英文摘要 |
The relationship between stand density and species diversity of 30 plots in Chinese fir (Cunninghamia lanceolate) plantations were studied at Hui-Sun Forest Station. A total of 216 vascular plants that belonged to 153 genera and 78 families were recorded. Among them, 47 fern species were found, and the Pteridophyte-Quotient was as high as 6.95, suggested that the environments of the Chinese fir plantation were relatively humid that provided suitable habitats for terrestrial and epiphytic ferns. According to the cluster analysis results, the understory plant community could be divided into three dominant types: Dicranopteris linearis type, Psychotria rubra type and Blastus cochinchinensis type. The results of detrend correspondence analysis were generally consistent with the classification of the vegetation type. Canonical correspondence analysis revealed that the altitude, moisture gradient, soil organic matter, and soil available phosphorus were the main environmental factors that could effectively differentiate the vegetation types. The relationships between stand density and species diversity were differed for tree layer and understory. The species diversity of tree layer declined along with basal area of Chinese firs, but not with understory. We found that high species number appeared in the medium stand density, and the dominant understory species, Dicranopteris linearis, successfully competed with other species and occupied the habitat of low stand density. On the other hand, high stand density would restrict the colonization of species, and allow only shade-tolerant plants to appear. Therefore, a suitable stand density of China fir plantation provided various niches for species to coexist and maintain high species diversity. |