Effects of Stand Characteristics and Soil Nutrient Characteristics on Herbaceous Diversity
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    Abstract:

    Understory herbaceous plants are an important part of forest ecosystems and have important ecological functions for maintaining the succession and development of forest communities. In this study, Picea crassifolia forest (Ⅰ), Betula albosinensis forest (Ⅱ), Populus cathayana forest (Ⅲ), Broadleaved mixed forest (Ⅳ) and Coniferous and broadleaved mixed forest (Ⅴ), these five different stand types of plantations in Huzhu Beishan Forest Farm, which located in the east of Qinghai Province, were selected as the research object. Typical sampling method was used to select four 20 m by 20 m plots in each stand, and each tree in the plot was examined. Five 1 m by 1 m herbaceous quadrats were set in each plot. Understory herbaceous plants were investigated and recorded, and soil samples of five small quadrats were collected and analyzed. Grey correlation method was used to analyze the relationship between understory herbaceous diversity and stand characteristics, soil nutrient characteristics, in order to clarify the dominant factors affecting understory herbaceous species diversity, and provide scientific basis for local plantation management. The results showed that: (1) there existed 86 herb species belonging to 74 genera of 30 families. Among them, the number of families, genera and species in type Ⅴ was the largest (49 species, 42 genera, 25 families), and that in type Ⅰ was the least (27 species, 26 genera, 17 families). In type Ⅰ, Ⅲ and Ⅳ, the important values of Fragaria vesca in herb layer were the highest (44.42%, 20.29% and 23.05%, respectively). In stand Ⅱ and Ⅴ, the dominant species were Parasenecio hastatus, Fragaria vesca, and Lolium perenne, and their important values were 20.97%, 13.95%, 13.68% and 8.34%, 16.83% and 27.82%, respectively. (2) The species richness (S), ShannonWiener diversity index (D) and Simpson diversity index (H) of the five stands were significantly different (P<0.05), but the Pielou evenness index (J) was not significantly different. These indexes were lower in conifer pure forest (Ⅰ) than those in the broadleaved pure forests (Ⅱ and Ⅲ) and mixed forests (Ⅳ and Ⅴ). (3) There were no significant differences in stand density (SD), average diameter at breast height (DBH), average tree height (H) and average crown width (CW) among different stand types, but these stand factors in different forest types decreased in order: coniferous and broadleaved mixed forest > broadleaved mixed forest > broadleaved pure forests > conifer pure forest. (4) The contents of soil alkalihydrolyzed nitrogen (AN), available phosphorus (AP), available potassium (AK), soil organic matter (SOC) and potential of hydrogen (pH) were higher in the mixed forests and broadleaved pure forests than those in conifer pure forest. With the increase of soil depth, the contents of AN, AP, AK, SOC decreased and pH increased. (5) The species diversity of understory herbaceous plants in the forest ecosystem responded significantly to the stand factors and soil nutrient characteristics, and DBH was the most important stand factor affecting the herb diversity, alkalihydrolyzed nitrogen is the most important soil nutrient characteristic. Therefore, in the future forest reconstruction, we should improve the artificial forest construction mode, optimize the stand factors and enhance the soil fertility, so as to improve the diversity of the herbaceous plant and maintain the stability and sustainable development of the forest ecosystem.

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CHEN Xiao, LI Yuanhang, ZUO Yafan, LIN Sha, CHU Dingjin, HE Kangning. Effects of Stand Characteristics and Soil Nutrient Characteristics on Herbaceous Diversity[J]. Acta Botanica Boreali-Occidentalia Sinica,2022,42(8):1396-1407

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  • Online: September 06,2022
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