INTER-SPECIFIC CORRELATIONS AMONG DOMINANT POPULATIONS OF TREE LAYER SPECIES IN EVERGREEN BROAD-LEAVED FOREST IN JIULIANSHAN MOUNTAIN OF SUBTROPICAL CHINA

doi:10.3773/j.issn.1005-264x.2009.04.005

Abstract

Abstract:

Aims The Jiulianshan Mountain National Nature Reserve of Jiangxi is rich in typical natural evergreen broad-leaved forest communities; however, little is known about the interspecific relationships of the species that dominate the tree layer. Our objective was to investigate how the dominant species in the tree layer interact with each other and with other species.
Methods We sampled 7 600 m² with 19 plots in the typical evergreen broad-leaved communities, selected 28 dominant species according to importance values and studied interspecific associations and correlations by using variance ratio (VR) analysis of the overall association and χ² test, Pearson correlation coefficient test and Spearman rank correlation coefficient test based on 2×2 contingency tables of species presence/absence data.
Important findings Significantly positive correlations exist among the 28 dominant species, which suggests that the evergreen broad-leaved forest is stable. The interspecific correlations among 378 species-pairs of the 28 dominant tree species showed that 140, 104 and 144 species-pairs were positively correlated, while 238, 274 and 234 species-pairs had negative correlations, and the ratios of positive and negative correlations were 0.588, 0.380 and 0.615, based on χ²-test for 2×2 contingency table, Pearson correlation coefficient test, and Spearman rank correlation coefficient test, respectively. The Spearman rank correlation coefficient test was more sensitive than the Pearson correlation coefficient test. Most of the total 378 species pairs did not show significant association, which may be related to the seral stage of the forest and the ecological characteristics of the species. The forest was at a stable late-successional stage. According to their adaptability to the environment and relationships between plants and environment, the 28 species were divided into two ecological species groups: shade-intolerant and shade-tolerant plants.

Key words: Jiulianshan Mountain, evergreen broad-leaved forest, inter-specific correlation, variance ratio, 2×2 contingency table, correlation coefficient test

JIAN Min-Fei, LIU Qi-Jing, ZHU Du, YOU Hai. INTER-SPECIFIC CORRELATIONS AMONG DOMINANT POPULATIONS OF TREE LAYER SPECIES IN EVERGREEN BROAD-LEAVED FOREST IN JIULIANSHAN MOUNTAIN OF SUBTROPICAL CHINA[J]. Chin J Plant Ecol, 2009, 33(4): 672-680.

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URL: https://www.plant-ecology.com/EN/10.3773/j.issn.1005-264x.2009.04.005

https://www.plant-ecology.com/EN/Y2009/V33/I4/672

Figures/Tables 6

References 34

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检验方法	正相关 Positive				负相关 Negative
检验方法	极显著 Distinctly significant ( p≤0.01)	显著 Significant (p≤0.05)	不显著 Not significant (p>0.05)	总数 Sum	极显著 Distinctly significant ( p≤0.01)	显著 Significant (p≤0.05)	不显著 Not significant (p>0.05)	总数 Sum
χ²检验 χ²-tests of species associations	39	17	84	140	0	7	231	238
Pearson 相关系数 Pearson’s correlation coefficient	37	5	61	103	0	0	274	274
Spearman秩相关系数 Spearman rank correlations	51	20	73	144	3	13	218	234

检验方法	正相关 Positive				负相关 Negative
检验方法	极显著 Distinctly significant ( p≤0.01)	显著 Significant (p≤0.05)	不显著 Not significant (p>0.05)	总数 Sum	极显著 Distinctly significant ( p≤0.01)	显著 Significant (p≤0.05)	不显著 Not significant (p>0.05)	总数 Sum
χ²检验 χ²-tests of species associations	39	17	84	140	0	7	231	238
Pearson 相关系数 Pearson’s correlation coefficient	37	5	61	103	0	0	274	274
Spearman秩相关系数 Spearman rank correlations	51	20	73	144	3	13	218	234

生态种组 Ecological species groups	种名 Plant species	生境主要特点 Characteristics of the habitat
生态种组 Ecological species groups	种名 Plant species	光照 Sunshine 水分 Water
第一生态种组 First ecological species groups	拟赤杨Alniphyllum fortunei、枫香Liquidambar formasana、润楠Machilus microcarpa、罗浮栲Castanopsis fabri、鹿角栲Castanopsis lamontii、紫树Nyssa sinensis、柃木Eurya japonica、柳叶毛蕊茶Camellia salicifolia、青榨槭Acer davidii、观光木Tsoongiodendron odorum、猴欢喜Sloanea sinensis、深山含笑Manglietia maudiae、罗浮槭Acer fabri、杉木Cunninghamia lanceolata	充足 Abundant 不足 Shortage
第二生态种组 Second ecological species groups	木荷Schima superba、丝线吊芙蓉Rhododendron westlandi、甜槠Castanopsis eyrei、米槠Castanopsis carlesii、赤楠Syzygium buxifolium、丝栗栲Castanopsis fargesii、罗浮柿Diospyros morrisiana、南岭栲Castanopsis fordii、岭南杜鹃Rhododendron mariae、黄丹木姜子Litsea elongata、马银花Rhododendron ovatum、细叶香桂、Cinnamomum subavenium、柳杉Cryptomeria fortunei、南方红豆杉Taxus mairei	不足 Shortage 充足 Abundant

生态种组 Ecological species groups	种名 Plant species	生境主要特点 Characteristics of the habitat
生态种组 Ecological species groups	种名 Plant species	光照 Sunshine 水分 Water
第一生态种组 First ecological species groups	拟赤杨Alniphyllum fortunei、枫香Liquidambar formasana、润楠Machilus microcarpa、罗浮栲Castanopsis fabri、鹿角栲Castanopsis lamontii、紫树Nyssa sinensis、柃木Eurya japonica、柳叶毛蕊茶Camellia salicifolia、青榨槭Acer davidii、观光木Tsoongiodendron odorum、猴欢喜Sloanea sinensis、深山含笑Manglietia maudiae、罗浮槭Acer fabri、杉木Cunninghamia lanceolata	充足 Abundant 不足 Shortage
第二生态种组 Second ecological species groups	木荷Schima superba、丝线吊芙蓉Rhododendron westlandi、甜槠Castanopsis eyrei、米槠Castanopsis carlesii、赤楠Syzygium buxifolium、丝栗栲Castanopsis fargesii、罗浮柿Diospyros morrisiana、南岭栲Castanopsis fordii、岭南杜鹃Rhododendron mariae、黄丹木姜子Litsea elongata、马银花Rhododendron ovatum、细叶香桂、Cinnamomum subavenium、柳杉Cryptomeria fortunei、南方红豆杉Taxus mairei	不足 Shortage 充足 Abundant