Effects of forest canopy condition on the establishment of Castanopsis fargesii seedlings in a subtropical evergreen broad-leaved forest

doi:10.17521/cjpe.2018.0275

Abstract

Abstract:

Aims The establishment of seedlings is a key life-history stage during the regeneration of plant populations. This study is to investigate the effects of forest canopy condition (large-sized gap: >150 m ², medium-sized gap: 100-150 m ², small-sized gap: 50-100 m ², and understory as control) on the establishment of Castanopsis fargesii seedlings, and to guide in situ management and restoration of subtropical evergreen broad-leaved forests.
Methods We conducted a 3-year in situ seed sowing experiment in the Jinyun Mountain National Nature Reserve under different canopy conditions, and monitored the growth and survival of C. fargesii seedlings for three years (2014-2016).
Important findings We found that: (1) the emergence of the seedlings lasted from July to December, and the emergence of seedlings was delayed under large canopy gaps; (2) overall germination rate was (62.8 ± 2.0)%. The averaged survival rate during three growing seasons was (65.1 ± 2.2)%, with wither being the key type of seedling mortality; (3) there was no significant difference in the germination and survival rates under different canopy conditions in 2014, but significant difference in the survival rates in 2015 and 2016; (4) seedling growth among canopy conditions showed no difference in 2014, but distinct differences in 2015 and 2016. The seedling growth in large- and medium-sized gaps was significantly promoted compared with those growing under closed canopies in terms of total biomass, plant height, base diameter, root length and leaf number (except for the specific leaf area); (5) for each of the four types of canopy conditions, leaf mass ratio (LMR) and stem mass ratio (SMR) of seedlings growing increased within last three years, while root mass ratio (RMR) and root shoot ratio (RSR) decreased. The LMR in large-sized gaps was significantly higher than those in closed canopies, but not for the RMR and RSR. The results suggested that the initial survival and growth of C. fargesii seedlings may be supported by the nutrients stored in seeds, and thus less affected by canopy conditions. However, in late-establishment stages (i.e., the second and third years), gap size could become a key factor in affecting both the seedling survival and growth. And large- and medium-sized gaps could promote the seedling establishment success for C. fargesii.

http://jtp.cnki.net/bilingual/detail/html/ZWSB201901006

Key words: canopy condition, seed germination, seedling establishment, growth, Castanopsis fargesii

WU Xiao-Qi, YANG Sheng-He, HUANG Li, LI Xiao-Han, YANG Chao, QIAN Shen-Hua, YANG Yong-Chuan. Effects of forest canopy condition on the establishment of Castanopsis fargesii seedlings in a subtropical evergreen broad-leaved forest[J]. Chin J Plant Ecol, 2019, 43(1): 55-64.

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URL: https://www.plant-ecology.com/EN/10.17521/cjpe.2018.0275

https://www.plant-ecology.com/EN/Y2019/V43/I1/55

Figures/Tables 7

References 46

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林冠环境 Canopy condition		面积 Area (m2)	形成方式 Types of formation	年龄/年 Age (year)	主要边界木 Main boundary trees			光通量 Quantum flux (μmmol·m^-2·s^-1)
林冠环境 Canopy condition		面积 Area (m2)	形成方式 Types of formation	年龄/年 Age (year)	物种 Species	胸径 DBH (cm)	树高 H (m)	光通量 Quantum flux (μmmol·m^-2·s^-1)
大林窗 Large-sized gap	A	175	人工砍伐栲 Selective cutting of Castanopsis fargesii	2	栲 C. fargesii	20-45	15-25	484 ± 48.4^a
	A	175	人工砍伐栲 Selective cutting of Castanopsis fargesii	2	山矾 Symplocos sumunti	10-20	10-20	484 ± 48.4^a
	B	185	栲倒木 C. fargesii logs	3-5	栲 C. fargesii	30-40	15-20	513 ± 30.9^a
	B	185	栲倒木 C. fargesii logs	3-5	润楠 Machilus nanmu	20-35	15-25	513 ± 30.9^a
	C	190	栲倒木 C. fargesii logs	6-8	栲 C. fargesii	25-50	17-20	697 ± 104.3^a
	C	190	栲倒木 C. fargesii logs	6-8	润楠 M. nanmu	20-35	10-20	697 ± 104.3^a
中林窗 Medium-sized gap	A	122	栲倒木 C. fargesii logs	5-7	润楠 M. nanmu	20-30	15-25	365 ± 24.4^b
					山矾 S. sumuntia	10-20	10-20
					短刺米槠 Castanopsis carlesii var. spinulosa	15-30	10-15
	B	140	栲倒木 C. fargesii logs	5-7	润楠 M. nanmu	15-30	15-25	447 ± 36.5^b
	C	131	栲倒木 C. fargesii logs	5-7	栲 C. fargesii	35-45	15-20	444 ± 53.9^b
					润楠 M. nanmu	10-20	15-20
					山矾 S. sumuntia	10-20	10-20
小林窗 Small-sized gap	A	88	栲倒木 C. fargesii logs	5-7	栲 C. fargesii	35-55	20-25	169 ± 30.7^c
	A	88	栲倒木 C. fargesii logs	5-7	润楠 M. nanmu	25-35	20-25	169 ± 30.7^c
	B	72	栲倒木 C. fargesii logs	4-6	栲 C. fargesii	40-50	20-25	191 ± 13.3^c
	B	72	栲倒木 C. fargesii logs	4-6	润楠 M. nanmu	20-30	15-25	191 ± 13.3^c
	C	75	栲倒木 C. fargesii logs	5-7	栲 C. fargesii	25-40	15-20	199 ± 9.3^c
	C	75	栲倒木 C. fargesii logs	5-7	润楠 M. nanmu	10-20	15-20	199 ± 9.3^c
					主要优势种 Main dominant species
					物种 Species	胸径 DBH (cm)	树高 H (m)
林下 Understory	A	100	-	-	栲 C. fargesii	35-55	20-25	40 ± 4.1^d
	A	100	-	-	润楠 M. nanmu	35-45	20-25	40 ± 4.1^d
	B	100	-	-	栲 C. fargesii	40-50	20-25	35 ± 3.4^d
	C	100	-	-	栲 C. fargesii	35-45	20-25	39 ± 3.9^d
	C	100	-	-	冬桃 Elaeocarpus duclouxii	20-35	15-25	39 ± 3.9^d

林冠环境 Canopy condition		面积 Area (m2)	形成方式 Types of formation	年龄/年 Age (year)	主要边界木 Main boundary trees			光通量 Quantum flux (μmmol·m^-2·s^-1)
林冠环境 Canopy condition		面积 Area (m2)	形成方式 Types of formation	年龄/年 Age (year)	物种 Species	胸径 DBH (cm)	树高 H (m)	光通量 Quantum flux (μmmol·m^-2·s^-1)
大林窗 Large-sized gap	A	175	人工砍伐栲 Selective cutting of Castanopsis fargesii	2	栲 C. fargesii	20-45	15-25	484 ± 48.4^a
	A	175	人工砍伐栲 Selective cutting of Castanopsis fargesii	2	山矾 Symplocos sumunti	10-20	10-20	484 ± 48.4^a
	B	185	栲倒木 C. fargesii logs	3-5	栲 C. fargesii	30-40	15-20	513 ± 30.9^a
	B	185	栲倒木 C. fargesii logs	3-5	润楠 Machilus nanmu	20-35	15-25	513 ± 30.9^a
	C	190	栲倒木 C. fargesii logs	6-8	栲 C. fargesii	25-50	17-20	697 ± 104.3^a
	C	190	栲倒木 C. fargesii logs	6-8	润楠 M. nanmu	20-35	10-20	697 ± 104.3^a
中林窗 Medium-sized gap	A	122	栲倒木 C. fargesii logs	5-7	润楠 M. nanmu	20-30	15-25	365 ± 24.4^b
					山矾 S. sumuntia	10-20	10-20
					短刺米槠 Castanopsis carlesii var. spinulosa	15-30	10-15
	B	140	栲倒木 C. fargesii logs	5-7	润楠 M. nanmu	15-30	15-25	447 ± 36.5^b
	C	131	栲倒木 C. fargesii logs	5-7	栲 C. fargesii	35-45	15-20	444 ± 53.9^b
					润楠 M. nanmu	10-20	15-20
					山矾 S. sumuntia	10-20	10-20
小林窗 Small-sized gap	A	88	栲倒木 C. fargesii logs	5-7	栲 C. fargesii	35-55	20-25	169 ± 30.7^c
	A	88	栲倒木 C. fargesii logs	5-7	润楠 M. nanmu	25-35	20-25	169 ± 30.7^c
	B	72	栲倒木 C. fargesii logs	4-6	栲 C. fargesii	40-50	20-25	191 ± 13.3^c
	B	72	栲倒木 C. fargesii logs	4-6	润楠 M. nanmu	20-30	15-25	191 ± 13.3^c
	C	75	栲倒木 C. fargesii logs	5-7	栲 C. fargesii	25-40	15-20	199 ± 9.3^c
	C	75	栲倒木 C. fargesii logs	5-7	润楠 M. nanmu	10-20	15-20	199 ± 9.3^c
					主要优势种 Main dominant species
					物种 Species	胸径 DBH (cm)	树高 H (m)
林下 Understory	A	100	-	-	栲 C. fargesii	35-55	20-25	40 ± 4.1^d
	A	100	-	-	润楠 M. nanmu	35-45	20-25	40 ± 4.1^d
	B	100	-	-	栲 C. fargesii	40-50	20-25	35 ± 3.4^d
	C	100	-	-	栲 C. fargesii	35-45	20-25	39 ± 3.9^d
	C	100	-	-	冬桃 Elaeocarpus duclouxii	20-35	15-25	39 ± 3.9^d