Chin J Plant Ecol ›› 2008, Vol. 32 ›› Issue (2): 287-298.DOI: 10.3773/j.issn.1005-264x.2008.02.006

• Research Articles • Previous Articles     Next Articles

ESTABLISHMENT OF XISHUANGBANNA TROPICAL FOREST DYNAMICS PLOT: SPECIES COMPOSITIONS AND SPATIAL DISTRIBUTION PATTERNS

LAN Guo-Yu1,2, HU Yue-Hua1,2, CAO Min1,*(), ZHU Hua1, WANG Hong1, ZHOU Shi-Shun1, DENG Xiao-Bao1, CUI Jing-Yun1, HUANG Jian-Guo3, LIU Lin-Yun3, XU Hai-Long3, SONG Jun-Ping3, HE You-Cai3   

  1. 1Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming 650223, China
    2Graduate University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
    3Xishuangbanna Administration of Nature Reserves, Jinghong, Yunnan 666100, China
  • Received:2007-12-18 Accepted:2008-01-12 Online:2008-12-18 Published:2008-03-30
  • Contact: CAO Min

Abstract:

Aims Tropical seasonal rain forest in Xishuangbanna is one of the most species-rich forest ecosystems in China. This area is also one of the biodiversity hotspots for conservation priorities of the world. For the purpose of monitoring long-term dynamics of tree populations, a 20-hm2 plot was established in a dipterocarp forest in Mengla Nature Reserve in 2007 by Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences and Xishuangbanna Administration of Nature Reserves, in collaboration with Alberta University, Canada and Tunghai University (Taiwan, China).
Methods The construction technology and field protocol followed those applied in the establishment of the 50 hm2 plot in the tropical forest of Barro Colorado Island in Panama, developed by Center for Tropical Forest Science, Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute in 1980. All free-standing trees with diameter at breast height (DBH) ≥ 1 cm were tagged, mapped, measured (girth) and identified to species in the plot. Spatial distribution patterns of four dominant canopy tree species (among different tree size classes) and 12 rare species were analyzed by using a point pattern analysis Ripley's L-function.
Important findings A total of 95 834 free-standing individuals with DBH ≥ 1 cm were recorded in the 20 hm2 plot. Of which, 95 498 individuals were identified to species level. This plot included 468 species belonging to 213 genera and 70 families, except for another 336 individuals that could not be identified yet. The flora of plot was mainly composed of species in tropical families. Shorea wantianshuea that dominates the forest canopy was ranked the second in terms of importance value, although it had the largest basal area. Pittosporopsis kerrii, an understory tree species showed the highest abundance (20 918 individuals). The four canopy species had a large number of juveniles and exhibited size structures with reverse-J shape associated with continuously regenerating populations. Young trees (saplings and poles) revealed a clumped spatial distribution, but adults tended to have a random distribution. Most of the 12 rare tree species in the plot also showed aggregated distribution pattern.

Key words: Xishuangbanna, tropical rain forest, forest dynamics plot (FDP)