Abstract:

To reveal shifts in composition and structure of bryophyte communities in plantation forests at different stages of early development, we sampled five different aged spruce (Picea asperata) plantations with similar topographic situation and one primary Minjiang fir (Abies faxoniana) forest as a control. We investigated species composition and synusia structure. ANOVA was used to test for differences in characteristic parameters among bryophyte communities, and Sørensen similarity coefficients were used to measure variation in β diversity. Plantations had higher bryophyte species richness than the primary forest, and the young plantation (<16 years) had more bryophyte species than the middle-aged ones (21-30 years). Coverage, density, and average height and thickness of bryophytes were greater in the primary forest than in the plantations, While bryophyte coverage and density statistically showed no significant difference (P>0.05) among plantations, but the composition of dominant and subdominant species differed. Common species in both primary and plantation forests included photophilic and drought-tolerant species, and the 4-year old plantation and primary forest shared the highest number of common species (19 species). Twenty-four bryophyte species dwelling in primary forest, except Rhytidium rugosum, were shared among the primary forest and plantations, and species turnover rate (0.24-0.60) was increasing with stand age, indicating that species replacement occurred. Our results suggested that ground disturbance during clear cutting and reforestation should be reduced in order to restoration of species in later successional stage. In addition, suitable thinning application in the 16-20-year-old plantations may be useful when the bryophyte species richness begin to decline.

Key words: reforestation, spruce plantation, primary forest, bryophyte, biodiversity conservation, forest management, Dadu River