Disturbances that create gaps can shape the structure and function of forests. However, such disturbance regimes in Asian tropical montane rainforests remain largely unquantified. Least studied are typhoon disturbance...Disturbances that create gaps can shape the structure and function of forests. However, such disturbance regimes in Asian tropical montane rainforests remain largely unquantified. Least studied are typhoon disturbances that are attributable to climate change. We investigated gap characteristics in terms of size, age, and gap-maker to quantify the gap disturbance regimes in an intact old-growth tropical montane rainforest on Hainan Island, China. The intensity of typhoons has increased since 1949, and typhoon winds blow mostly (45.5%) from the northeast corner of Hainan Island, resulting in a higher frequency of gaps in the northeast. A total of 221 gap-makers (trees that fell to create canopy gaps) and 53 gaps were observed in a 3.16 ha old-growth rainforest. Most canopy gaps (85%) were < 200 m(2). The average size of canopy gaps was smaller in the rainforest than in other tropical forests, while the average size of expanded gaps was similar to those in other tropical forests. The maximum age of gaps was 23.5 years indicating that gaps had more rapid turnover than other parts of tropical forests. The frequency distribution of gap-makers followed a lognormal distribution with a distinctive peak at three gap-makers, which was different from the inverse J-shaped curve typical of other tropical forests. Gaps were recorded mainly on slopes between 20A degrees and 35A degrees and wood density of gap-makers was between 0.6 and 0.7 g cm(-3). Our results suggest that small-scale disturbance was the dominant agent of gap formation in this old-growth rainforest that is subject to increasing typhoon disturbances.展开更多
为了研究大熊猫等珍稀动物的重要栖息地岷江冷杉林的林窗特征,采用样带法,研究不同海拔梯度带岷江冷杉林窗数量与密度、形状与大小结构、形成方式与时间、形成木种类与特征等。研究结果表明,岷江冷杉林林窗的线状密度和密度分别为51个/k...为了研究大熊猫等珍稀动物的重要栖息地岷江冷杉林的林窗特征,采用样带法,研究不同海拔梯度带岷江冷杉林窗数量与密度、形状与大小结构、形成方式与时间、形成木种类与特征等。研究结果表明,岷江冷杉林林窗的线状密度和密度分别为51个/km和25.5个/hm 2;随着海拔梯度的上升,林窗数量增多,其密度也随之上升;林窗以竖式林窗为主,占林窗数量的64.71%,以25~50 m 2和75~100 m 2范围内林窗个数最多,但75~100 m 2级别林窗面积为25~50 m 2级别的林窗面积的2.2倍;形成时间≥30年的林窗数量最多,占39.22%;林窗形成方式以树倒为主,其次为树干中部折断木,占形成木数量百分比分别为70.83%和14.58%;林窗形成木径级在31~40 cm范围和高度级在16~20 m范围内数量最多,分别占所有形成木数量的33.75%和38.33%。卧龙国家级自然保护区岷江冷杉林林窗随着海拔梯度的上升,林窗数量增多,其密度具有随之上升的趋势;岷江冷杉林以小林窗为主,形成时间≥30 a,形成木以树倒为主,径级在31~40 cm范围和高度级在16~20 m范围为主要特征。研究结论可以为近自然人工群落构建、人工促进更新,以及大熊猫栖息地退化生态系统恢复与重建提供理论依据。展开更多
Background:Tree mortality and regeneration(seedling and sapling recruitment)are essential components of forest dynamics in arid regions,especially where subjected to serious eco-hydrological problems.In recent decades...Background:Tree mortality and regeneration(seedling and sapling recruitment)are essential components of forest dynamics in arid regions,especially where subjected to serious eco-hydrological problems.In recent decades,the mortality of the Euphrates poplar(Populus euphratica)along the Tarim River in Northwest China has increased.However,few studies have quantified the causes of mortality and regeneration in this azonal riparian forest type.Methods:The present study describes the annual hydrological response of tree mortality and regeneration in forest gaps.A total of 60 canopy gaps were investigated in six replicate grid plots(50m×50 m)and the annual runoff and water consumption data during the period of 1955–2016 were collected from hydrological stations in the middle reaches of the Tarim River.We compared the regeneration density of seedlings and saplings within the canopy gap areas(CGAs),undercanopy areas(UCAs),and uncovered riverbank areas(RBAs)through detailed field investigation.Results:Our study found that the mortality of young and middle-aged gap makers has increased remarkably over recent decades,particularly since the year 1996.The main results indicated that regional water scarcity was the primary limiting factor for long-term changes in tree mortality,as shown by a significant correlation between the diameter at breast height(DBH)of dead trees and the annual surface water.The average density(or regeneration rate)of seedlings and saplings was highest in the RBAs,intermediate in the CGAs,and lowest in the UCAs.Compared with the UCAs,the CGAs promote tree regeneration to some extent by providing favorable conditions for the survival and growth of seedlings and saplings,which would otherwise be suppressed in the understory.Furthermore,although the density of seedlings and saplings in the CGAs was not as high as in the RBAs,the survival rate was higher in the CGAs than in the RBAs.Conclusion:Forest canopy gaps in floodplain areas can play a decisive role in the long-term germination and regeneration of plant species.However,as a typical phreatophyte in this hyper-arid region,the ecosystem structure,functions and services of this fragile P.euphratica floodplain forests are threatened by a continuous decrease of water resources,due to excessive water use for agricultural irrigation,which has resulted in a severe reduction of intact poplar forests.Furthermore,the survival of seedlings and saplings is influenced by light availability and soil water at the regional scale.Our findings suggest that policymakers may need to reconsider the restoration and regeneration measures implemented in riparian P.euphratica forests to improve flood water efficiency and create canopy gaps.Our results provide with valuable reference information for the conservation and sustainable development of floodplain forest ecosystems.展开更多
基金supported by the Ministry of Science and Technology(2012BAD22B01 and 2006BAD03A04)special funds of Research Institute of Tropical Forestry,Chinese Academy of Forestry(RITFYWZX2012-02CAFYBB2014QA010)
文摘Disturbances that create gaps can shape the structure and function of forests. However, such disturbance regimes in Asian tropical montane rainforests remain largely unquantified. Least studied are typhoon disturbances that are attributable to climate change. We investigated gap characteristics in terms of size, age, and gap-maker to quantify the gap disturbance regimes in an intact old-growth tropical montane rainforest on Hainan Island, China. The intensity of typhoons has increased since 1949, and typhoon winds blow mostly (45.5%) from the northeast corner of Hainan Island, resulting in a higher frequency of gaps in the northeast. A total of 221 gap-makers (trees that fell to create canopy gaps) and 53 gaps were observed in a 3.16 ha old-growth rainforest. Most canopy gaps (85%) were < 200 m(2). The average size of canopy gaps was smaller in the rainforest than in other tropical forests, while the average size of expanded gaps was similar to those in other tropical forests. The maximum age of gaps was 23.5 years indicating that gaps had more rapid turnover than other parts of tropical forests. The frequency distribution of gap-makers followed a lognormal distribution with a distinctive peak at three gap-makers, which was different from the inverse J-shaped curve typical of other tropical forests. Gaps were recorded mainly on slopes between 20A degrees and 35A degrees and wood density of gap-makers was between 0.6 and 0.7 g cm(-3). Our results suggest that small-scale disturbance was the dominant agent of gap formation in this old-growth rainforest that is subject to increasing typhoon disturbances.
文摘为了研究大熊猫等珍稀动物的重要栖息地岷江冷杉林的林窗特征,采用样带法,研究不同海拔梯度带岷江冷杉林窗数量与密度、形状与大小结构、形成方式与时间、形成木种类与特征等。研究结果表明,岷江冷杉林林窗的线状密度和密度分别为51个/km和25.5个/hm 2;随着海拔梯度的上升,林窗数量增多,其密度也随之上升;林窗以竖式林窗为主,占林窗数量的64.71%,以25~50 m 2和75~100 m 2范围内林窗个数最多,但75~100 m 2级别林窗面积为25~50 m 2级别的林窗面积的2.2倍;形成时间≥30年的林窗数量最多,占39.22%;林窗形成方式以树倒为主,其次为树干中部折断木,占形成木数量百分比分别为70.83%和14.58%;林窗形成木径级在31~40 cm范围和高度级在16~20 m范围内数量最多,分别占所有形成木数量的33.75%和38.33%。卧龙国家级自然保护区岷江冷杉林林窗随着海拔梯度的上升,林窗数量增多,其密度具有随之上升的趋势;岷江冷杉林以小林窗为主,形成时间≥30 a,形成木以树倒为主,径级在31~40 cm范围和高度级在16~20 m范围为主要特征。研究结论可以为近自然人工群落构建、人工促进更新,以及大熊猫栖息地退化生态系统恢复与重建提供理论依据。
基金funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(31860134,U1703102,31700386).
文摘Background:Tree mortality and regeneration(seedling and sapling recruitment)are essential components of forest dynamics in arid regions,especially where subjected to serious eco-hydrological problems.In recent decades,the mortality of the Euphrates poplar(Populus euphratica)along the Tarim River in Northwest China has increased.However,few studies have quantified the causes of mortality and regeneration in this azonal riparian forest type.Methods:The present study describes the annual hydrological response of tree mortality and regeneration in forest gaps.A total of 60 canopy gaps were investigated in six replicate grid plots(50m×50 m)and the annual runoff and water consumption data during the period of 1955–2016 were collected from hydrological stations in the middle reaches of the Tarim River.We compared the regeneration density of seedlings and saplings within the canopy gap areas(CGAs),undercanopy areas(UCAs),and uncovered riverbank areas(RBAs)through detailed field investigation.Results:Our study found that the mortality of young and middle-aged gap makers has increased remarkably over recent decades,particularly since the year 1996.The main results indicated that regional water scarcity was the primary limiting factor for long-term changes in tree mortality,as shown by a significant correlation between the diameter at breast height(DBH)of dead trees and the annual surface water.The average density(or regeneration rate)of seedlings and saplings was highest in the RBAs,intermediate in the CGAs,and lowest in the UCAs.Compared with the UCAs,the CGAs promote tree regeneration to some extent by providing favorable conditions for the survival and growth of seedlings and saplings,which would otherwise be suppressed in the understory.Furthermore,although the density of seedlings and saplings in the CGAs was not as high as in the RBAs,the survival rate was higher in the CGAs than in the RBAs.Conclusion:Forest canopy gaps in floodplain areas can play a decisive role in the long-term germination and regeneration of plant species.However,as a typical phreatophyte in this hyper-arid region,the ecosystem structure,functions and services of this fragile P.euphratica floodplain forests are threatened by a continuous decrease of water resources,due to excessive water use for agricultural irrigation,which has resulted in a severe reduction of intact poplar forests.Furthermore,the survival of seedlings and saplings is influenced by light availability and soil water at the regional scale.Our findings suggest that policymakers may need to reconsider the restoration and regeneration measures implemented in riparian P.euphratica forests to improve flood water efficiency and create canopy gaps.Our results provide with valuable reference information for the conservation and sustainable development of floodplain forest ecosystems.
