Mechanisms of seedling community assembly in a monsoon evergreen broadleaf forest in Pu’er, Yunnan, China

doi:10.17521/cjpe.2023.0120

Abstract

Abstract:

Aims Seedlings play a crucial role in the conservation of forest biodiversity. Previous studies have paid little attention to seedling communities in monsoon broadleaf evergreen forests in Pu’er, Yunnan. Our aim was to investigate the mechanisms of seedling community assembly there.

Methods We analyzed the species composition of the seedling community based on the seedling survey in a 30 hm² forest dynamics plot. Seedling plots are divided into different groups according to the dominant species. The stepwise community assembly model (STEPCAM) was used to investigate the mechanisms of community assembly and to further analyze the functional traits of seedling communities.

<strong>Important findings</strong> Castanopsis echidnocarpa and C. calathiformis are the dominant seedling species in the monsoon broadleaf evergreen forest. Four plot types (i.e., C. echidnocarpa plot, C. calathiformis plot, mixed-dominant species plot, non-dominant species plot) were classified according to the presence or absence of dominant species. The seedling community assembly processes included: a) random dispersal assembly (with contribution rate 43.1%-61.3%); b) habitat filtering (with contribution rate 27.4%-33.9%); and c) limiting similarity (with contribution rate 5.7%-27.2%). The C. echidnocarpa and C. calathiformis plots were dominated by deterministic processes, with 56.9% and 54.6% contributions respectively, whereas the mixed-dominant and non-dominant species plots were dominated by stochastic processes, with 60.4% and 61.3% contributions respectively. Rao’s quadratic entropy (Rao’Q) was highest in the non-dominant species plot and lowest in the mixed-dominant species plot. The C. echidnocarpa plot has the lowest specific leaf area (SLA) and higher leaf thickness (LT), specific stem length (SSL), root mass fraction (RMF) and a maximum potential plant height (PPH), while the C. calathiformis plot and non-dominant species plot have a higher SLA. Among different seedling plots, the coefficients of variation for SSL and PPH were higher, while the coefficients of variation for other functional traits were lower. Multiple regression analysis showed that SLA and PPH were significantly and positively correlated with Rao’Q in different seedling plots. LT and life form were significantly and positively correlated with Rao’Q in other three types of plots, except for the non-dominant species plot. Thus, seedling community assembly in the monsoon broadleaf evergreen forest is driven by both stochastic and deterministic processes, and the contribution of the two processes varies with the type of seedling communities.

Key words: community assembly, dominant species, functional trait, functional diversity, monsoon evergreen broadleaf forest

CHEN Zhao-Quan, WANG Ming-Hui, HU Zi-Han, LANG Xue-Dong, HE Yun-Qiong, LIU Wan-De. Mechanisms of seedling community assembly in a monsoon evergreen broadleaf forest in Pu’er, Yunnan, China[J]. Chin J Plant Ecol, 2024, 48(1): 68-79.

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Figures/Tables 6

References 57

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序号 Order	科 Family	属 Genus	物种 Species	重要值 Important value (%)	多度(株) Abundance
1	壳斗科 Fagaceae	锥属 Castanopsis	短刺锥 Castanopsis echidnocarpa	35.86	1 349
2	壳斗科 Fagaceae	锥属 Castanopsis	枹丝锥 Castanopsis calathiformis	28.11	1 258
3	樟科 Lauraceae	木姜子属 Litsea	红叶木姜子 Litsea rubescens	20.68	575
4	卫矛科 Celastraceae	南蛇藤属 Celastrus	独子藤 Celastrus monospermus	11.73	287
5	菝葜科 Smilacaceae	菝葜属 Smilax	粉背菝葜 Smilax hypoglauca	7.18	182
6	豆科 Fabaceae	巴豆藤属 Craspedolobium	巴豆藤 Craspedolobium schochii	5.75	125
7	买麻藤科 Gnetaceae	买麻藤属 Gnetum	买麻藤 Gnetum montanum	5.60	116
8	樟科 Lauraceae	润楠属 Machilus	红梗润楠 Machilus rufipes	5.53	153
9	壳斗科 Fagaceae	柯属 Lithocarpus	泥柯 Lithocarpus fenestratus	5.11	152
10	菝葜科 Smilacaceae	菝葜属 Smilax	抱茎菝葜 Smilax ocreata	3.02	106

序号 Order	科 Family	属 Genus	物种 Species	重要值 Important value (%)	多度(株) Abundance
1	壳斗科 Fagaceae	锥属 Castanopsis	短刺锥 Castanopsis echidnocarpa	35.86	1 349
2	壳斗科 Fagaceae	锥属 Castanopsis	枹丝锥 Castanopsis calathiformis	28.11	1 258
3	樟科 Lauraceae	木姜子属 Litsea	红叶木姜子 Litsea rubescens	20.68	575
4	卫矛科 Celastraceae	南蛇藤属 Celastrus	独子藤 Celastrus monospermus	11.73	287
5	菝葜科 Smilacaceae	菝葜属 Smilax	粉背菝葜 Smilax hypoglauca	7.18	182
6	豆科 Fabaceae	巴豆藤属 Craspedolobium	巴豆藤 Craspedolobium schochii	5.75	125
7	买麻藤科 Gnetaceae	买麻藤属 Gnetum	买麻藤 Gnetum montanum	5.60	116
8	樟科 Lauraceae	润楠属 Machilus	红梗润楠 Machilus rufipes	5.53	153
9	壳斗科 Fagaceae	柯属 Lithocarpus	泥柯 Lithocarpus fenestratus	5.11	152
10	菝葜科 Smilacaceae	菝葜属 Smilax	抱茎菝葜 Smilax ocreata	3.02	106

指标 Index		短刺锥样方 Castanopsis echidnocarpa plot	枹丝锥样方 Castanopsis calathiformis plot	混合优势种样方 Mixed-dominant species plot	非优势种样方 Non-dominant species plot
功能多样性 Functional diversity	Rao’Q	3.22 ± 0.09^b	2.91 ± 0.17^b	2.29 ± 0.16^c	4.07 ± 0.11^a
优势种相对多度 Relative abundance of dominant species	RA	0.46 ± 0.01^c	0.58 ± 0.03^b	0.72 ± 0.02^a	0
功能性状 Functional trait	SLA	171.81 ± 1.61^b	205.77 ± 2.68^a	179.62 ± 1.95^b	213.39 ± 2.71^a
	LT	0.131 ± 0.001^b	0.109 ± 0.002^c	0.109 ± 0.002^c	0.150 ± 0.002^a
	SSL	66.09 ± 0.91^a	51.80 ± 1.24^c	56.93 ± 1.22^b	58.14 ± 1.50^b
	RMF	0.428 ± 0.003^a	0.406 ± 0.004^b	0.413 ± 0.002^b	0.408 ± 0.004^b
	LF	1.62 ± 0.03^b	1.50 ± 0.04^c	1.30 ± 0.03^d	2.17 ± 0.03^a
	PPH	16.45 ± 0.30^a	12.98 ± 0.45^b	13.56 ± 0.34^b	17.17 ± 0.53^a

指标 Index		短刺锥样方 Castanopsis echidnocarpa plot	枹丝锥样方 Castanopsis calathiformis plot	混合优势种样方 Mixed-dominant species plot	非优势种样方 Non-dominant species plot
功能多样性 Functional diversity	Rao’Q	3.22 ± 0.09^b	2.91 ± 0.17^b	2.29 ± 0.16^c	4.07 ± 0.11^a
优势种相对多度 Relative abundance of dominant species	RA	0.46 ± 0.01^c	0.58 ± 0.03^b	0.72 ± 0.02^a	0
功能性状 Functional trait	SLA	171.81 ± 1.61^b	205.77 ± 2.68^a	179.62 ± 1.95^b	213.39 ± 2.71^a
	LT	0.131 ± 0.001^b	0.109 ± 0.002^c	0.109 ± 0.002^c	0.150 ± 0.002^a
	SSL	66.09 ± 0.91^a	51.80 ± 1.24^c	56.93 ± 1.22^b	58.14 ± 1.50^b
	RMF	0.428 ± 0.003^a	0.406 ± 0.004^b	0.413 ± 0.002^b	0.408 ± 0.004^b
	LF	1.62 ± 0.03^b	1.50 ± 0.04^c	1.30 ± 0.03^d	2.17 ± 0.03^a
	PPH	16.45 ± 0.30^a	12.98 ± 0.45^b	13.56 ± 0.34^b	17.17 ± 0.53^a