Community structure and dynamics of a remnant forest dominated by a plant species with extremely small population (Sinojackia huangmeiensis) in central China

doi:10.17520/biods.2018055

Abstract

Abstract:

In China, Sinojackia huangmeiensis is among the 120 plant species with extremely small populations (PSESP), with only one extant wild population located at the lakeside of the Longgan Lake, central China. Here, we followed the field protocol of the 50-ha permanent forest plot on the Barro Colorado Island in Panama to census all free-standing woody species ≥ 1 cm diameter at breast height (DBH) in a 1-ha plot established in a lowland fengshui forest dominated by S. huangmeiensis. We recorded a total of 1,225 living individuals, belonging to 31 species, 28 genera and 21 families. Individuals with DBH < 7.5 cm accounted for ca. 67% of all individuals, indicating good natural regeneration in the community. The most dominant species were Quercus acutissima, Ilex cornuta, Celtis sinensis, and S. huangmeiensis. Quercus acutissima showed a single peak pattern of diameter class distribution, while I. cornuta, C. sinensis, and S. huangmeiensis showed a reverse “J” shape or a partial reverse “J” shape. S. huangmeiensis showed aggregated distribution at small spatial scales and random or uniform distributions at large scales. Individuals of S. huangmeiensis were negatively associated with the other three dominant species. Seedlings of S. huangmeiensis were negatively associated with both conspecific saplings and adults at small scales, but showed no correlation at other scales. There was a significantly positive correlation between sprout number and DBH of S. huangmeiensis (R²= 0.330, P < 0.001), whereas ratio of sprout and relative seedling density showed a negative correlation (R²= 0.438, P < 0.001). In general, high percentage of small-sized individuals and interspecific negative associations suggested that this plant community is still at an early-to-middle stage of succession. The remnant fengshui forests in the lowland plains of the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River are important for their roles in the conservation of biodiversity and endangered plants and should therefore be protected and well-managed.

Key words: species composition, diameter class structure, point pattern analysis, fengshui forest, plant species with extremely small populations, Sinojackia huangmeiensis, in situ conservation

Wang Shitong, Wu Hao, Liu Mengting, Zhang Jiaxin, Liu Jianming, Meng Hongjie, Xu Yaozhan, Qiao Xiujuan, Wei Xinzeng, Lu Zhijun, Jiang Mingxi. Community structure and dynamics of a remnant forest dominated by a plant species with extremely small population (Sinojackia huangmeiensis) in central China[J]. Biodiv Sci, 2018, 26(7): 749-759.

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URL: https://www.biodiversity-science.net/EN/10.17520/biods.2018055

https://www.biodiversity-science.net/EN/Y2018/V26/I7/749

Figures/Tables 6

Fig. 1 Location and sketch map of the 1-ha plot. Grey area refers to the 25 subplots (20 m × 20 m).

Table 1 Quantitative characteristics of species with importance value ≥ 1% in the 1-ha plot

物种 Species	多度 Abundance	胸径 DBH (mean ± SE) (cm)	胸高断面积 Basal area (m²/ha)	重要值 Importance value (%)
麻栎 Quercus acutissima	212	24.18 ± 0.75	11.99	27.40
枸骨 Ilex cornuta	282	5.25 ± 0.26	4.02	17.16
朴树 Celtis sinensis	125	6.01 ± 0.61	0.97	7.01
黄梅秤锤树 Sinojackia huangmeiensis	159	2.72 ± 0.19	0.26	6.45
枫香 Liquidambar formosana	55	16.00 ± 1.20	1.46	6.26
槲栎 Quercus aliena	40	15.82 ± 1.67	1.15	4.84
野桐 Mallotus tenuifolius	77	2.75 ± 0.14	0.07	4.32
黄连木 Pistacia chinensis	27	9.74 ± 1.46	0.32	3.21
大青 Clerodendrum cyrtophyllum	40	1.97 ± 0.12	0.02	3.10
樟树 Cinnamomum camphora	24	7.89 ± 1.83	0.44	3.05
山胡椒 Lindera glauca	20	3.29 ± 0.23	0.03	2.18
乌桕 Sapium sebiferum	30	8.91 ± 1.02	0.26	1.88
白檀 Symplocos paniculata	20	2.37 ± 0.18	0.01	1.62
华山矾 Symplocos chinensis	16	2.96 ± 0.52	0.02	1.52
柿树 Diospyros kaki	12	11.69 ± 2.25	0.18	1.27
榆树 Ulmus pumila	15	3.46 ± 0.44	0.02	1.23
牡荆 Vitex negundo var. cannabifolia	12	2.07 ± 0.23	0.01	1.13
其他 Others	59	-	0.42	6.36
总计 Total	1,225	-	21.64	100

Fig. 2 DBH size structure of the four dominant species in the 1-ha plot. DBH, diameter at breast height

Fig. 3 Point pattern analysis of Sinojackia huangmeiensis (a), correlation analyses between S. huangmeiensis and the other three dominant species (Quercus acutissima, Ilex cornuta, and Celtis sinensis) (c, e, and g), and point diagram of individual distribution of the four dominant species (b, d, f, and h). In the left panels, black solid lines indicate the values of the g(r) function; thin dashed lines indicate the confidence envelope of the null model. In point pattern analysis (a), values of the g(r) function above (below) the upper (lower) envelope indicate aggregated (regular), within envelope indicate random. In correlation analysis (c, e, g), values of the g(r) function above (below) the upper (lower) envelope indicate positive (negative) association, within envelope indicate no association.

Fig. 4 Correlation analyses between seedling (DBH < 1 cm), sapling (1 cm ≤ DBH < 2.5 cm) and adult (DBH ≥ 2.5 cm) of Sinojackia huangmeiensis. Black solid lines indicate the values of the g(r) function; thin dashed lines indicate the confidence envelope of the null model. Values of the g(r) function above (below) the upper (lower) envelope indicate positive (negative) association, within envelope indicate no association.

Fig. 5 Relationships between number of sprout and DBH (a), and relative seedling density and ratio of sprout (b). DBH, diameter at breast height.

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