This study investigated the short-term effects of woody residues and compost on Orange-fleshed sweet potatoes(OFSP)focusing on plant growth,storage root production,and bioactive compounds.Conducted in a commercial orc...This study investigated the short-term effects of woody residues and compost on Orange-fleshed sweet potatoes(OFSP)focusing on plant growth,storage root production,and bioactive compounds.Conducted in a commercial orchard,the experiment compared different organic fertilization treatments with a control.Four treatments were established:Treatment 1(T1)received compost fertilization;Treatment 2,control,(T2)had no fertilization;and Treatments 3(T3)and 4(T4)were fertilized with high(15 kg·m^(-2))and low(7.5 kg·m^(-2))doses of woody plant residues,respectively.Although woody residue application initially hampered plant growth,it ultimately enhanced biological nitrogen fixation,phosphorus availability,and reduced stress and senescence.Agronomic production did not differ between the compost and woody residue treatments but was increased at the high woody residue dose compared to control.At late growth stages,ascorbic acid decreased in all treatments.At this time,the total phenolic content in storage roots remained high in the woody residue treatments.Conversely,compost reduced the bioactive compounds,without affecting growth,potentially due to oxidative stress in late growth stages.The lower crop senescence index and comparable agronomic production to the compost treatment suggest that woody residues were beneficial for OFSP growth and bioactive composition.The superior quality of the tuberous roots produced with woody residues indicates that this is an effective organic fertilization method for sweet potato production that can contribute to its resilience to environmental variations.展开更多
Agroforestry,as a platform for harmonizing agriculture and forestry is a win-win approach for the farming community and environmental sustainability.However,its potential is not well studied and quantified in Northwes...Agroforestry,as a platform for harmonizing agriculture and forestry is a win-win approach for the farming community and environmental sustainability.However,its potential is not well studied and quantified in Northwestern highland.Thus,this study aimed to investigate the woody species diversity,and carbon stock potential of traditional agroforestry practices in Northwestern Highlands(NWH)of Ethiopia.A total of 120 households were selected using stratified sampling for household(HH)surveys,and vegetation inventory was conducted in the winter season of 2023 on systematically laid 400 m2 sample quadrats.Shannon-Weiner diversity index(H’),Simpson’s diversity index(1-D)and Shannon evenness(E)were calculated to estimate woody species diversity.Variation in species diversity and carbon stock within and between agroforestry practices was assessed by 1-way ANOVA and rank differences were separated by post-hoc,Tukey HSD multiple comparison test.The result showed that four different agroforestry practices were identified,consisting of 44 woody species belonging to 23 families.Homegarden was the richest in terms of woody species composition(30),followed by boundary planting(25),while parkland agroforestry had the poorest species composition(12).The total carbon stock of the agroforestry practices in the study ranged from 92.51±29.21 to 143.52±47.83 Mg/ha),with soil organic carbon accounting for about 57.66%,followed by aboveground biomass carbon with 32.1%.Homegardens agroforestry had contributed more to the total carbon stocks than the other agroforestry practices.The total CO_(2)sequestration by above and below ground biomass of woody species in the traditional agroforestry practices of the NWH was estimated to be 519.97 and 104.01 Mg/ha,respectively.The study confirmed that the traditional agroforestry practices of the NWH of Ethiopia maintain a high diversity of woody species and are remarkably important for biodiversity conservation and climate change mitigation.展开更多
Coarse woody debris(CWD) plays a crucial role in maintaining biodiversity in forest ecosystems by supporting habitat complexity and influencing soil properties.This study investigates the effects of CWD on gastropod d...Coarse woody debris(CWD) plays a crucial role in maintaining biodiversity in forest ecosystems by supporting habitat complexity and influencing soil properties.This study investigates the effects of CWD on gastropod diversity within managed spruce(Picea abies) forests in the Czech Republic,comparing results to nearby nature reserves(NRs).Gastropod species richness and composition were evaluated at both plot(50 m×50 m) and mesohabitat scales across gradients of CWD and beech(Fagus sylvatica) tree representation.Our results indicate significantly reduced species richness in managed forests(median 7 species per plot) compared to NRs(median15 species),attributed to lower soil pH,calcium availability,and moisture due to the dominance of spruce and the limited availability of CWD.Species richness was positively influenced by CWD volume,with two amounts identified:a minimum of 4 m^(3)·ha^(-1) to prevent significant biodiversity loss and 20 m^(3)·ha^(-1)to support sensitive and dendrophile species.At the within-plot scale,CWD was the species richest mesohabitat,playing a particularly important role in acidic and nutrient-poor environments.Furthermore,beech basal area positively correlated with species richness,mitigating the negative impact of spruce.The findings highlight the critical need for changes in forest management,including increased retention of CWD and integration of deciduous trees,to support biodiversity in intensively managed forests.These measures are particularly urgent given the susceptibility of spruce monocultures to climate change and pest outbreaks.Gastropods,as sessile indicators of environmental change,may serve as effective umbrella species for conservation efforts targeting forest soil biodiversity.展开更多
The investigation and analysis of woody plants on the campus of Anhui Xinhua University reveals the presence of 103 species distributed across 43 families and 78 genera.Notably,depauperate families and monotypic gener...The investigation and analysis of woody plants on the campus of Anhui Xinhua University reveals the presence of 103 species distributed across 43 families and 78 genera.Notably,depauperate families and monotypic genera are found to be the most numerous.Among the families,Rosaceae is identified as the most diverse,encompassing a total of 21 species,while Prunus is found to contain the highest number of species,totaling 5.The geographic component of the plant flora is intricate and encompasses a wide range of distribution types,with a predominance of both tropic and temperate plants.展开更多
Since the launch of the Google Earth Engine(GEE)cloud platform in 2010,it has been widely used,leading to a wealth of valuable information.However,the potential of GEE for forest resource management has not been fully...Since the launch of the Google Earth Engine(GEE)cloud platform in 2010,it has been widely used,leading to a wealth of valuable information.However,the potential of GEE for forest resource management has not been fully exploited.To extract dominant woody plant species,GEE combined Sen-tinel-1(S1)and Sentinel-2(S2)data with the addition of the National Forest Resources Inventory(NFRI)and topographic data,resulting in a 10 m resolution multimodal geospatial dataset for subtropical forests in southeast China.Spectral and texture features,red-edge bands,and vegetation indices of S1 and S2 data were computed.A hierarchical model obtained information on forest distribution and area and the dominant woody plant species.The results suggest that combining data sources from the S1 winter and S2 yearly ranges enhances accuracy in forest distribution and area extraction compared to using either data source independently.Similarly,for dominant woody species recognition,using S1 winter and S2 data across all four seasons was accurate.Including terrain factors and removing spatial correlation from NFRI sample points further improved the recognition accuracy.The optimal forest extraction achieved an overall accuracy(OA)of 97.4%and a maplevel image classification efficacy(MICE)of 96.7%.OA and MICE were 83.6%and 80.7%for dominant species extraction,respectively.The high accuracy and efficacy values indicate that the hierarchical recognition model based on multimodal remote sensing data performed extremely well for extracting information about dominant woody plant species.Visualizing the results using the GEE application allows for an intuitive display of forest and species distribution,offering significant convenience for forest resource monitoring.展开更多
Background:With the expansion of urban areas,the remnants of forested areas play a crucial role in preserving biodiversity in urban environments.This study aimed to explore the impact of spatiotemporal urban expansion...Background:With the expansion of urban areas,the remnants of forested areas play a crucial role in preserving biodiversity in urban environments.This study aimed to explore the impact of spatiotemporal urban expansion on the networks of leaf traits in woody plants within remnant forest patches,thereby enhancing our understanding of plant adaptive strategies and contributing to the conservation of urban biodiversity.Methods:Our study examined woody plants within 120 sample plots across 15 remnant forest patches in Guiyang,China.We constructed leaf trait networks (LTNs) based on 26 anatomical,structural,and compositional leaf traits and assessed the effects of the spatiotemporal dynamics of urban expansion on these LTNs.Results and conclusions:Our results indicate that shrubs within these patches have greater average path lengths and diameters than trees.With increasing urban expansion intensity,we observed a rise in the edge density of the LTN-shrubs.Additionally,modularity within the networks of shrubs decreased as road density and urban expansion intensity increased,and increases in the average path length and average clustering coefficient for shrubs were observed with a rise in the composite terrain complexity index.Notably,patches subjected to‘leapfrog’expansion exhibited greater average patch length and diameter than those experiencing edge growth.Stomatal traits were found to have high degree centrality within these networks,signifying their substantial contribution to multiple functions.In urban remnant forests,shrubs bolster their resilience to variable environmental pressures by augmenting the complexity of their leaf trait networks.展开更多
This study describes the floristic composition and structure of a woody stand in the Senegalese Sahel, paying particular attention to the edaphic factors of its floristic composition. A stratified inventory considerin...This study describes the floristic composition and structure of a woody stand in the Senegalese Sahel, paying particular attention to the edaphic factors of its floristic composition. A stratified inventory considering the different relief units was adopted. Woody vegetation was surveyed using a dendrometric approach. The results obtained show that the flora is dominated by a few species adapted to drought, such as Balanites aegyptiaca (L.) Del., Calotropis procera Ait. and Boscia senegalensis (Pers.). The distribution of this flora and the structure of the ligneous plants are linked to the topography. In the lowlands, the flora is more diversified and the ligneous plants reach their optimum level of development compared with the higher relief areas. In the lowlands, there are a few woody species which, in the past, were indicative of better climatic conditions. These are Anogeissus leiocarpus (DC.), Commiphora africana (A. Rich.), Feretia apodanthera Del., Loeseneriella africana (A. Smith), Mitragyna inermis (Willd.) and Sclerocarya birrea (A. Rich). It is important that their reintroduction into reforestation projects takes account of their edaphic preference.展开更多
The main objective of the study was to investigate the diversity of the woody stratum of the vegetation in intercommunity rangelands in the department of Koungheul based on an ecological inventory using vegetation sur...The main objective of the study was to investigate the diversity of the woody stratum of the vegetation in intercommunity rangelands in the department of Koungheul based on an ecological inventory using vegetation surveys. The results indicate a rich flora of 70 species divided into 54 genera and 27 families where Ceasalpiniaceae and Rubiaceae are dominant (5 genera each). They are followed by Combretaceae and Euphorbiacea (4 genera each) and by Capparaceae, Fabaceae and Mimosaceae (3 genera for each family). But at the specific level, it is the Combretaceae which dominates with 10 species and Rubiaceae (7 species). It is more representative at the level of the rural community of Lour Esacale. The different values of vegetation parameters from one site to another indicate variability in community rangeland management practices. The woody stand, dominated by small Combretaceae, shows a relatively stable level of organization with an average equitability of about 45% for the two rural communities studied. Species such as Cordyla pinnata, Sclerocarya birrea, Adansonia digitata and Sterculia setigera contributed strongly to the basal and aerial cover of the overall stand. The regeneration of the stand is very good (about 85% on average) but it represents very few species, especially of the Combretaceae family. This shows a tendency to a progressive loss of species richness in the woody stratum.展开更多
Ethiopia is one of the countries in the world endowed with rich biological resources. However, due to human impacts, the forest cover in Ethiopia has been decreasing rapidly. The study was carried out with the purpose...Ethiopia is one of the countries in the world endowed with rich biological resources. However, due to human impacts, the forest cover in Ethiopia has been decreasing rapidly. The study was carried out with the purpose of finding out the Regeneration Status, Population Structure and Floristic composition of Woody Plant Species in Sheleko Medihanialem Natural Forest in Gondar, North West Ethiopia, from October 2019 to September 2020. The systematic vegetation sampling method was used to collect data from Fifty plots of 20 m × 20 m (400 m2) along five line transects. In addition, five, 5 m × 5 m subplots were laid within the main plot to sample seedlings and saplings. The floristic composition and population structure of woody individuals of trees and shrubs with a diameter at breast height (DBH) ≥ 2.5 cm and height ≥ 2 m were measured. DBH ≤ 2.5 cm and less than 1 m height were considered as seedlings and DBH ≥ 2.5 cm and height of 1 - 2 m as saplings. Vegetation data of density, frequency, basal area, and importance value index were computed. A total of 65 woody plant species in 54 genera and 34 plant families were recorded. Fabaceae, Moraceae and Euphorbiaceae were the dominant families in terms of species richness. Woody species densities for mature individuals were 2202.5 stems∙ha−1, seedling 2419.2 stems∙ha−1 and sapling 1737.6 stems∙ha−1. The forest was dominated by small-sized/young trees and shrubs, indicating the status of secondary growth and/or regeneration.展开更多
Jasmonic acid is a crucial phytohormone that plays a pivotal role,serving as a regulator to balancing plant development and resistance.However,there are analogous and distinctive characteristics exhibited in JA biosyn...Jasmonic acid is a crucial phytohormone that plays a pivotal role,serving as a regulator to balancing plant development and resistance.However,there are analogous and distinctive characteristics exhibited in JA biosynthesis,perception,and signal transduction pathways in both herbaceous and woody plants.Moreover,the majority of research subjects have predominantly focused on the function of JA in model or herbaceous plants.Consequently,there is a significant paucity of studies investigating JA regulation networks in woody plants,particularly concerning post-transcriptional regulatory events such as alternative splicing(AS).This review article aims to conduct a comprehensive summary of advancements that JA signals regulate plant development across various woody species,comparing the analogous features and regulatory differences to herbaceous counterparts.In addition,we summarized the involvement of AS events including splicing factor(SF)and transcripts in the JA regulatory network,highlighting the effectiveness of high-throughput proteogenomic methods.A better understanding of the JA signaling pathway in woody plants has pivotal implications for forestry production,including optimizing plant management and enhancing secondary metabolite production.展开更多
The dimension, water content and germination of the seeds from 90 woody species in the lower subtropical forest were analyzed in this study. Out of 90 species, germination analysis was performed in 45 species (in whic...The dimension, water content and germination of the seeds from 90 woody species in the lower subtropical forest were analyzed in this study. Out of 90 species, germination analysis was performed in 45 species (in which there were enough germinating individuals), and the effect of storage of seed and fruit on germination of seed was studied in 41 species (in which there were enough seeds and germinating individuals). Most of the species began to germinate within 60 d. Hypogeal species had longer dormancy than epigeal species. Dormancy of fleshy seeds and seeds in pulpy fruit was also longer than that of dry seeds. There were no significant differences in length of dormancy (LD, days from sowing to germination) between fleshy seeds ripening in summer and those ripening in winter and spring, and between big seeds and small seeds. Seeds in pulpy fruit or fleshy seeds had more germination than the dry seeds ( P <0.05), however, percentage germination was not significantly correlated with water content of fresh seeds. Water loss in the seeds could obviously affect percentage germination, especially during the early three days when the seeds were laid open in air in the laboratory. When water content of the seeds decreased to about 20% (fresh weight basis), percentage germination became very low, this happened when the seeds were laid open in air for 10-14 d. Percentage germination decreased with the length of storing in refrigerator ((4±1) ℃), but it was not markedly affected for one month's storage, with a decrease by 8.3% in comparison with the fresh seeds, and it was greatly affected by storing for more than three months, with values decreasing by 37%, 63%, and 81% for three months', six months' and 12 months' storage respectively. Difference in percentage germination as well as in LD was not significant for most lots after different storing periods between big seeds and small seeds, between fruit storage and seed storage, and between seeds in pulpy fruits or fleshy seeds and dry seeds.展开更多
This study was conducted in Erdaobaihe River passing through the broadleaved and Korean pine forest located on the north slope of Changbai Mountain. In-stream large woody debris (LWD) in two segments of the river chan...This study was conducted in Erdaobaihe River passing through the broadleaved and Korean pine forest located on the north slope of Changbai Mountain. In-stream large woody debris (LWD) in two segments of the river channel was investigated with base diameter, top diameter, length, and decay class. To study relationship between in-stream LWD and adjacent riparian forest, species of each log of LWD in segment 1 was identified, and the riparian forest was examined by setting a 32m?4 m quadrat consisting of twelve 8m?m small quadrats. The results showed that, in segment 1, in-stream LWD loading was 1.733 m3/100m or 10.83 m3hm-2, and in segment 2, it was 1.709m3/100m or 21.36 m3hm-2. In-stream LWD in decay class III and IV were accounted for a high proportion, which was different from that in the broadleaved and Korean pine forest, and the possible reason might be different decomposing velocities due to different decomposing conditions. Logs of LWD in stream and living trees in riparian forest declined as diameter increased, and it was in a reverse J-shaped distribution except logs of LWD in segment 1 in the first diameter class. Volumes of LWD in stream and living trees in riparian forest increased as diameter increased, and it was in a typical J-shaped distribution. Loading and species component of in-stream LWD were correlative to status of riparian forest to a certain extent, and there also existed difference. Comparing the correlation and difference was helpful to study on dynamic of the riparian forest.展开更多
This study aimed to grasp the characteristics of woody biomass use and application in leading examples of Japanese biomass towns, and made the following two points clear： （1） Biomass town plans had been officially ...This study aimed to grasp the characteristics of woody biomass use and application in leading examples of Japanese biomass towns, and made the following two points clear： （1） Biomass town plans had been officially announced in 318 districts by 2011, and in about 71% of the districts, woody biomass use and application, which is classified into four types, was being conducted; （2） In each example studied, regional characteristics were reflected and there were distinct characteristics. Shimokawa Town in Hokkaido made the most number of efforts, and after 2008 the number of efforts was increasing; however, along with each of the other examples, the use and application of forest timber offcuts is a task for the future.展开更多
A greenhouse pot experiment was conducted to evaluate the potential of selected woody plants for revegetation in copper （Cu） and lead/zinc （Pb/Zn） mine tailing areas. Five woody species （Amorpha fruticosa Linn, V...A greenhouse pot experiment was conducted to evaluate the potential of selected woody plants for revegetation in copper （Cu） and lead/zinc （Pb/Zn） mine tailing areas. Five woody species （Amorpha fruticosa Linn, Vitex trifolia Linn. var. simplicifolia Chum, Glochidion puberum （Linn.） Hutch, Broussonetia papyrifera, and Styrax tonkinensis） and one herbaceous species （ Sesbania cannabina Pets） were planted in Cu and Pb/Zn tailings to assess their growth, root morphology, nutrition uptake, metal accumulation, and translocation in plants. Amorpha fruticosa maintained normal growth, while the other species demonstrated stress related growth and root development. Sesbania cannabina showed the highest biomass among the plants, although it decreased by 30% in Cu tailings and 40% in Pb/Zn railings. Calculated tolerance index （TI） values suggested that A. fruticosa, an N-fixing shrub, was the most tolerant species to both tailings （TI values 0.92-1.01）, while S. cannabina had a moderate TI of 0.65-0.81 and B. papyrifera was the most sensitive species, especially to Pb/Zn tailings （TI values 0.15-0.19）. Despite the high concentrations of heavy metals in the mine tailings and plants roots, only a small transfer of these elements to the aboveground parts of the woody plants was evident from the low translocation factor （TF） values. Among the woody plants, V. trifolia var. simplicifolia had the highest TF values for Zn （1.32）, Cu （0.78）, and Pb/Zn （0.78）. The results suggested that A. fruticosa and S. cannabina, which have the highest tolerance and biomass production, respectively, demonstrated the potential for tailings revegetation in southern China.展开更多
The properties of woody debris(WD) vary across different forests under various soil conditions.Owing to the relatively shallow and low amounts of soils on karst terrains, it is necessary to determine the WD carbon inv...The properties of woody debris(WD) vary across different forests under various soil conditions.Owing to the relatively shallow and low amounts of soils on karst terrains, it is necessary to determine the WD carbon inventory of karst forests. In this study, we recorded WD with a basal diameter for standing snags and the largeend diameter for fallen logs of ≥ 1 cm. The carbon density of WD in a secondary karst mixed evergreen and deciduous broad-leaved forest that had been clear-cut 55 years ago in southwestern China were inventoried in a 2 ha plot. Woody debris carbon density calculated using specific gravity and carbon concentration was 4.07 Mg C ha^-1. Woody debris with diameters ≥ 10 cm(coarse WD) constituted 53.8% of total carbon storage whereas WD < 10 cm in diameters(fine WD) accounted for more pieces of WD(89.9%).Lithocarpus confinis contributed the most WD carbon(26.5%). Intermediate decayed WD was relatively more abundant, but WD with final decay contributed the least to the total pieces of WD(6.7%). The contribution of WD to carbon storage of karst forest was low compared to other forests worldwide. Significant positive correlations were found between WD carbon and biodiversity(R^2= 0.035,p < 0.01) and elevation(R^2= 0.047, p < 0.01) and negative correlations was found in outcrop coverage(R^2= 0.034, p <0.01). Further studies are needed to elucidate the ecological functions of WD to better understand their roles in maintaining biodiversity, enhancing productivity, and controlling vegetation degradation in karst forest ecosystems.展开更多
Coarse woody debris is an important structure and function unit in forest ecosystem.This review analyzed the ecological functions of coarse woody debris in forest ecosystem and introduced several hotspots and existing...Coarse woody debris is an important structure and function unit in forest ecosystem.This review analyzed the ecological functions of coarse woody debris in forest ecosystem and introduced several hotspots and existing problems in coarse woody debris research field. It is suggested that quantitative research should be intensified in theintensified in the ecological demands of coarse woody debris for providing a technical guidelines in management of productivity, biodiversity and other ecologicalprocesses.展开更多
Genetic control of the timing of flowering in woody plants is complex and has yet to be adequately investigated due to their long life-cycle and difficulties in genetic modification.Studies in Populus,one of the best ...Genetic control of the timing of flowering in woody plants is complex and has yet to be adequately investigated due to their long life-cycle and difficulties in genetic modification.Studies in Populus,one of the best woody plant models,have revealed a highly conserved genetic network for flowering timing in annuals.However,traits like continuous flowering cannot be addressed with Populus.Roses and strawberries have relatively small,diploid genomes and feature enormous natural variation.With the development of new genetic populations and genomic tools,roses and strawberries have become good models for studying the molecular mechanisms underpinning the regulation of flowering in woody plants.Here,we review findings on the molecular and genetic factors controlling continuous flowering in roses and woodland strawberries.Natural variation at TFL1 orthologous genes in both roses and strawberries seems be the key plausible factor that regulates continuous flowering.However,recent efforts suggest that a two-recessive-loci model may explain the controlling of continuous flowering in roses.We propose that epigenetic factors,including non-coding RNAs or chromatin-related factors,might also play a role.Insights into the genetic control of flowering time variation in roses should benefit the development of new germplasm for woody crops and shed light on the molecular genetic bases for the production and maintenance of plant biodiversity.展开更多
Understanding physiological responses and drought adaptation strategies of woody plant leaf traits in sub-humid to semi-arid regions is of vital importance to understand the interplay between ecological processes and ...Understanding physiological responses and drought adaptation strategies of woody plant leaf traits in sub-humid to semi-arid regions is of vital importance to understand the interplay between ecological processes and plant resource-allocation strategies of different tree species.Seasonal variations of leaf morphological traits,stoichiometric traits and their relationships of two drought tolerant woody species,live oak(Quercus virginiana)and honey mesquite(Prosopis glandulosa)and two less drought tolerant species,sugarberry(Celtis laevigata)and white ash(Fraxinus americana)were analyzed in a sub-humid to semi-arid area of south Texas,USA.Our findings demonstrate that for the two drought tolerant species,the leguminous P.glandulosa had the highest specific leaf area,leaf N,P,and lowest leaf area and dry mass,indicating that P.glandulosa adapts to an arid habitat by decreasing leaf area,thus reducing water loss,reflecting a resource acquisition strategy.While the evergreen species Q.virginiana exhibited higher leaf dry mass,leaf dry matter content,C content,C:N,C:P and N:P ratios,adapts to an arid habitat through increased leaf thickness and thus reduced water loss,reflecting a resource conservation strategy in south Texas.For the two less drought tolerant deciduous species,the variations of leaf traits in C.laevigata and F.americana varied between Q.virginiana and P.glandulosa,reflecting a trade-off between rapid plant growth and nutrient maintenance in a semi-arid environment.展开更多
This study in the dry tropical woodlands of SE Angola in Cuando-Cubango Province assessed the diversity and composition of woody species in fallows compared to those in mature woodlands. We assessed the population str...This study in the dry tropical woodlands of SE Angola in Cuando-Cubango Province assessed the diversity and composition of woody species in fallows compared to those in mature woodlands. We assessed the population structure of the most harvested woody species by calculating size class distribution and evaluated their regeneration potential based on the density of saplings. The vegetation was surveyed in 20 plots of 20 × 50 m(1000 m2). In each plot, we measured the diameter at breast height(DBH) of all woody species with DBH ≥ 5 cm. The saplings were counted, identified and recorded; 718 individuals, corresponding to 34 species in 32 genera and 15 families were recorded. The size class distribution of target woody species showed three different patterns in fallows and mature woodlands. In general,most of the smaller diameter classes had more individuals than the larger ones did, showing that the regeneration may take place. However, in some diameter classes, the absence of larger stems indicated selective logging of larger trees. Few saplings were recorded in the fallows or mature woodlands; fire frequency and intensity is probably the main obstacle for seed germination and seedling survival rates in the studied area.展开更多
基金funded by the Ministry of Science and Innovation and Universities(AEI/FEDER,UE)with the project Hortbiosol(TED2021-130783B-C21)the National Institute of Health CarlosⅢ,ISCⅢ,with the project CIBEROBN+2 种基金the Generalitat de Catalunya(GC)+European Funds of Rural Development 56301262021 P4 Regensol demonstration projectINSA-UB is María de Maeztu Unit of Excellence(Grant CEX2021-001234-M funded by MICIN/AEI/FEDER,UE)the National Scholarship Program of Paraguay“Carlos Antonio Lo pez”(BECAL 183/2021)。
文摘This study investigated the short-term effects of woody residues and compost on Orange-fleshed sweet potatoes(OFSP)focusing on plant growth,storage root production,and bioactive compounds.Conducted in a commercial orchard,the experiment compared different organic fertilization treatments with a control.Four treatments were established:Treatment 1(T1)received compost fertilization;Treatment 2,control,(T2)had no fertilization;and Treatments 3(T3)and 4(T4)were fertilized with high(15 kg·m^(-2))and low(7.5 kg·m^(-2))doses of woody plant residues,respectively.Although woody residue application initially hampered plant growth,it ultimately enhanced biological nitrogen fixation,phosphorus availability,and reduced stress and senescence.Agronomic production did not differ between the compost and woody residue treatments but was increased at the high woody residue dose compared to control.At late growth stages,ascorbic acid decreased in all treatments.At this time,the total phenolic content in storage roots remained high in the woody residue treatments.Conversely,compost reduced the bioactive compounds,without affecting growth,potentially due to oxidative stress in late growth stages.The lower crop senescence index and comparable agronomic production to the compost treatment suggest that woody residues were beneficial for OFSP growth and bioactive composition.The superior quality of the tuberous roots produced with woody residues indicates that this is an effective organic fertilization method for sweet potato production that can contribute to its resilience to environmental variations.
基金financed by Debre Markose University Burie Campus.
文摘Agroforestry,as a platform for harmonizing agriculture and forestry is a win-win approach for the farming community and environmental sustainability.However,its potential is not well studied and quantified in Northwestern highland.Thus,this study aimed to investigate the woody species diversity,and carbon stock potential of traditional agroforestry practices in Northwestern Highlands(NWH)of Ethiopia.A total of 120 households were selected using stratified sampling for household(HH)surveys,and vegetation inventory was conducted in the winter season of 2023 on systematically laid 400 m2 sample quadrats.Shannon-Weiner diversity index(H’),Simpson’s diversity index(1-D)and Shannon evenness(E)were calculated to estimate woody species diversity.Variation in species diversity and carbon stock within and between agroforestry practices was assessed by 1-way ANOVA and rank differences were separated by post-hoc,Tukey HSD multiple comparison test.The result showed that four different agroforestry practices were identified,consisting of 44 woody species belonging to 23 families.Homegarden was the richest in terms of woody species composition(30),followed by boundary planting(25),while parkland agroforestry had the poorest species composition(12).The total carbon stock of the agroforestry practices in the study ranged from 92.51±29.21 to 143.52±47.83 Mg/ha),with soil organic carbon accounting for about 57.66%,followed by aboveground biomass carbon with 32.1%.Homegardens agroforestry had contributed more to the total carbon stocks than the other agroforestry practices.The total CO_(2)sequestration by above and below ground biomass of woody species in the traditional agroforestry practices of the NWH was estimated to be 519.97 and 104.01 Mg/ha,respectively.The study confirmed that the traditional agroforestry practices of the NWH of Ethiopia maintain a high diversity of woody species and are remarkably important for biodiversity conservation and climate change mitigation.
基金fnancially supported by the Czech Science Foundation(P504/23-05132S)by the Masaryk University Institutional Grant for Doctoral Students(MUNI/A/1667/2024).
文摘Coarse woody debris(CWD) plays a crucial role in maintaining biodiversity in forest ecosystems by supporting habitat complexity and influencing soil properties.This study investigates the effects of CWD on gastropod diversity within managed spruce(Picea abies) forests in the Czech Republic,comparing results to nearby nature reserves(NRs).Gastropod species richness and composition were evaluated at both plot(50 m×50 m) and mesohabitat scales across gradients of CWD and beech(Fagus sylvatica) tree representation.Our results indicate significantly reduced species richness in managed forests(median 7 species per plot) compared to NRs(median15 species),attributed to lower soil pH,calcium availability,and moisture due to the dominance of spruce and the limited availability of CWD.Species richness was positively influenced by CWD volume,with two amounts identified:a minimum of 4 m^(3)·ha^(-1) to prevent significant biodiversity loss and 20 m^(3)·ha^(-1)to support sensitive and dendrophile species.At the within-plot scale,CWD was the species richest mesohabitat,playing a particularly important role in acidic and nutrient-poor environments.Furthermore,beech basal area positively correlated with species richness,mitigating the negative impact of spruce.The findings highlight the critical need for changes in forest management,including increased retention of CWD and integration of deciduous trees,to support biodiversity in intensively managed forests.These measures are particularly urgent given the susceptibility of spruce monocultures to climate change and pest outbreaks.Gastropods,as sessile indicators of environmental change,may serve as effective umbrella species for conservation efforts targeting forest soil biodiversity.
基金Sponsored by National Undergraduate Innovation Training Program of Anhui Xinhua University(202412216001)Provincial-level Undergraduate Innovation Training Program of Anhui Xinhua University(S202312216041)+1 种基金Natural Science Key Research Program for Colleges and Universities in Anhui Province(2023AH051816)Anhui General Teaching Research Project(2022jyxm665).
文摘The investigation and analysis of woody plants on the campus of Anhui Xinhua University reveals the presence of 103 species distributed across 43 families and 78 genera.Notably,depauperate families and monotypic genera are found to be the most numerous.Among the families,Rosaceae is identified as the most diverse,encompassing a total of 21 species,while Prunus is found to contain the highest number of species,totaling 5.The geographic component of the plant flora is intricate and encompasses a wide range of distribution types,with a predominance of both tropic and temperate plants.
基金supported by the National Technology Extension Fund of Forestry,Forest Vegetation Carbon Storage Monitoring Technology Based on Watershed Algorithm ([2019]06)Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities (No.PTYX202107).
文摘Since the launch of the Google Earth Engine(GEE)cloud platform in 2010,it has been widely used,leading to a wealth of valuable information.However,the potential of GEE for forest resource management has not been fully exploited.To extract dominant woody plant species,GEE combined Sen-tinel-1(S1)and Sentinel-2(S2)data with the addition of the National Forest Resources Inventory(NFRI)and topographic data,resulting in a 10 m resolution multimodal geospatial dataset for subtropical forests in southeast China.Spectral and texture features,red-edge bands,and vegetation indices of S1 and S2 data were computed.A hierarchical model obtained information on forest distribution and area and the dominant woody plant species.The results suggest that combining data sources from the S1 winter and S2 yearly ranges enhances accuracy in forest distribution and area extraction compared to using either data source independently.Similarly,for dominant woody species recognition,using S1 winter and S2 data across all four seasons was accurate.Including terrain factors and removing spatial correlation from NFRI sample points further improved the recognition accuracy.The optimal forest extraction achieved an overall accuracy(OA)of 97.4%and a maplevel image classification efficacy(MICE)of 96.7%.OA and MICE were 83.6%and 80.7%for dominant species extraction,respectively.The high accuracy and efficacy values indicate that the hierarchical recognition model based on multimodal remote sensing data performed extremely well for extracting information about dominant woody plant species.Visualizing the results using the GEE application allows for an intuitive display of forest and species distribution,offering significant convenience for forest resource monitoring.
基金funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No.32360418)the Guizhou Provincial Basic Research Program (Natural Science)(No.QianKeHeJiChu-ZK[2024]YiBan022)。
文摘Background:With the expansion of urban areas,the remnants of forested areas play a crucial role in preserving biodiversity in urban environments.This study aimed to explore the impact of spatiotemporal urban expansion on the networks of leaf traits in woody plants within remnant forest patches,thereby enhancing our understanding of plant adaptive strategies and contributing to the conservation of urban biodiversity.Methods:Our study examined woody plants within 120 sample plots across 15 remnant forest patches in Guiyang,China.We constructed leaf trait networks (LTNs) based on 26 anatomical,structural,and compositional leaf traits and assessed the effects of the spatiotemporal dynamics of urban expansion on these LTNs.Results and conclusions:Our results indicate that shrubs within these patches have greater average path lengths and diameters than trees.With increasing urban expansion intensity,we observed a rise in the edge density of the LTN-shrubs.Additionally,modularity within the networks of shrubs decreased as road density and urban expansion intensity increased,and increases in the average path length and average clustering coefficient for shrubs were observed with a rise in the composite terrain complexity index.Notably,patches subjected to‘leapfrog’expansion exhibited greater average patch length and diameter than those experiencing edge growth.Stomatal traits were found to have high degree centrality within these networks,signifying their substantial contribution to multiple functions.In urban remnant forests,shrubs bolster their resilience to variable environmental pressures by augmenting the complexity of their leaf trait networks.
文摘This study describes the floristic composition and structure of a woody stand in the Senegalese Sahel, paying particular attention to the edaphic factors of its floristic composition. A stratified inventory considering the different relief units was adopted. Woody vegetation was surveyed using a dendrometric approach. The results obtained show that the flora is dominated by a few species adapted to drought, such as Balanites aegyptiaca (L.) Del., Calotropis procera Ait. and Boscia senegalensis (Pers.). The distribution of this flora and the structure of the ligneous plants are linked to the topography. In the lowlands, the flora is more diversified and the ligneous plants reach their optimum level of development compared with the higher relief areas. In the lowlands, there are a few woody species which, in the past, were indicative of better climatic conditions. These are Anogeissus leiocarpus (DC.), Commiphora africana (A. Rich.), Feretia apodanthera Del., Loeseneriella africana (A. Smith), Mitragyna inermis (Willd.) and Sclerocarya birrea (A. Rich). It is important that their reintroduction into reforestation projects takes account of their edaphic preference.
文摘The main objective of the study was to investigate the diversity of the woody stratum of the vegetation in intercommunity rangelands in the department of Koungheul based on an ecological inventory using vegetation surveys. The results indicate a rich flora of 70 species divided into 54 genera and 27 families where Ceasalpiniaceae and Rubiaceae are dominant (5 genera each). They are followed by Combretaceae and Euphorbiacea (4 genera each) and by Capparaceae, Fabaceae and Mimosaceae (3 genera for each family). But at the specific level, it is the Combretaceae which dominates with 10 species and Rubiaceae (7 species). It is more representative at the level of the rural community of Lour Esacale. The different values of vegetation parameters from one site to another indicate variability in community rangeland management practices. The woody stand, dominated by small Combretaceae, shows a relatively stable level of organization with an average equitability of about 45% for the two rural communities studied. Species such as Cordyla pinnata, Sclerocarya birrea, Adansonia digitata and Sterculia setigera contributed strongly to the basal and aerial cover of the overall stand. The regeneration of the stand is very good (about 85% on average) but it represents very few species, especially of the Combretaceae family. This shows a tendency to a progressive loss of species richness in the woody stratum.
文摘Ethiopia is one of the countries in the world endowed with rich biological resources. However, due to human impacts, the forest cover in Ethiopia has been decreasing rapidly. The study was carried out with the purpose of finding out the Regeneration Status, Population Structure and Floristic composition of Woody Plant Species in Sheleko Medihanialem Natural Forest in Gondar, North West Ethiopia, from October 2019 to September 2020. The systematic vegetation sampling method was used to collect data from Fifty plots of 20 m × 20 m (400 m2) along five line transects. In addition, five, 5 m × 5 m subplots were laid within the main plot to sample seedlings and saplings. The floristic composition and population structure of woody individuals of trees and shrubs with a diameter at breast height (DBH) ≥ 2.5 cm and height ≥ 2 m were measured. DBH ≤ 2.5 cm and less than 1 m height were considered as seedlings and DBH ≥ 2.5 cm and height of 1 - 2 m as saplings. Vegetation data of density, frequency, basal area, and importance value index were computed. A total of 65 woody plant species in 54 genera and 34 plant families were recorded. Fabaceae, Moraceae and Euphorbiaceae were the dominant families in terms of species richness. Woody species densities for mature individuals were 2202.5 stems∙ha−1, seedling 2419.2 stems∙ha−1 and sapling 1737.6 stems∙ha−1. The forest was dominated by small-sized/young trees and shrubs, indicating the status of secondary growth and/or regeneration.
基金supported by the Natural Science Foundation of Jiangsu Province(BK20221334)the Jiangsu Agricultural Science and Technology Innovation Fund(CX(21)2023)+2 种基金the Science Technology and Innovation Committee of Shenzhen(JCYJ20210324115408023)the Major Project of Natural Science Research in Colleges of Jiangsu Province(20KJA220001)the Postgraduate Research&Practice Innovation Program of Jiangsu Province(KYCX23_1115).
文摘Jasmonic acid is a crucial phytohormone that plays a pivotal role,serving as a regulator to balancing plant development and resistance.However,there are analogous and distinctive characteristics exhibited in JA biosynthesis,perception,and signal transduction pathways in both herbaceous and woody plants.Moreover,the majority of research subjects have predominantly focused on the function of JA in model or herbaceous plants.Consequently,there is a significant paucity of studies investigating JA regulation networks in woody plants,particularly concerning post-transcriptional regulatory events such as alternative splicing(AS).This review article aims to conduct a comprehensive summary of advancements that JA signals regulate plant development across various woody species,comparing the analogous features and regulatory differences to herbaceous counterparts.In addition,we summarized the involvement of AS events including splicing factor(SF)and transcripts in the JA regulatory network,highlighting the effectiveness of high-throughput proteogenomic methods.A better understanding of the JA signaling pathway in woody plants has pivotal implications for forestry production,including optimizing plant management and enhancing secondary metabolite production.
文摘The dimension, water content and germination of the seeds from 90 woody species in the lower subtropical forest were analyzed in this study. Out of 90 species, germination analysis was performed in 45 species (in which there were enough germinating individuals), and the effect of storage of seed and fruit on germination of seed was studied in 41 species (in which there were enough seeds and germinating individuals). Most of the species began to germinate within 60 d. Hypogeal species had longer dormancy than epigeal species. Dormancy of fleshy seeds and seeds in pulpy fruit was also longer than that of dry seeds. There were no significant differences in length of dormancy (LD, days from sowing to germination) between fleshy seeds ripening in summer and those ripening in winter and spring, and between big seeds and small seeds. Seeds in pulpy fruit or fleshy seeds had more germination than the dry seeds ( P <0.05), however, percentage germination was not significantly correlated with water content of fresh seeds. Water loss in the seeds could obviously affect percentage germination, especially during the early three days when the seeds were laid open in air in the laboratory. When water content of the seeds decreased to about 20% (fresh weight basis), percentage germination became very low, this happened when the seeds were laid open in air for 10-14 d. Percentage germination decreased with the length of storing in refrigerator ((4±1) ℃), but it was not markedly affected for one month's storage, with a decrease by 8.3% in comparison with the fresh seeds, and it was greatly affected by storing for more than three months, with values decreasing by 37%, 63%, and 81% for three months', six months' and 12 months' storage respectively. Difference in percentage germination as well as in LD was not significant for most lots after different storing periods between big seeds and small seeds, between fruit storage and seed storage, and between seeds in pulpy fruits or fleshy seeds and dry seeds.
基金This paper was supported by the Chinese Academy of Sciences (KZCX2-406) and National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC39970123) and Changbai Mountain Open Research Station.
文摘This study was conducted in Erdaobaihe River passing through the broadleaved and Korean pine forest located on the north slope of Changbai Mountain. In-stream large woody debris (LWD) in two segments of the river channel was investigated with base diameter, top diameter, length, and decay class. To study relationship between in-stream LWD and adjacent riparian forest, species of each log of LWD in segment 1 was identified, and the riparian forest was examined by setting a 32m?4 m quadrat consisting of twelve 8m?m small quadrats. The results showed that, in segment 1, in-stream LWD loading was 1.733 m3/100m or 10.83 m3hm-2, and in segment 2, it was 1.709m3/100m or 21.36 m3hm-2. In-stream LWD in decay class III and IV were accounted for a high proportion, which was different from that in the broadleaved and Korean pine forest, and the possible reason might be different decomposing velocities due to different decomposing conditions. Logs of LWD in stream and living trees in riparian forest declined as diameter increased, and it was in a reverse J-shaped distribution except logs of LWD in segment 1 in the first diameter class. Volumes of LWD in stream and living trees in riparian forest increased as diameter increased, and it was in a typical J-shaped distribution. Loading and species component of in-stream LWD were correlative to status of riparian forest to a certain extent, and there also existed difference. Comparing the correlation and difference was helpful to study on dynamic of the riparian forest.
文摘This study aimed to grasp the characteristics of woody biomass use and application in leading examples of Japanese biomass towns, and made the following two points clear： （1） Biomass town plans had been officially announced in 318 districts by 2011, and in about 71% of the districts, woody biomass use and application, which is classified into four types, was being conducted; （2） In each example studied, regional characteristics were reflected and there were distinct characteristics. Shimokawa Town in Hokkaido made the most number of efforts, and after 2008 the number of efforts was increasing; however, along with each of the other examples, the use and application of forest timber offcuts is a task for the future.
基金support of the Introduced Project of Advanced Science and Forest Technology (948) (No. 2006-4-06)the Research Institute of Subtropical Forestry,Chinese Academy of Forestry(No. RISF6803+2 种基金RISF 6924)the Science and Technology Department of Zhejiang Province(No. 2006C12065)the Natural Science Foundation of Zhejiang Province(No. Y3080506)
文摘A greenhouse pot experiment was conducted to evaluate the potential of selected woody plants for revegetation in copper （Cu） and lead/zinc （Pb/Zn） mine tailing areas. Five woody species （Amorpha fruticosa Linn, Vitex trifolia Linn. var. simplicifolia Chum, Glochidion puberum （Linn.） Hutch, Broussonetia papyrifera, and Styrax tonkinensis） and one herbaceous species （ Sesbania cannabina Pets） were planted in Cu and Pb/Zn tailings to assess their growth, root morphology, nutrition uptake, metal accumulation, and translocation in plants. Amorpha fruticosa maintained normal growth, while the other species demonstrated stress related growth and root development. Sesbania cannabina showed the highest biomass among the plants, although it decreased by 30% in Cu tailings and 40% in Pb/Zn railings. Calculated tolerance index （TI） values suggested that A. fruticosa, an N-fixing shrub, was the most tolerant species to both tailings （TI values 0.92-1.01）, while S. cannabina had a moderate TI of 0.65-0.81 and B. papyrifera was the most sensitive species, especially to Pb/Zn tailings （TI values 0.15-0.19）. Despite the high concentrations of heavy metals in the mine tailings and plants roots, only a small transfer of these elements to the aboveground parts of the woody plants was evident from the low translocation factor （TF） values. Among the woody plants, V. trifolia var. simplicifolia had the highest TF values for Zn （1.32）, Cu （0.78）, and Pb/Zn （0.78）. The results suggested that A. fruticosa and S. cannabina, which have the highest tolerance and biomass production, respectively, demonstrated the potential for tailings revegetation in southern China.
基金financially supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China (31870462)National Key Research & Development Program of China (2016YFC0502304 and 2016YFC0502101)
文摘The properties of woody debris(WD) vary across different forests under various soil conditions.Owing to the relatively shallow and low amounts of soils on karst terrains, it is necessary to determine the WD carbon inventory of karst forests. In this study, we recorded WD with a basal diameter for standing snags and the largeend diameter for fallen logs of ≥ 1 cm. The carbon density of WD in a secondary karst mixed evergreen and deciduous broad-leaved forest that had been clear-cut 55 years ago in southwestern China were inventoried in a 2 ha plot. Woody debris carbon density calculated using specific gravity and carbon concentration was 4.07 Mg C ha^-1. Woody debris with diameters ≥ 10 cm(coarse WD) constituted 53.8% of total carbon storage whereas WD < 10 cm in diameters(fine WD) accounted for more pieces of WD(89.9%).Lithocarpus confinis contributed the most WD carbon(26.5%). Intermediate decayed WD was relatively more abundant, but WD with final decay contributed the least to the total pieces of WD(6.7%). The contribution of WD to carbon storage of karst forest was low compared to other forests worldwide. Significant positive correlations were found between WD carbon and biodiversity(R^2= 0.035,p < 0.01) and elevation(R^2= 0.047, p < 0.01) and negative correlations was found in outcrop coverage(R^2= 0.034, p <0.01). Further studies are needed to elucidate the ecological functions of WD to better understand their roles in maintaining biodiversity, enhancing productivity, and controlling vegetation degradation in karst forest ecosystems.
基金This work was supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China（No.30370293）,0pen Fund for the Research Station of Changbai Mountain Forest Ecosystem.Chinese Academy of Sciences, and Science Frontiers Project of Institute of Applied Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences.
文摘Coarse woody debris is an important structure and function unit in forest ecosystem.This review analyzed the ecological functions of coarse woody debris in forest ecosystem and introduced several hotspots and existing problems in coarse woody debris research field. It is suggested that quantitative research should be intensified in theintensified in the ecological demands of coarse woody debris for providing a technical guidelines in management of productivity, biodiversity and other ecologicalprocesses.
基金supported by grants from the Chinese Academy of Sciences under the “Hundreds of Talents” plana grant from the “Yunnan Recruitment Program of Experts in Sciences”
文摘Genetic control of the timing of flowering in woody plants is complex and has yet to be adequately investigated due to their long life-cycle and difficulties in genetic modification.Studies in Populus,one of the best woody plant models,have revealed a highly conserved genetic network for flowering timing in annuals.However,traits like continuous flowering cannot be addressed with Populus.Roses and strawberries have relatively small,diploid genomes and feature enormous natural variation.With the development of new genetic populations and genomic tools,roses and strawberries have become good models for studying the molecular mechanisms underpinning the regulation of flowering in woody plants.Here,we review findings on the molecular and genetic factors controlling continuous flowering in roses and woodland strawberries.Natural variation at TFL1 orthologous genes in both roses and strawberries seems be the key plausible factor that regulates continuous flowering.However,recent efforts suggest that a two-recessive-loci model may explain the controlling of continuous flowering in roses.We propose that epigenetic factors,including non-coding RNAs or chromatin-related factors,might also play a role.Insights into the genetic control of flowering time variation in roses should benefit the development of new germplasm for woody crops and shed light on the molecular genetic bases for the production and maintenance of plant biodiversity.
基金funded by the China Scholarship Council(CSC)a research award from Texas A&M University-Kingsville+1 种基金the Natural Science Foundation of Anhui Province(Grant Number 1408085QC57)Youth Science Fund of Anhui Agricultural University(Grant Number 2012zd015)
文摘Understanding physiological responses and drought adaptation strategies of woody plant leaf traits in sub-humid to semi-arid regions is of vital importance to understand the interplay between ecological processes and plant resource-allocation strategies of different tree species.Seasonal variations of leaf morphological traits,stoichiometric traits and their relationships of two drought tolerant woody species,live oak(Quercus virginiana)and honey mesquite(Prosopis glandulosa)and two less drought tolerant species,sugarberry(Celtis laevigata)and white ash(Fraxinus americana)were analyzed in a sub-humid to semi-arid area of south Texas,USA.Our findings demonstrate that for the two drought tolerant species,the leguminous P.glandulosa had the highest specific leaf area,leaf N,P,and lowest leaf area and dry mass,indicating that P.glandulosa adapts to an arid habitat by decreasing leaf area,thus reducing water loss,reflecting a resource acquisition strategy.While the evergreen species Q.virginiana exhibited higher leaf dry mass,leaf dry matter content,C content,C:N,C:P and N:P ratios,adapts to an arid habitat through increased leaf thickness and thus reduced water loss,reflecting a resource conservation strategy in south Texas.For the two less drought tolerant deciduous species,the variations of leaf traits in C.laevigata and F.americana varied between Q.virginiana and P.glandulosa,reflecting a trade-off between rapid plant growth and nutrient maintenance in a semi-arid environment.
基金supported by The Future Okavango Project(Grant Number(01LL0912A))
文摘This study in the dry tropical woodlands of SE Angola in Cuando-Cubango Province assessed the diversity and composition of woody species in fallows compared to those in mature woodlands. We assessed the population structure of the most harvested woody species by calculating size class distribution and evaluated their regeneration potential based on the density of saplings. The vegetation was surveyed in 20 plots of 20 × 50 m(1000 m2). In each plot, we measured the diameter at breast height(DBH) of all woody species with DBH ≥ 5 cm. The saplings were counted, identified and recorded; 718 individuals, corresponding to 34 species in 32 genera and 15 families were recorded. The size class distribution of target woody species showed three different patterns in fallows and mature woodlands. In general,most of the smaller diameter classes had more individuals than the larger ones did, showing that the regeneration may take place. However, in some diameter classes, the absence of larger stems indicated selective logging of larger trees. Few saplings were recorded in the fallows or mature woodlands; fire frequency and intensity is probably the main obstacle for seed germination and seedling survival rates in the studied area.
