,but increased with slope.The results of the study provide a reference for scientific management and biodiversity protection in cold temperate coniferous forests of North China.展开更多
In many second-rotation Pinus radiata forest planta-tions, there has been a steady trend towards wider tree spacing and an increased rate of application of P fertiliser. Under these regimes, the potential for understo...In many second-rotation Pinus radiata forest planta-tions, there has been a steady trend towards wider tree spacing and an increased rate of application of P fertiliser. Under these regimes, the potential for understory growth is expected to in-crease through increased light and greater nutrient resources. Therefore, understory vegetation could become a more signifi-cant component of P cycling in P. radiata forests than under closely-spaced stands. Studies have shown that growth rates and survival of trees is reduced in the presence of understory vegeta-tion due to the competition of understory vegetation with trees. Other studies have suggested that understory vegetation might have beneficial effects on nutrient cycling and conservation within forest stands. This review discusses the significance of understory vegetation in radiata pine forest stands, especially their role in enhancing or reducing P availability to forest trees.展开更多
We report on the effects of forest management practices of understory removal and N-fixing species（Cassia alata） addition on soil CO2 fluxes in an Eucalyptus urophylla plantation（EUp）,Acacia crassicarpa plantation...We report on the effects of forest management practices of understory removal and N-fixing species（Cassia alata） addition on soil CO2 fluxes in an Eucalyptus urophylla plantation（EUp）,Acacia crassicarpa plantation（ACp）,10-species-mixed plantation（Tp）,and 30-species-mixed plantation（THp） using the static chamber method in southern China.Four forest management treatments,including（1） understory removal（UR）;（2） C.alata addition（CA）;（3） understory removal and replacement with C.alata（UR＋CA）;and（4） control without any disturbances（CK）,were applied in the above four forest plantations with three replications for each treatment.The results showed that soil CO2 fluxes rates remained at a high level during the rainy season（from April to September）,followed by a rapid decrease after October reaching a minimum in February.Soil CO2 fluxes were significantly higher（P 〈 0.01） in EUp（132.6 mg/（m2.hr）） and ACp（139.8 mg/（m2.hr）） than in Tp（94.0 mg/（m2.hr）） and THp（102.9 mg/（m2.hr））.Soil CO2 fluxes in UR and CA were significantly higher（P 〈 0.01） among the four treatments,with values of 105.7,120.4,133.6 and 112.2 mg/（m2.hr） for UR＋CA,UR,CA and CK,respectively.Soil CO2 fluxes were positively correlated with soil temperature（P 〈 0.01）,soil moisture（P 〈 0.01）,NO3？-N（P 〈 0.05）,and litterfall（P 〈 0.01）,indicating that all these factors might be important controlling variables for soil CO2 fluxes.This study sheds some light on our understanding of soil CO2 flux dynamics in forest plantations under various management practices.展开更多
Black locust(Robinia pseudoacacia L.)plantations have contributed significantly to soil and water conservation and ecological reconstruction on China’s Loess Plateau.Understanding the impact of stand and environment ...Black locust(Robinia pseudoacacia L.)plantations have contributed significantly to soil and water conservation and ecological reconstruction on China’s Loess Plateau.Understanding the impact of stand and environment on species composition of understory woody plants will improve the stability of existing black locust plantations.Ten stands were selected in second-generation black locust plantations in tableland and gully areas of the Loess Plateau.The number of understory tree species in the tablelands was significantly lower than in the gully stands.Regenerated black locust(19.76%)and Rubus corchorifolius L.f.(64.85%)were the most abundant understory tree and shrub species,respectively,in the tableland stands;Broussonetia papyrifera(L.)L’Hér.ex Vent.(6.77%)and Acanthopanax senticosus(Rupr.Maxim.)Harms.(37.22%)were most abundant in the gully stands.Species richness(S),Shannon diversity(H),and evenness index(J)of the understory plants were significantly lower in the tableland stands than in the gully stands.More diverse understory species and community structures occurred in the gully stands.Differences in species diversity among landform positions may be attributed to differences in soil moisture.In addition,77.57%of the variation in understory species composition was explained,among which shrub and herb coverage,stand age,leaf area index,slope and total soil phosphorus in the 10-20 cm layer were the main factors.Soil organic carbon and total potassium significantly impacted S,H and J.Considering the environmental conditions and the biological characteristics of the plants investigated,R.corchorifolius should be given priority in the development of tableland stands,while B.papyrifera and Celtis sinensis Pers.should form mixed forests with black locust in gully stands.This management could promote biodiversity and stability of the existing black locust plantations but also optimize regional landscape patterns.展开更多
Understory vegetation controls, in a significant way, the regeneration of overstory trees, carbon sequestration and nutrient retention in tropical forests. Development and organization of understory vegetation depend ...Understory vegetation controls, in a significant way, the regeneration of overstory trees, carbon sequestration and nutrient retention in tropical forests. Development and organization of understory vegetation depend on climate, edaphic and biotic factors which are not well correlated with plant community structures. This study aimed to explore the relationships between understory vegetation and abiotic factors in natural and planted forest ecosystems. A non-metric multidimensional scaling(NMS) ordination technique was applied to represent forest understory vegetation among five forest communities, i.e., a dry miscellaneous forest(DMF), a sal mixed forest(SMF), a teak plantation(TP), a low-land miscellaneous forest(LMF) and a savanna area(SAV) of the Katerniaghat Wildlife Sanctuary, located in northern India. Microclimatic variables, such as photosynthetically active radiation(PAR), air temperature(AT), soil temperature(ST), ambient atmospheric CO 2 concentration, absolute air humidity(AH), physical and chemical soil properties as well as biological properties were measured. Understory species were assessed via 100 random quadrats(5 m × 5 m) in each of the five forests in which a total of 75 species were recorded encompassing 67 genera from 37 families, consisting of 32 shrubs and 43 plant saplings. DMF was the most dense forest with 34,068 understory individuals per ha of different species, whereas the lowest understory population(13,900 per ha) was observed in the savanna. Ordination and correlation revealed that microclimate factors are most important in their effect compared to edaphic factors, on the development of understory vegetation in the various forest communities in the north of India.展开更多
In forest ecosystems, interactions between overstory trees and understory herbs play an important role in driving plant species diversity. However, reported links between overstory tree and understory herb species div...In forest ecosystems, interactions between overstory trees and understory herbs play an important role in driving plant species diversity. However, reported links between overstory tree and understory herb species diversity have been inconsistent, due to variations in forest types and environmental conditions. Here, we measured species richness(SR) and diversity(Shannon-Wiener(H') and Simpson's(D) indices) of overstory trees and understory herbs in the protected Tianshan Wild Fruit Forest(TWFF), Northwest China, to explore their relationships along the latitudinal, longitudinal, elevational, and climatic(current climate and paleoclimate) gradients in 2018. We found that SR, and H' and D diversity indices of overstory trees and understory herbs exhibited a unimodal pattern with increasing latitude and elevation(P<0.05) and negative associations with longitude(P<0.01). Along the climatic gradients, there were U-shaped patterns in SR, and H' and D diversity indices between trees and herbs(P<0.05). SR, and H' and D diversity indices for overstory tree species were positively associated with those for understory herbs(P<0.01). These findings indicate that overstory trees and understory herbs should be protected concurrently in the TWFF to increase effectiveness of species diversity conservation programs.展开更多
Light levels determine regeneration in stands and a key concern is how to regulate the light environment of different stand types to the requirements of the understory.In this study,we selected three stands typical in...Light levels determine regeneration in stands and a key concern is how to regulate the light environment of different stand types to the requirements of the understory.In this study,we selected three stands typical in south China(a Cryptomeria japonica plantation,a Quercus acutissima plantation,and a mixed stand of both)and three thinning intensities to determine the best understory light environ-ment for 3-year-old Phoebe bournei seedlings.The canopy structure,understory light environment,and photosynthe-sis and growth indicators were assessed following thin-ning.Thinning improved canopy structure and understory light availability of each stand;species composition was the reason for differences in the understory light environ-ment.Under the same thinning intensity,the mixed stand had the greatest light radiation and most balanced spectral composition.P.bournei photosynthesis and growth were closely related to the light environment;all three stands required heavy thinning to create an effective and sustained understory light environment.In a suitable understory light environment,the efficiency of light interception,absorption,and use by seedlings was enhanced,resulting in a higher carbon assimilation the main limiting factor was stomatal conductance.As a shade-avoidance signal,red/far-red radia-tion is a critical factor driving changes in photosynthesis and growth of P.bournei seedlings,and a reduction increased light absorption and use capacity and height:diameter ratios.The growth advantage transformed from diameter to height,enabling seedlings to access more light.Our findings suggest that the regeneration of shade-tolerant species such as P.bournei could be enhanced if a targeted approach to thinning based on stand type was adopted.展开更多
Background： Understory plants represents the largest component of biodiversity in most forest ecosystems and plays a key role in forest functioning.Despite their importance, the influence of overstory-layer compositi...Background： Understory plants represents the largest component of biodiversity in most forest ecosystems and plays a key role in forest functioning.Despite their importance, the influence of overstory-layer composition on understory plant diversity is relatively poorly understood within deciduous-evergreen broadleaved mixed forests.The aim of this work was to evaluate how tree overstory-layer composition influences on understory-layer diversity in three forest types（monospecific deciduous Nothofagus pumilio（Np）, monospecific evergreen Nothofagus betuloides（Nb）, and mixed N.pumilio-N.betuloides（M） forests）, comparing also between two geographical locations（coast and mountain） to estimate differences at landscape level.Results： We recorded 46 plant species： 4 ferns, 12 monocots, and 30 dicots.Canopy-layer composition influences the herb-layer structure and diversity in two different ways： while mixed forests have greater similarity to evergreen forests in the understory structural features, deciduous and mixed were similar in terms of the specific composition of plant assemblage.Deciduous pure stands were the most diverse, meanwhile evergreen stands were least diverse.Lack of exclusive species of mixed forest could represent a transition where evergreen and deciduous communities meet and integrate.Moreover, landscape has a major influence on the structure, diversity and richness of understory vegetation of pure and mixed forests likely associated to the magnitude and frequency of natural disturbances, where mountain forest not only had highest herb-layer diversity but also more exclusive species.Conclusions： Our study suggests that mixed Nothofagus forest supports coexistence of both pure deciduous and pure evergreen understory plant species and different assemblages in coastal and mountain sites.Maintaining the mixture of canopy patch types within mixed stands will be important for conserving the natural patterns of understory plant composition in southern beech mixed forests.展开更多
A study was carried out to investigate changes in the soil plant-available P,the P nutrition and the growth of Pinus radiata seedlings grown in association with understory,broom（Cytisus scoparius L.） or ryegrass（Lo...A study was carried out to investigate changes in the soil plant-available P,the P nutrition and the growth of Pinus radiata seedlings grown in association with understory,broom（Cytisus scoparius L.） or ryegrass（Lolium multiflorum） on Orthic Allophanic Soil,following the application of three rates of triple superphosphate（TSP）（0,50,and 100 mg·kg^-1P） under a glasshouse condition.The application of P fertilizer enhanced P availability in the rhizospheric of radiata seedlings and the bulk soils in a P-deficient site.P availability in the rhizospheric soils of ryegrass and broom,grown in association with radiata,were also increased by the presence of radiata roots.P concentrations in new shoot needles,old shoot needles,stem and roots of radiata pine increased with increase rates of TSP application,but the effects of ryegrass and broom on P nutrition of radiata seedlings depended on the soil P status.In the absence of P fertilizer addition（control treatment）,P concentrations in new shoot needles,old shoot needles,stem,and roots of radiata grown in association with broom were higher than those with ryegrass,whereas,when P fertilizer was added（50 and 100 mg·kg^-1） the P concentration was lower.This is probably related to the growth of broom that may have removed much of the plant-available P in the soil as indicated by the consistently lower Bray-2 P concentration in the rhizosphere soil of radiata in association with broom than that in the rhizosphere soil of radiata in association with grass at the two high P rates.Furthermore,in the high P fertile soil（application rate of 100 mg·kg^-1）,the dry matter yield of radiata was lower when it was grown with broom than with ryegrass.This result suggests that in moderate to high P fertile soils,P.radiata seedlings grow better with ryegrass than with broom,because broom grows vigorously in high P fertile soil and competes with P.radiata for P and perhaps for other nutrients as well.展开更多
The effects of understory plant litter on domi- nant tree litter decomposition are not well documented especially in semi-arid forests. In this study, we used a microcosm experiment to examine the effects of two under...The effects of understory plant litter on domi- nant tree litter decomposition are not well documented especially in semi-arid forests. In this study, we used a microcosm experiment to examine the effects of two understory species （Artemisia scoparia and Setaria viridis） litter on the mass loss and N release of Mongolian pine （Pinus sylvestris var. mongolica） litter in Keerqin Sandy Lands, northeast China, and identified the influencing mechanism from the chemical quality of decomposing litter. Four litter combinations were set up： one monocul- ture of Mongolian pine and three mixtures of Mongolian pine and one or two understory species in equal mass proportions of each species. Total C, total N, lignin, cel- lulose and polyphenol concentrations, and mass loss of pine litter were analyzed at days 84 and 182 of incubation.The chemistry of pine litter not only changed with the stages of decomposition, but was also strongly influenced by the presence of understory species during decomposition. Both understory species promoted mass loss of pine litter at 84 days, while only the simultaneous presence of two understory species promoted mass loss of pine litter at 182 days. Mass loss of pine litter was negatively correlated with initial ratios of C/N, lignin/N and polyphenol/N of litter combinations during the entire incubation period; at 182 days it was negatively correlated with polyphenol concentration and ratios of C/N and polyphenol/N of litter combinations at 84 days of incubation. Nitrogen release of pine litter was promoted in the presence of understory species. Nitrogen release at 84 days was negatively correlated with initial N concentration; at 182 days it was negatively correlated with initial polyphenol concentration of litter combinations and positively correlated with lignin concentration of litter com- binations at 84 days of incubation. Our results suggest that the presence ofunderstory species causes substantial changes in chemical components of pine litter that can exert strong influences on subsequent decomposition of pine litter.展开更多
Background:Chinese pine(Pinus tabuliformis Carr.)is one of the major afforestation species in northern China and plays a key role in restoring forest ecosystems and preserving soil and water.However,most Chinese pine ...Background:Chinese pine(Pinus tabuliformis Carr.)is one of the major afforestation species in northern China and plays a key role in restoring forest ecosystems and preserving soil and water.However,most Chinese pine plantations are experiencing ecological problems such as the low diversity of understory plants and difficulty in natural regeneration.Thinning has been widely used to maintain and improve a variety of forest ecosystem services from plantations.To date,however,few studies have been conducted to systematically determine the effects of thinning on understory plant diversity and the regeneration of Chinese pine in plantations.Methods:We conducted a literature search,and selected 22 publications covering a total of 83 treatments related to thinning effects on the species richness of understory plants and 15 publications covering a total of 43 treatments related to thinning effects on the regeneration of Chinese pine,in tree plantations of northern China.The data from the literature were synthesized and evaluated with meta-analysis approach to determine the treatment effects.Results:Compared with the control stands,thinning increased the species richness of shrubs and herbs by an average of 25.3%and 26.5%,respectively.While the varying thinning intensities all had significantly positive effects on the species richness of understory plants,only moderate thinning(30%–50%)had a positive effect on the density of regenerating seedlings and saplings of Chinese pine(60.2%).The species richness of understory plants was greatest after 14 years of thinning with an increase of 36.3%,whereas the density of regenerating Chinese pine seedlings and saplings reached a maximum after≥11 years of thinning with an increase of 76.5%,compared to that of the unthinned stands.Thinning in the half-mature plantations had the greatest effects on the understory shrub richness(44.1%)and the density of regenerating Chinese pine seedlings and saplings(86.5%).Both single and multiple thinning were found to significantly promote the species richness of understory plants and the density of regenerating Chinese pine seedlings and saplings,and the positive effects of thinning were greater in areas with a humidity index(HI)<30 than in areas with an HI≥30.In general,age group,planting density and recovery time were prominent factors affecting the species richness of understory plants,whereas the slope,HI and recovery time were the dominant controls of the density of regenerating Chinese pine seedlings and saplings,indicating differential effects of thinning on the species richness of understory plants and the regeneration capacity of Chinese pine in plantations.Conclusion:Thinning appears to be a feasible management measure to improve the understory plant diversity and regeneration capacity of Chinese pine in plantations.We postulate that moderate thinning in half-mature forest stands with an HI<30 can help effectively promote the species diversity of understory plants and the natural regeneration of Chinese pine,thereby maintaining a more resilient stand structure and the development of Chinese pine plantations.展开更多
基金supported by the United States Department of Agriculture,Forest Service,Rocky Mountain Research Station through Research Joint Venture Agreement 17–098Funding was provided by the USDA Forest Service Northern Region。
文摘Understory plants are an integral part of forests,serving a variety of functions that help maintain healthy ecosystems.The structure and composition of the understory are influenced by numerous biotic and abiotic factors,with light being critical.The introduction of the pathogen Cronartium ribicola,which causes white pine blister rust,into North America in the early 20 th century led to the near total loss of western white pine(Pinus monticola)from moist forests of the Northern Rockies.Management is reintroducing blister rust-resistant western white pine across the landscape,but the effects on the understory are unknown.We examined the effects of stand structure and proportion of western white pine in the overstory on understory diversity of vascular plants in closed canopy stands dominated by blister rust-resistant western white pine across northern Idaho.Habitat series explained the greatest amount of variation(34%)in species presence-absence,while canopy cover accounted for 25%,basal area of all trees for 18%,and the proportion of western white pine composition by 14%.Our analysis revealed positive relationships between the proportion of western white pine in the overstory and both the presence of understory plants and the cover of several understory species.For both the presence and cover,separate sets of thirteen species were found to have a positive relationship with the proportion of western white pine in the overstory,with eight species in common.This research fills a knowledge gap by using data from a range of stands across northern Idaho with varying abundance of western white pine in the overstory to evaluate the relationship between the understory and overstory composition.As land managers plant more western white pine trees,we are likely to see the concomitant increase in understory plant diversity across the landscape,in addition to numerous other benefits,including disturbance resistance and resilience.
基金supported by the Scientific Research Foundation supported by Yunnan Agricultural University(A3012024035044)International Cooperation and Exchange of the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.42361144885).
文摘The establishment of plantations has become a critical approach for reducing greenhouse gas emissions,particularly in fragile environments with carbon sequestration potential.In karst areas,plantations based on fastgrowing afforestation species made significant contributions to enhancing carbon sequestration.However,the impact of understory vegetation on carbon accumulation remains unclear.Especially,the carbon accumulation associated with litter produced during the replacement of understory species receives insufficient attention,which leads to the neglect of the carbon sequestration potential in plantations of karst areas.Leaf is a crucial organ that links the litter production.To explore how leaf traits adapt to competitive environments and drive litter carbon accumulation during understory species replacement,this study observed leaf traits and litter carbon content changes in three types of plantations in the Liujiang River Basin,a typical karst area.A total of 37 sampling plots were selected for field investigation over a twoyear period.Leaf traits,species diversity,vegetation coverage,and litter carbon characteristics in understory vegetation were measured.Variance analysis,allometric equations,and path analysis were used for data analysis.The results showed that most understory species adopted a biomass conservation strategy under high-coverage conditions(>44.27%)and expanded competitive leaf area under low-coverage conditions(<44.27%).However,Bidens pilosa and Miscanthus floridulus exhibited strong competitiveness during understory species replacement.They showed an expansion of competitive leaf area under high-coverage conditions.This competitive strategy reduced species diversity and community specific leaf area.But the rapid expansion of Bidens pilosa and Miscanthus floridulus increased understory vegetation coverage,and their increased specific leaf area facilitated leaf shedding,resulting in significant litter weight accumulation(P<0.05),thereby enhancing litter carbon content per unit area.These competitive strategies were key driving factors for the increase in litter carbon content per square meter,which reached a maximum of 49.6% higher than that in natural grasslands.And the maximum increase in litter carbon accumulation derived from understory vegetation reached 3.37 times from 2023 to 2024 in plantations.In the understory vegetation of plantations,the competitive strategies reflected by leaf adaptation of key competitive species are critical factors influencing litter carbon accumulation.Future research could deeply explore the carbon sequestration effects resulting from the dynamic changes in competition within the understory vegetation of plantations.
基金Supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(42401488,42071351)the National Key Research and Development Program of China(2020YFA0608501,2017YFB0504204)+4 种基金the Liaoning Revitalization Talents Program(XLYC1802027)the Talent Recruited Program of the Chinese Academy of Science(Y938091)the Project Supported Discipline Innovation Team of the Liaoning Technical University(LNTU20TD-23)the Liaoning Province Doctoral Research Initiation Fund Program(2023-BS-202)the Basic Research Projects of Liaoning Department of Education(JYTQN2023202)。
文摘Accurate estimation of understory terrain has significant scientific importance for maintaining ecosystem balance and biodiversity conservation.Addressing the issue of inadequate representation of spatial heterogeneity when traditional forest topographic inversion methods consider the entire forest as the inversion unit,this study pro⁃poses a differentiated modeling approach to forest types based on refined land cover classification.Taking Puerto Ri⁃co and Maryland as study areas,a multi-dimensional feature system is constructed by integrating multi-source re⁃mote sensing data:ICESat-2 spaceborne LiDAR is used to obtain benchmark values for understory terrain,topo⁃graphic factors such as slope and aspect are extracted based on SRTM data,and vegetation cover characteristics are analyzed using Landsat-8 multispectral imagery.This study incorporates forest type as a classification modeling con⁃dition and applies the random forest algorithm to build differentiated topographic inversion models.Experimental re⁃sults indicate that,compared to traditional whole-area modeling methods(RMSE=5.06 m),forest type-based classi⁃fication modeling significantly improves the accuracy of understory terrain estimation(RMSE=2.94 m),validating the effectiveness of spatial heterogeneity modeling.Further sensitivity analysis reveals that canopy structure parame⁃ters(with RMSE variation reaching 4.11 m)exert a stronger regulatory effect on estimation accuracy compared to forest cover,providing important theoretical support for optimizing remote sensing models of forest topography.
文摘The authors regret that an error occurred during the preparation of their article:One of the official databases,which was used for functional trait collections,contained an incorrect term–'chametophytes'–for the life form category'chamaephytes'.Unfortunately,this incorrect term was used throughout the article following the nomenclature of this official database:in one instance in the main text,in Fig.3 and its caption,in Fig.5,and in two instances in the supplementary material.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.32271876)the Research on Key Technologies of Intelligent Monitoring and Carbon Sink Metering of Forest Resources in Fujian Province(No.2022FKJ03)the Science and Technology Innovation Project of Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University(No.KFB23172A,KFB23173A).
文摘Unmanned aerial vehicle light detection and ranging(UAV–LiDAR)is a new method for collecting understory terrain data.The high estimation accuracy of understory terrain is crucial for accurate tree height measurement and forest resource surveys.The UAV–LiDAR flight altitude and forest canopy cover significantly impact the accuracy of understory terrain estimation.However,since no research examined their combined effects,we aimed to investigate this relationship.This will help optimize UAV–LiDAR flight parameters for understory terrain estimation and forest surveys across various canopy cover.This study analyzed the impacts of three flight altitudes and three canopy cover on the estimation accuracy of understory terrain.The results showed that when canopy cover exceeded a specific value,UAV–LiDAR flight altitudes significantly affected understory terrain estimation.Given a forest canopy cover,the reduction in ground point coverage increased significantly as the flight altitude increased;given a flight altitude,the higher the canopy cover,the more significant the reduction in ground point coverage.In forests with a canopy cover≥0.9,there were substantial differences in the accuracies of understory digital elevation models(DEMs)generated using UAV–LiDAR at different flight altitudes.For forests with a canopy cover<0.9,the mean absolute error(MAE)of understory DEMs from UAV–LiDAR at different flight altitudes was≤0.17 m and the root mean square error(RMSE)was≤0.24 m.However,for forests with a canopy cover≥0.9,the UAV–LiDAR flight altitude significantly affected the accuracy of understory DEMs.At the same flight altitude,the MAE and RMSE of the estimated elevation for forests with a canopy cover≥0.9 were approximately twice those of the estimated elevation for forests with a canopy cover<0.9.In forests with low canopy cover,it is possible to improve data collection efficiency by selecting a higher flight altitude.However,UAV–LiDAR flight altitudes significantly affected understory terrain estimation in forests with high canopy cover,it is essential to adopt terrain-following flight modes,reduce flight altitudes,and maintain a consistent flight altitude during longterm monitoring in high canopy cover forests.
基金funded by the National Key Research and Development Program(Grants No.2023YFE0207900)。
文摘Accurate reconstruction of understory terrain is essential for environmental monitoring and resource management.This study integrates 1:10,000 Digital Elevation Model,Global Ecosystem Dynamics Investigation(GEDI),and AW3D30 Digital Surface Model data,combined with three machine learning algorithms—Random Forest(RF),Back Propagation Neural Network(BPNN),and Extreme Gradient Boosting(XGBoost)—to evaluate the performance of canopy height inversion and understory terrain reconstruction.The analysis emphasizes the impact of topographic and vegetation-related factors on model accuracy.Results reveal that slope is the most influential variable,contributing three to five times more to model performance than other features.In low-slope areas,understory terrain tends to be underestimated,whereas high-slope areas often result in overestimation.Moreover,the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index(NDVI)and land cover types,particularly forests and grasslands,significantly affect prediction accuracy,with model performance showing heightened sensitivity to vegetation characteristics in these regions.Among the models tested,XGBoost demonstrated superior performance,achieving a canopy height bias of-0.06 m,a root mean square error(RMSE)of 4.69 m for canopy height,and an RMSE of 9.82 m for understory terrain.Its ability to capture complex nonlinear relationships and handle high-dimensional data underlines its robustness.While the RF model exhibited strong stability and resistance to noise,its accuracy lagged slightly behind XGBoost.The BPNN model,by contrast,struggled in areas with complex terrain.This study offers valuable insights into feature selection and optimization in remote sensing applications,providing a reference framework for enhancing the accuracy and efficiency of environmental monitoring practices.
基金Supported by Central Financial Forestry Science and Technology Promotion project([2014]XT003)~~
文摘This study was conducted for the purposes of reducing consumption of wild resources of Paris polyphylla Smith, satisfying the market demand, saving the production cost, improving utilization rate of forest land, increasing income of foresters and protecting ecological environment. Three types of fores{ land, i.e., the evergreen forest land （China fir forest）, deciduous forest land （walnut forest） and shrub land （honey suckle forest.） were selected, and seeds and cut rhizomes of Paris polyphylla Smith produced in Bamian Mountain, Hunan, were used in the study on understory seedling raising and cultivation techniques. The results showed that： when using different propagation materials, seed propagation could be adopted to reduce the consumption of wild resources and provide a large number of seedlings, and was beneficial to large-scale planting; and when conducing seedling and plantlet raising followed by transplanting and direct seeding and planting using different propagation materials in large-scale understory cultivation, direct seeding/ planting was appropriate for saving save production cost with the advantage of early production. Among the 3 different types of forest land, the best choice was broad- leaved forest land, which could achieve better economic benefit because of con- forming with the ecological habit and growth and development law of Paris poly- phylla Smith.
基金This research was supported by the Natural Science Foundation of China (30630015, 30771704)
文摘CH4 is one of the most important greenhouse gases, and mainly comes from soils in forest ecosystems. The objective of this study was to determine the effects of forest management practices such as understory removal and N-fixing species （Cassia alata） addition, on soil CH4 fluxes in four forest plantations in southern China. Fluxes of CH4 were measured in Eucalyptus urophylla plantation （B1）, Acacia crassi-carpa plantation （B2）, 10-native-species-mixed plantation （B3）, and 30-native-species-mixed plantation （B4） stands using the static chamber method in Southern China. Four forest management treatments, includ-ing （1） understory removal and replacement with C. alata （UR＋CA）; （2） understory removal only （UR）; （3） C. alata addition only （CA）; and （4） control without any disturbances （CK）, were applied in the four forest plantations. The results showed that plantation types had a significant effect on soil CH4 fluxes. B1 and B2 tended to be CH4 consumers, while B3 and B4 inclined to be CH4 producers. UR decreased CH4 fluxes by providing a more optimal soil temperature and moisture regime for mi-croorganism community and increasing substrate mineralization. How-ever, CA enhanced CH4 fluxes in B1 and B2 for N-fixing function of C. alata while lowered CH4 fluxes in B3 and B4. Soil CH4 flux rate was significantly related to soil temperature and moisture conditions in the top 10-cm soil layer. Furthermore, the quality of substrates, such as Soil Organic Carbon （SOC） and mineral N might also be important driving factors for CH4 fluxes. This study improved our understanding on CH4 fluxes in plantations under different management practices such as UR and CA.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant No.31470630)Shanxi Forestry Science and Technology Innovation Project
文摘Understory plants are important components of forest ecosystems and play a crucial role in regulating community structures,function realization,and community succession.However,little is known about how abiotic and biotic drivers affect the diversity of understory species in cold temperate coniferous forests in the semiarid climate region of North China.We hypothesized that(1)topographic factors are important environmental factors affecting the distribution and variation of understory strata,and(2)different understory strata respond differently to environmental factors;shrubs may be significantly affected by the overstory stratum,and herbs may be more affected by surface soil conditions.To test these hypotheses,we used the boosted regression tree method to analyze abiotic and biotic environmental factors that influence understory species diversity,using data from 280 subplots across 56 sites in cold temperate coniferous forests of North China.Elevation and slope aspect were the dominant and indirect abiotic drivers affecting understory species diversity,and individual tree size inequality(DBH variation)was the dominant biotic driver of understory species diversity;soil water content was the main edaphic factors affecting herb layers.Elevation,slope aspect,and DBH variation accounted for 36.4,14.5,and 12.1%,respectively,of shrub stratum diversity.Shrub diversity decreased with elevation within the range of altitude of this study,but increased with DBH variation;shrub diversity was highest on north-oriented slopes.The strongest factor affecting herb stratum species diversity was slope aspect,accounting for 25.9%of the diversity,followed by elevation(15.7%),slope(12.2%),and soil water content(10.3%).The highest herb diversity was found on southeast-oriented slopes and the lowest on northeast-oriented slopes;herb diversity decreased with elevation and soil water content,but increased with slope.The results of the study provide a reference for scientific management and biodiversity protection in cold temperate coniferous forests of North China.
文摘In many second-rotation Pinus radiata forest planta-tions, there has been a steady trend towards wider tree spacing and an increased rate of application of P fertiliser. Under these regimes, the potential for understory growth is expected to in-crease through increased light and greater nutrient resources. Therefore, understory vegetation could become a more signifi-cant component of P cycling in P. radiata forests than under closely-spaced stands. Studies have shown that growth rates and survival of trees is reduced in the presence of understory vegeta-tion due to the competition of understory vegetation with trees. Other studies have suggested that understory vegetation might have beneficial effects on nutrient cycling and conservation within forest stands. This review discusses the significance of understory vegetation in radiata pine forest stands, especially their role in enhancing or reducing P availability to forest trees.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 30630015,30771704)
文摘We report on the effects of forest management practices of understory removal and N-fixing species（Cassia alata） addition on soil CO2 fluxes in an Eucalyptus urophylla plantation（EUp）,Acacia crassicarpa plantation（ACp）,10-species-mixed plantation（Tp）,and 30-species-mixed plantation（THp） using the static chamber method in southern China.Four forest management treatments,including（1） understory removal（UR）;（2） C.alata addition（CA）;（3） understory removal and replacement with C.alata（UR＋CA）;and（4） control without any disturbances（CK）,were applied in the above four forest plantations with three replications for each treatment.The results showed that soil CO2 fluxes rates remained at a high level during the rainy season（from April to September）,followed by a rapid decrease after October reaching a minimum in February.Soil CO2 fluxes were significantly higher（P 〈 0.01） in EUp（132.6 mg/（m2.hr）） and ACp（139.8 mg/（m2.hr）） than in Tp（94.0 mg/（m2.hr）） and THp（102.9 mg/（m2.hr））.Soil CO2 fluxes in UR and CA were significantly higher（P 〈 0.01） among the four treatments,with values of 105.7,120.4,133.6 and 112.2 mg/（m2.hr） for UR＋CA,UR,CA and CK,respectively.Soil CO2 fluxes were positively correlated with soil temperature（P 〈 0.01）,soil moisture（P 〈 0.01）,NO3？-N（P 〈 0.05）,and litterfall（P 〈 0.01）,indicating that all these factors might be important controlling variables for soil CO2 fluxes.This study sheds some light on our understanding of soil CO2 flux dynamics in forest plantations under various management practices.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China[32101511]the Chinese Universities Scientific Fund[2452020137]and[2452021073]the Natural Science Basic Research Program of Shaanxi[2021JQ-155]。
文摘Black locust(Robinia pseudoacacia L.)plantations have contributed significantly to soil and water conservation and ecological reconstruction on China’s Loess Plateau.Understanding the impact of stand and environment on species composition of understory woody plants will improve the stability of existing black locust plantations.Ten stands were selected in second-generation black locust plantations in tableland and gully areas of the Loess Plateau.The number of understory tree species in the tablelands was significantly lower than in the gully stands.Regenerated black locust(19.76%)and Rubus corchorifolius L.f.(64.85%)were the most abundant understory tree and shrub species,respectively,in the tableland stands;Broussonetia papyrifera(L.)L’Hér.ex Vent.(6.77%)and Acanthopanax senticosus(Rupr.Maxim.)Harms.(37.22%)were most abundant in the gully stands.Species richness(S),Shannon diversity(H),and evenness index(J)of the understory plants were significantly lower in the tableland stands than in the gully stands.More diverse understory species and community structures occurred in the gully stands.Differences in species diversity among landform positions may be attributed to differences in soil moisture.In addition,77.57%of the variation in understory species composition was explained,among which shrub and herb coverage,stand age,leaf area index,slope and total soil phosphorus in the 10-20 cm layer were the main factors.Soil organic carbon and total potassium significantly impacted S,H and J.Considering the environmental conditions and the biological characteristics of the plants investigated,R.corchorifolius should be given priority in the development of tableland stands,while B.papyrifera and Celtis sinensis Pers.should form mixed forests with black locust in gully stands.This management could promote biodiversity and stability of the existing black locust plantations but also optimize regional landscape patterns.
基金the support of CSIR funding under budget head NWP-020
文摘Understory vegetation controls, in a significant way, the regeneration of overstory trees, carbon sequestration and nutrient retention in tropical forests. Development and organization of understory vegetation depend on climate, edaphic and biotic factors which are not well correlated with plant community structures. This study aimed to explore the relationships between understory vegetation and abiotic factors in natural and planted forest ecosystems. A non-metric multidimensional scaling(NMS) ordination technique was applied to represent forest understory vegetation among five forest communities, i.e., a dry miscellaneous forest(DMF), a sal mixed forest(SMF), a teak plantation(TP), a low-land miscellaneous forest(LMF) and a savanna area(SAV) of the Katerniaghat Wildlife Sanctuary, located in northern India. Microclimatic variables, such as photosynthetically active radiation(PAR), air temperature(AT), soil temperature(ST), ambient atmospheric CO 2 concentration, absolute air humidity(AH), physical and chemical soil properties as well as biological properties were measured. Understory species were assessed via 100 random quadrats(5 m × 5 m) in each of the five forests in which a total of 75 species were recorded encompassing 67 genera from 37 families, consisting of 32 shrubs and 43 plant saplings. DMF was the most dense forest with 34,068 understory individuals per ha of different species, whereas the lowest understory population(13,900 per ha) was observed in the savanna. Ordination and correlation revealed that microclimate factors are most important in their effect compared to edaphic factors, on the development of understory vegetation in the various forest communities in the north of India.
基金financially supported by the Natural Science Foundation of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region of China (2016D01A033)。
文摘In forest ecosystems, interactions between overstory trees and understory herbs play an important role in driving plant species diversity. However, reported links between overstory tree and understory herb species diversity have been inconsistent, due to variations in forest types and environmental conditions. Here, we measured species richness(SR) and diversity(Shannon-Wiener(H') and Simpson's(D) indices) of overstory trees and understory herbs in the protected Tianshan Wild Fruit Forest(TWFF), Northwest China, to explore their relationships along the latitudinal, longitudinal, elevational, and climatic(current climate and paleoclimate) gradients in 2018. We found that SR, and H' and D diversity indices of overstory trees and understory herbs exhibited a unimodal pattern with increasing latitude and elevation(P<0.05) and negative associations with longitude(P<0.01). Along the climatic gradients, there were U-shaped patterns in SR, and H' and D diversity indices between trees and herbs(P<0.05). SR, and H' and D diversity indices for overstory tree species were positively associated with those for understory herbs(P<0.01). These findings indicate that overstory trees and understory herbs should be protected concurrently in the TWFF to increase effectiveness of species diversity conservation programs.
基金This study was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant No.31870613)Guizhou Province High-level Innovative Talents Training Plan Project(2016)5661.
文摘Light levels determine regeneration in stands and a key concern is how to regulate the light environment of different stand types to the requirements of the understory.In this study,we selected three stands typical in south China(a Cryptomeria japonica plantation,a Quercus acutissima plantation,and a mixed stand of both)and three thinning intensities to determine the best understory light environ-ment for 3-year-old Phoebe bournei seedlings.The canopy structure,understory light environment,and photosynthe-sis and growth indicators were assessed following thin-ning.Thinning improved canopy structure and understory light availability of each stand;species composition was the reason for differences in the understory light environ-ment.Under the same thinning intensity,the mixed stand had the greatest light radiation and most balanced spectral composition.P.bournei photosynthesis and growth were closely related to the light environment;all three stands required heavy thinning to create an effective and sustained understory light environment.In a suitable understory light environment,the efficiency of light interception,absorption,and use by seedlings was enhanced,resulting in a higher carbon assimilation the main limiting factor was stomatal conductance.As a shade-avoidance signal,red/far-red radia-tion is a critical factor driving changes in photosynthesis and growth of P.bournei seedlings,and a reduction increased light absorption and use capacity and height:diameter ratios.The growth advantage transformed from diameter to height,enabling seedlings to access more light.Our findings suggest that the regeneration of shade-tolerant species such as P.bournei could be enhanced if a targeted approach to thinning based on stand type was adopted.
基金Project APN-1236 supported this research during 2013-2014
文摘Background： Understory plants represents the largest component of biodiversity in most forest ecosystems and plays a key role in forest functioning.Despite their importance, the influence of overstory-layer composition on understory plant diversity is relatively poorly understood within deciduous-evergreen broadleaved mixed forests.The aim of this work was to evaluate how tree overstory-layer composition influences on understory-layer diversity in three forest types（monospecific deciduous Nothofagus pumilio（Np）, monospecific evergreen Nothofagus betuloides（Nb）, and mixed N.pumilio-N.betuloides（M） forests）, comparing also between two geographical locations（coast and mountain） to estimate differences at landscape level.Results： We recorded 46 plant species： 4 ferns, 12 monocots, and 30 dicots.Canopy-layer composition influences the herb-layer structure and diversity in two different ways： while mixed forests have greater similarity to evergreen forests in the understory structural features, deciduous and mixed were similar in terms of the specific composition of plant assemblage.Deciduous pure stands were the most diverse, meanwhile evergreen stands were least diverse.Lack of exclusive species of mixed forest could represent a transition where evergreen and deciduous communities meet and integrate.Moreover, landscape has a major influence on the structure, diversity and richness of understory vegetation of pure and mixed forests likely associated to the magnitude and frequency of natural disturbances, where mountain forest not only had highest herb-layer diversity but also more exclusive species.Conclusions： Our study suggests that mixed Nothofagus forest supports coexistence of both pure deciduous and pure evergreen understory plant species and different assemblages in coastal and mountain sites.Maintaining the mixture of canopy patch types within mixed stands will be important for conserving the natural patterns of understory plant composition in southern beech mixed forests.
基金supported by Massey University and the Centre for Sustainable Forest Management at Forest Research Institute, New Zealand
文摘A study was carried out to investigate changes in the soil plant-available P,the P nutrition and the growth of Pinus radiata seedlings grown in association with understory,broom（Cytisus scoparius L.） or ryegrass（Lolium multiflorum） on Orthic Allophanic Soil,following the application of three rates of triple superphosphate（TSP）（0,50,and 100 mg·kg^-1P） under a glasshouse condition.The application of P fertilizer enhanced P availability in the rhizospheric of radiata seedlings and the bulk soils in a P-deficient site.P availability in the rhizospheric soils of ryegrass and broom,grown in association with radiata,were also increased by the presence of radiata roots.P concentrations in new shoot needles,old shoot needles,stem and roots of radiata pine increased with increase rates of TSP application,but the effects of ryegrass and broom on P nutrition of radiata seedlings depended on the soil P status.In the absence of P fertilizer addition（control treatment）,P concentrations in new shoot needles,old shoot needles,stem,and roots of radiata grown in association with broom were higher than those with ryegrass,whereas,when P fertilizer was added（50 and 100 mg·kg^-1） the P concentration was lower.This is probably related to the growth of broom that may have removed much of the plant-available P in the soil as indicated by the consistently lower Bray-2 P concentration in the rhizosphere soil of radiata in association with broom than that in the rhizosphere soil of radiata in association with grass at the two high P rates.Furthermore,in the high P fertile soil（application rate of 100 mg·kg^-1）,the dry matter yield of radiata was lower when it was grown with broom than with ryegrass.This result suggests that in moderate to high P fertile soils,P.radiata seedlings grow better with ryegrass than with broom,because broom grows vigorously in high P fertile soil and competes with P.radiata for P and perhaps for other nutrients as well.
基金funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(grant number 31270668)the State Key Laboratory of Forest and Soil Ecology(grant number LFSE2013-11)
文摘The effects of understory plant litter on domi- nant tree litter decomposition are not well documented especially in semi-arid forests. In this study, we used a microcosm experiment to examine the effects of two understory species （Artemisia scoparia and Setaria viridis） litter on the mass loss and N release of Mongolian pine （Pinus sylvestris var. mongolica） litter in Keerqin Sandy Lands, northeast China, and identified the influencing mechanism from the chemical quality of decomposing litter. Four litter combinations were set up： one monocul- ture of Mongolian pine and three mixtures of Mongolian pine and one or two understory species in equal mass proportions of each species. Total C, total N, lignin, cel- lulose and polyphenol concentrations, and mass loss of pine litter were analyzed at days 84 and 182 of incubation.The chemistry of pine litter not only changed with the stages of decomposition, but was also strongly influenced by the presence of understory species during decomposition. Both understory species promoted mass loss of pine litter at 84 days, while only the simultaneous presence of two understory species promoted mass loss of pine litter at 182 days. Mass loss of pine litter was negatively correlated with initial ratios of C/N, lignin/N and polyphenol/N of litter combinations during the entire incubation period; at 182 days it was negatively correlated with polyphenol concentration and ratios of C/N and polyphenol/N of litter combinations at 84 days of incubation. Nitrogen release of pine litter was promoted in the presence of understory species. Nitrogen release at 84 days was negatively correlated with initial N concentration; at 182 days it was negatively correlated with initial polyphenol concentration of litter combinations and positively correlated with lignin concentration of litter com- binations at 84 days of incubation. Our results suggest that the presence ofunderstory species causes substantial changes in chemical components of pine litter that can exert strong influences on subsequent decomposition of pine litter.
基金supported by Natural Science Basic Research Program of Shaanxi(2021JQ-155)National Natural Science Foundation of China(32101511)Chinese Universities Scientific Fund(2452020137 and 2452021073)。
文摘Background:Chinese pine(Pinus tabuliformis Carr.)is one of the major afforestation species in northern China and plays a key role in restoring forest ecosystems and preserving soil and water.However,most Chinese pine plantations are experiencing ecological problems such as the low diversity of understory plants and difficulty in natural regeneration.Thinning has been widely used to maintain and improve a variety of forest ecosystem services from plantations.To date,however,few studies have been conducted to systematically determine the effects of thinning on understory plant diversity and the regeneration of Chinese pine in plantations.Methods:We conducted a literature search,and selected 22 publications covering a total of 83 treatments related to thinning effects on the species richness of understory plants and 15 publications covering a total of 43 treatments related to thinning effects on the regeneration of Chinese pine,in tree plantations of northern China.The data from the literature were synthesized and evaluated with meta-analysis approach to determine the treatment effects.Results:Compared with the control stands,thinning increased the species richness of shrubs and herbs by an average of 25.3%and 26.5%,respectively.While the varying thinning intensities all had significantly positive effects on the species richness of understory plants,only moderate thinning(30%–50%)had a positive effect on the density of regenerating seedlings and saplings of Chinese pine(60.2%).The species richness of understory plants was greatest after 14 years of thinning with an increase of 36.3%,whereas the density of regenerating Chinese pine seedlings and saplings reached a maximum after≥11 years of thinning with an increase of 76.5%,compared to that of the unthinned stands.Thinning in the half-mature plantations had the greatest effects on the understory shrub richness(44.1%)and the density of regenerating Chinese pine seedlings and saplings(86.5%).Both single and multiple thinning were found to significantly promote the species richness of understory plants and the density of regenerating Chinese pine seedlings and saplings,and the positive effects of thinning were greater in areas with a humidity index(HI)<30 than in areas with an HI≥30.In general,age group,planting density and recovery time were prominent factors affecting the species richness of understory plants,whereas the slope,HI and recovery time were the dominant controls of the density of regenerating Chinese pine seedlings and saplings,indicating differential effects of thinning on the species richness of understory plants and the regeneration capacity of Chinese pine in plantations.Conclusion:Thinning appears to be a feasible management measure to improve the understory plant diversity and regeneration capacity of Chinese pine in plantations.We postulate that moderate thinning in half-mature forest stands with an HI<30 can help effectively promote the species diversity of understory plants and the natural regeneration of Chinese pine,thereby maintaining a more resilient stand structure and the development of Chinese pine plantations.
