Influences of disturbances on successional dynamics of species diversity in mid- subtropical forests

doi:10.17520/biods.2024078

Abstract

Abstract:

Aims: In the face of the extinction crisis primarily driven by human activities, understanding the dynamics of forest succession under varying disturbance regimes is more vital than ever. This study seeks to examine the influences of disturbances on the successional dynamics of species diversity in mid-subtropical forests, aiming to provide scientific insights for biodiversity conservation and ecological restoration efforts.

Methods: We selected four typical forests within the Qianjiangyuan section of the Qianjiangyuan-Baishanzu National Park candidate area: evergreen broad-leaved old-growth forests (PR), once-disturbed secondary forests (MD), twice-disturbed secondary forests (SD), and Chinese fir (Cunninghamia lanceolata) plantation forests (PL). A total of 12 1-ha forest dynamics plots (three plots for each forest type) were established in 2009 and recensused every five years. In each census, all free-standing stems ≥ 1 cm in DBH (diameter at breast height) were measured, mapped, and identified to species. With those data, we measured species diversity using four indices: species richness, Shannon-Wiener diversity index, Simpson diversity index, and Pielou’s evenness index, collectively to explore the trajectories and rates of successions of biodiversity under different disturbance regimes.

Results: Our longitudinal data revealed that species richness, Shannon-Wiener diversity index, and Simpson diversity index in PR, MD, and PL increased over succession, while they decreased in SD. Pielou’s evenness index showed divergent dynamics: it initially increased and then decreased in PR and MD, whereas it consistently increased in SD and PL. Noticeably, when Chinese fir was excluded, Pielou’s evenness index in PL decreased over time. The succession rate of various species diversity indices generally showed a declining trend over time, but the rate of species richness and Pielou’s evenness index was mostly not significant. Affected by snow and ice disasters, the successional trajectory of PR deviated from its stable state. The succession rate of species richness in the early recovery stage of the impaired PR was significantly higher than in other forests and decreased significantly over time, while the succession rate of Pielou’s evenness index was low and showed no significant change over time. The succession rate of Pielou’s evenness index in PL was significantly higher than in other forests and decreased significantly over time, while the succession rate of species richness was low and showed no significant difference from MD and SD.

Conclusion: We underscore the differentiated effects of disturbances on the succession of species diversity in subtropical forests. PR demonstrated a high capacity for self-recovery after disturbances, while SD exhibited a decline in species richness, emphasizing the critical role of disturbances in shaping community succession. Our results inform conservation strategies by suggesting that restoration efforts should be tailored to the disturbance history and succession stage of each forest type. For highly disturbed areas like PL, active restoration measures such as tree thinning are necessary to enhance biodiversity recovery, whereas PR might benefit from minimal intervention due to their inherent capacity for self-recovery. This research contributes to global efforts to halt biodiversity loss and promote sustainable forest management by providing evidence-based insights into the complex relationships between disturbance, succession, and species diversity.

Key words: species evenness, species richness, evergreen broad-leaved forest, succession trajectory, diversity index, secondary forest

Jia Zhenni, Zhang Yicen, Du Yanjun, Ren Haibao. Influences of disturbances on successional dynamics of species diversity in mid- subtropical forests[J]. Biodiv Sci, 2025, 33(2): 24078.

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URL: https://www.biodiversity-science.net/EN/10.17520/biods.2024078

https://www.biodiversity-science.net/EN/Y2025/V33/I2/24078

Figures/Tables 4

Fig. 1 Images of four typical forests and distribution of 12 1-ha forest dynamics plots in the Qianjiangyuan section of the Qianjiangyuan-Baishanzu National Park candidate area. A, Chinese fir plantation forests (PL); B, Twice-disturbed secondary forests (SD); C, Once-disturbed secondary forests (MD); D, Evergreen broad-leaved old-growth forests (PR); E, Distribution of 12 forest dynamics plots in the Qianjiangyuan section of the Qianjiangyuan-Baishanzu National Park candidate area.

Table 1 Results of analysis of variance about effects of succession time and disturbance (forest) types on species diversities and their succession rate

	物种丰富度 Species richness		Pielou均匀度指数 Pielou’s evenness index			Shannon-Wiener多样性指数 Shannon-Wiener diversity index		Simpson多样性指数 Simpson diversity index
	F	P	F	P		F	P	F	P
物种多样性 Species diversity
干扰(森林)类型 Disturbance (forest) type (D)	88.0	< 0.001	769.0	< 0.001		519.3	< 0.001	539.2	< 0.001
演替时间 Succession time (T)	8.6	0.003	3.6	0.06		15.1	< 0.001	13.3	< 0.001
干扰(森林)类型 × 演替时间 D × T	6.5	< 0.001	5.4	< 0.001		3.2	0.01	7.6	< 0.001
演替速率 Succession rate
干扰(森林)类型 Disturbance (forest) type (D)	7.9	< 0.001	21.6	< 0.001	18.0		< 0.001	72.5	< 0.001
演替时间 Succession time (T)	5.7	< 0.02	19.0	< 0.001	25.1		< 0.001	9.5	< 0.002
干扰(森林)类型 × 演替时间 D × T	4.9	< 0.002	5.7	< 0.001	5.6		< 0.001	6.6	< 0.001

Fig. 2 Changes in species richness (a), Pielou’s evenness index (b), Shannon-Wiener diversity index (c), and Simpson diversity index (d) over successions of forest communities along disturbance gradient. PR, Evergreen broad-leaved old-growth forests; MD, Once-disturbed secondary forests; SD, Twice-disturbed secondary forests; PL, Chinese fir plantation forests; PLS, Part of Chinese fir plantation forests that excludes the species Cunninghamia lanceolata. Gray points in panels are observed values for relevant biodiversity indices. The upper-case letters indicate significant differences among forest types in the same year, and the lower-case letters indicate significant differences among years within the same forest type.

Fig. 3 Rate of changes in species richness (a), Pielou’s evenness index (b), Shannon-Wiener diversity index (c), and Simpson diversity index (d) over successions of forest communities along disturbance gradient. PR, MD, SD, PL, and PLS are the same as in Fig. 2. Gray points in panels are observed values for successional rates of relevant biodiversity indices. The upper-case letters indicate significant differences among forest types in the same year, and the lower-case letters indicate significant differences among years within the same forest type.

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