Habitat characteristics and its effects on seedling abundance of Hopea hainanensis, a Wild Plant with Extremely Small Populations

doi:10.17520/biods.2019143

Abstract

Abstract:

Hopea hainanensis, a Wild Plant with Extremely Small Populations (WPESP), is a dominant species in the lowland rainforest on Hainan Island, China. Hopea hainanensis has populations well below minimum viable limits and is now at high extinction risk due to difficulties in regeneration and severe anthropogenic disturbances, such as commercial logging and shifting cultivation. Understanding the habitat requirements and regeneration limitations of H. hainensis is a critical first step to rescue and restore its natural population sizes. Here, based on observations and measurements of wild populations of H. hainanensis, we analyzed the effects of abiotic and biotic environmental factors on seedling abundance. Hopea hainanensis populations exhibited a severe recruitment limitation from the seedling to sapling lifestage. Seedlings occurred most often in habitats with low slope, high soil water content and soil available phosphorus with nearby mother trees with large DBH or crowns and around various species with moderate basal areas. Seedling abundance was negatively correlated with slope and soil pH. Our results provide rationale and direction for proper in situ conservation and population restoration of H. hainanensis.

Key words: Wild Plant with Extremely Small Populations (WPESP), Hopea hainanensis, environmental factors, seedling, abundance

Xinghui Lu, Runguo Zang, Yi Ding, Jihong Huang, Yue Xu. Habitat characteristics and its effects on seedling abundance of Hopea hainanensis, a Wild Plant with Extremely Small Populations[J]. Biodiv Sci, 2020, 28(3): 289-295.

Figures/Tables 5

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生境因子 Habitat factors	中位数 ± 标准差 Median ± SD	变化范围 Range
海拔 Elevation (m)	560.9 ± 173.67	260-940
坡度 Slope (°)	15.00 ± 10.55	0-40
土壤含水量 Soil water content (%)	12.23 ± 7.08	3.60-47.10
土壤pH值 Soil pH value	4.78 ± 0.57	3.80-5.98
土壤有机质 Soil organic matter (g/kg)	3.75 ± 1.58	0.13-7.93
土壤全氮 Soil total nitrogen (g/kg)	1.38 ± 0.57	0.30-2.49
土壤全磷 Soil total phosphorus (g/kg)	0.17 ± 0.05	0.09-0.34
土壤有效氮 Soil available nitrogen (mg/kg)	86.8 ± 28.03	15.06-140.77
土壤有效磷 Soil available phosphorus (mg/kg)	15.16 ± 7.09	5.74-34.26
土壤有效钾 Soil available potassium (mg/kg)	147.88 ± 57.50	47.16-296.36
冠层开阔度 Canopy openness (%)	6.94 ± 3.27	2.01-19.49
伴生种胸高断面积 Basal area of companion species (cm²)	1,017.36 ± 996.31	226.86-3,990.67
伴生种树高 Height of companion species (m)	23 ± 4.81	10.00-33.00
母株冠幅 Crown of mother tree (m)	3.63 ± 1.05	1.50-6.50
母株胸径 DBH of mother tree (cm)	20.94 ± 3.60	14.91-33.61
母株高度 Height of mother tree (m)	13.51 ± 1.62	11.00-14.00

生境因子 Habitat factors	中位数 ± 标准差 Median ± SD	变化范围 Range
海拔 Elevation (m)	560.9 ± 173.67	260-940
坡度 Slope (°)	15.00 ± 10.55	0-40
土壤含水量 Soil water content (%)	12.23 ± 7.08	3.60-47.10
土壤pH值 Soil pH value	4.78 ± 0.57	3.80-5.98
土壤有机质 Soil organic matter (g/kg)	3.75 ± 1.58	0.13-7.93
土壤全氮 Soil total nitrogen (g/kg)	1.38 ± 0.57	0.30-2.49
土壤全磷 Soil total phosphorus (g/kg)	0.17 ± 0.05	0.09-0.34
土壤有效氮 Soil available nitrogen (mg/kg)	86.8 ± 28.03	15.06-140.77
土壤有效磷 Soil available phosphorus (mg/kg)	15.16 ± 7.09	5.74-34.26
土壤有效钾 Soil available potassium (mg/kg)	147.88 ± 57.50	47.16-296.36
冠层开阔度 Canopy openness (%)	6.94 ± 3.27	2.01-19.49
伴生种胸高断面积 Basal area of companion species (cm²)	1,017.36 ± 996.31	226.86-3,990.67
伴生种树高 Height of companion species (m)	23 ± 4.81	10.00-33.00
母株冠幅 Crown of mother tree (m)	3.63 ± 1.05	1.50-6.50
母株胸径 DBH of mother tree (cm)	20.94 ± 3.60	14.91-33.61
母株高度 Height of mother tree (m)	13.51 ± 1.62	11.00-14.00

生境因子 Habitat factors	PCA1	PCA2
海拔 Elevation	0.21	-0.03
坡度 Slope	1.42	-0.03
土壤含水量 Soil water content	-0.48	0.11
土壤pH值 Soil pH value	0.08	-0.02
土壤全磷 Soil total phosphorus	-0.12	0.00
土壤有效磷 Soil available phosphorus	-0.38	-0.00
土壤有效钾 Soil available potassium	0.05	0.12
冠层开阔度 Canopy openness	0.02	-0.11
伴生种胸高断面积 Basal area of companion species	0.12	1.05
母株冠幅 Crown of mother tree	-0.06	0.20
母株胸径 DBH of mother tree	-0.08	0.17
母株高度 Height of mother tree	-0.03	0.04
特征值 Eigenvalue	0.232	0.110
方差比例 Proportion of variance	0.467	0.238
累积方差比例 Proportion of cumulative variance	0.467	0.705

生境因子 Habitat factors	PCA1	PCA2
海拔 Elevation	0.21	-0.03
坡度 Slope	1.42	-0.03
土壤含水量 Soil water content	-0.48	0.11
土壤pH值 Soil pH value	0.08	-0.02
土壤全磷 Soil total phosphorus	-0.12	0.00
土壤有效磷 Soil available phosphorus	-0.38	-0.00
土壤有效钾 Soil available potassium	0.05	0.12
冠层开阔度 Canopy openness	0.02	-0.11
伴生种胸高断面积 Basal area of companion species	0.12	1.05
母株冠幅 Crown of mother tree	-0.06	0.20
母株胸径 DBH of mother tree	-0.08	0.17
母株高度 Height of mother tree	-0.03	0.04
特征值 Eigenvalue	0.232	0.110
方差比例 Proportion of variance	0.467	0.238
累积方差比例 Proportion of cumulative variance	0.467	0.705

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