Analysis of functional traits of woody plant seedlings in an old-growth tropical lowland rain forest on Hainan Island, China

doi:10.3724/SP.J.1258.2011.01300

Abstract

Abstract:

Aims The traits of seedlings are often directly related to the performance and function of adult plants in an ecosystem. Measurements of seedling traits are easy and accurate compared to adult traits. Many studies have been conducted on the trait-based assembly of trees in tropical forests in recent years; however, studies on functional traits of seedlings with diameter at breast height (DBH) < 1 cm are scarce. Our objective was to explore the variation of functional traits of woody seedlings in the old-growth tropical lowland rain forest on Hainan Island, China.
Methods We selected the 16 most abundant species of woody plant seedling with a DBH < 1 cm. They represented three growth forms: trees (nine species), shrubs (three species) and lianas (four species). They were also grouped into four growth stages according to the seedling height ( H) classes: I (5 ≤ H < 20 cm), II (20 ≤ H < 40 cm), III (40 ≤ H < 80 cm) and IV (80 ≤ H < 120 cm). The major functional traits of these seedlings, specific leaf area ( SLA), leaf mass fraction (LMF), specific stem density (SSD) and stem mass fraction (SMF) were measured. We assessed the variation in seedling functional traits among different growth forms and height classes and examined the correlations among functional traits.
Important findings There were significant differences among varied growth stages in seedling functional traits.SLA and LMF decreased gradually, butSMF increased with the growth stages of seedlings. SSD was lowest in the first growth stage, but showed no significant difference among the subsequent three growth stages. There were no significant differences between trees and shrubs for any functional traits. Seedlings adapt to the stressful rainforest understory environment (such as low light) by decreasing SLA andLMF and increasing SMF. However, lianas adapt to the environment through the opposite strategy. There were significant correlations between the different functional traits of seedlings. Our study suggests that the seedlings of different growth forms in the tropical lowland rainforest adapt to their environment by changing the value of different functional traits.

Key words: growth form, leaf mass fraction, specific leaf area, specific stem density, stem mass fraction

LU Xing-Hui, DING Yi, ZANG Run-Guo, ZOU Zheng-Chong, HUANG Lu-Biao. Analysis of functional traits of woody plant seedlings in an old-growth tropical lowland rain forest on Hainan Island, China[J]. Chin J Plant Ecol, 2011, 35(12): 1300-1309.

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References 52

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物种 Species	科名 Family	生长型 Growth form
托盘青冈 Cyclobalanopsis patelliformis	壳斗科 Fagaceae	乔木 Tree
乌柿 Diospyros cathayensis	柿科 Ebenaceae	乔木 Tree
黄杞 Engelhardia roxburghiana	胡桃科 Juglandaceae	乔木 Tree
岭南山竹子 Garcinia oblongifolia	藤黄科 Guttiferae	乔木 Tree
芳槁润楠 Machilus suaveolens	樟科 Lauraceae	乔木 Tree
海南暗罗 Polyalthia laui	番荔枝科 Annonaceae	乔木 Tree
油楠 Sindora glabra	苏木科 Caesalpiniaceae	乔木 Tree
丛花山矾 Symplocos poilanei	山矾科 Symplocaceae	乔木 Tree
青梅 Vatica mangachapoi	龙脑香科 Dipterocarpaceae	乔木 Tree
高脚罗伞 Ardisia quinquegona	紫金牛科 Myrsinaceae	灌木 Shrub
白茶 Koilodepas hainanense	大戟科 Euphorbiaceae	灌木 Shrub
九节 Psychotria rubra	茜草科 Rubiaceae	灌木 Shrub
两广檀 Dalbergia benthami	蝶形花科 Papilionaceae	藤本 Liana
买麻藤 Gnetum montanum	买麻藤科 Gnetaceae	藤本 Liana
山橙 Melodinus suaveolens	夹竹桃科 Apocynaceae	藤本 Liana
锡叶藤 Tetracera asiatica	五桠果科 Dilleniaceae	藤本 Liana

物种 Species	科名 Family	生长型 Growth form
托盘青冈 Cyclobalanopsis patelliformis	壳斗科 Fagaceae	乔木 Tree
乌柿 Diospyros cathayensis	柿科 Ebenaceae	乔木 Tree
黄杞 Engelhardia roxburghiana	胡桃科 Juglandaceae	乔木 Tree
岭南山竹子 Garcinia oblongifolia	藤黄科 Guttiferae	乔木 Tree
芳槁润楠 Machilus suaveolens	樟科 Lauraceae	乔木 Tree
海南暗罗 Polyalthia laui	番荔枝科 Annonaceae	乔木 Tree
油楠 Sindora glabra	苏木科 Caesalpiniaceae	乔木 Tree
丛花山矾 Symplocos poilanei	山矾科 Symplocaceae	乔木 Tree
青梅 Vatica mangachapoi	龙脑香科 Dipterocarpaceae	乔木 Tree
高脚罗伞 Ardisia quinquegona	紫金牛科 Myrsinaceae	灌木 Shrub
白茶 Koilodepas hainanense	大戟科 Euphorbiaceae	灌木 Shrub
九节 Psychotria rubra	茜草科 Rubiaceae	灌木 Shrub
两广檀 Dalbergia benthami	蝶形花科 Papilionaceae	藤本 Liana
买麻藤 Gnetum montanum	买麻藤科 Gnetaceae	藤本 Liana
山橙 Melodinus suaveolens	夹竹桃科 Apocynaceae	藤本 Liana
锡叶藤 Tetracera asiatica	五桠果科 Dilleniaceae	藤本 Liana