Vertical structural characteristics of a semi-humid evergreen broad-leaved forest and common tree species based on a portable backpack LiDAR

doi:10.17520/biods.2023216

Abstract

Abstract:

Background & AimsThe vertical structure of a forest is the vertical arrangement of aboveground vegetation elements. This feature of the forest affects plant and animal diversity and ecosystem function, and thus has been the focus of many plant ecologists. The development of portable backpack LiDAR technology allows for scanning of 3D forest structure over a large area with high precision. The purpose of this study is to explore the vertical structural characteristics of the semi-humid evergreen broad-leaved forest in Jizu Mountains on the scale of plot and individual tree.

Methods: The most important parameters of the vertical forest structure are: the canopy height (CH), the leaf area index (LAI), and the characteristics of individual tree. The CH directly reflects the biomass and the LAI represents photosynthetic capacity of plants. Based on a portable backpack LiDAR, the CH and LAI of a 20.16 ha semi-humid evergreen broad-leaved forest dynamics plot in the Central Yunnan Plateau were carefully scanned and quantitatively analyzed. On the basis of topographic correction and community classification, the vertical change and horizontal pattern of the LAI of the forest community were extracted and analyzed, and the parameters of single tree morphology and vertical structure of common tree species were surveyed quantitatively.

Results: The results showed that: (1) the distribution of CH and LAI in a 20 m × 20 m square was close to a normal distribution; (2) according to the vertical distribution of LAI, the canopy of the large plot can be divided into four layers: the upper canopy, the middle canopy, the lower canopy, and the shrub layer; (3) the vertical variation of LAI of the Castanopsis orthacantha community and the C. delavayi community showed a single-peak pattern with peak heights of 15 m and 13 m, respectively, and that of the Pinus yunnanensis community showed a double-peak pattern with peak heights of 5 m and 10 m; (4) the parameters of different tree species showed great variation, but the value of crown area/diameter was relatively uniform.

Conclusion This is the first study in China to quantitatively analyze a 3D pattern of LAI for a semi-humid evergreen broad-leaved forest with a complex structure based on LiDAR technology. This work may provide a useful database for future studies of forest biodiversity of this type and for comparative studies between different forest types.

Key words: semi-humid evergreen broad-leaved forest, vertical structure, leaf area index, canopy height, the portable backpack LiDAR, individual tree

Jiesheng Rao, Tao Yang, Xi Tian, Wencong Liu, Xiaofeng Wang, Hengjun Qian, Zehao Shen. Vertical structural characteristics of a semi-humid evergreen broad-leaved forest and common tree species based on a portable backpack LiDAR[J]. Biodiv Sci, 2023, 31(11): 23216.

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URL: https://www.biodiversity-science.net/EN/10.17520/biods.2023216

https://www.biodiversity-science.net/EN/Y2023/V31/I11/23216

Figures/Tables 8

References 36

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物种 Species	生活型 Life form	胸径 Diameter at breast height (DBH) (cm)	树高 Tree height (TH) (m)	枝下高 Crown base height (CBH) (m)	树冠直径 Crown diameter (m)	冠幅面积 Crown area (CA) (m2)	枝下高/树高 CBH/TH (%)	冠幅/胸径 CA/DBH (m2/cm)
元江栲 Castanopsis orthacantha	EBT	89.3 (47%)	22.6 (16%)	5.7 (21%)	12.3 (38%)	133.4 (65%)	25.2 (11%)	1.39 (13%)
高山栲 Castanopsis delavayi	EBT	61.6 (33%)	21.1 (21%)	6.7 (44%)	10.7 (24%)	93.9 (48%)	30.6 (21%)	1.51 (27%)
黄毛青冈 Cyclobalanopsis delavayi	EBT	59.0 (42%)	23.6 (13%)	9.2 (27%)	13.7 (38%)	163.9 (65%)	38.5 (20%)	2.54 (40%)
滇青冈 Cyclobalanopsis glaucoides	EBT	46.1 (53%)	20.2 (26%)	6.6 (17%)	8.8 (49%)	72.3 (104%)	34.1 (29%)	1.34 (45%)
白穗石栎 Lithocarpus leucostachyus	EBT	56.1 (26%)	21.3 (3%)	8.6 (26%)	9.6 (20%)	74.1 (37%)	40.1 (26%)	1.31 (27%)
银木荷 Schima argentea	EBT	35.4 (12%)	25.6 (10%)	14.0 (36%)	7.7 (22%)	47.9 (49%)	54.2 (31%)	1.45 (68%)
云南松 Pinus yunnanensis	ECT	43.6 (37%)	20.4 (10%)	10.4 (11%)	8.9 (26%)	65.0 (52%)	51.1 (13%)	1.44 (21%)
华山松 Pinus armandii	ECT	58.0 (27%)	22.9 (17%)	4.4 (33%)	9.2 (23%)	69.7 (46%)	19.6 (35%)	1.20 (32%)
尼泊尔桤木 Alnus nepalensis	DBT	37.3 (26%)	21.0 (19%)	8.8 (29%)	7.5 (23%)	45.8 (50%)	42.7 (27%)	1.19 (27%)
胡桃 Juglans regia	DBT	55.2 (20%)	30.6 (9%)	13.3 (20%)	14.3 (20%)	165.3 (44%)	43.8 (24%)	2.93 (24%)
头状四照花 Dendrobenthamia capitata	EBT	32.5 (27%)	18.7 (7%)	7.8 (20%)	7.7 (28%)	49.1 (58%)	42.0 (21%)	1.56 (23%)
野桂花 Osmanthus yunnanensis	EBT	30.5 (17%)	15.4 (18%)	4.2 (15%)	7.3 (25%)	44.1 (53%)	27.7 (20%)	1.59 (77%)

物种 Species	生活型 Life form	胸径 Diameter at breast height (DBH) (cm)	树高 Tree height (TH) (m)	枝下高 Crown base height (CBH) (m)	树冠直径 Crown diameter (m)	冠幅面积 Crown area (CA) (m2)	枝下高/树高 CBH/TH (%)	冠幅/胸径 CA/DBH (m2/cm)
元江栲 Castanopsis orthacantha	EBT	89.3 (47%)	22.6 (16%)	5.7 (21%)	12.3 (38%)	133.4 (65%)	25.2 (11%)	1.39 (13%)
高山栲 Castanopsis delavayi	EBT	61.6 (33%)	21.1 (21%)	6.7 (44%)	10.7 (24%)	93.9 (48%)	30.6 (21%)	1.51 (27%)
黄毛青冈 Cyclobalanopsis delavayi	EBT	59.0 (42%)	23.6 (13%)	9.2 (27%)	13.7 (38%)	163.9 (65%)	38.5 (20%)	2.54 (40%)
滇青冈 Cyclobalanopsis glaucoides	EBT	46.1 (53%)	20.2 (26%)	6.6 (17%)	8.8 (49%)	72.3 (104%)	34.1 (29%)	1.34 (45%)
白穗石栎 Lithocarpus leucostachyus	EBT	56.1 (26%)	21.3 (3%)	8.6 (26%)	9.6 (20%)	74.1 (37%)	40.1 (26%)	1.31 (27%)
银木荷 Schima argentea	EBT	35.4 (12%)	25.6 (10%)	14.0 (36%)	7.7 (22%)	47.9 (49%)	54.2 (31%)	1.45 (68%)
云南松 Pinus yunnanensis	ECT	43.6 (37%)	20.4 (10%)	10.4 (11%)	8.9 (26%)	65.0 (52%)	51.1 (13%)	1.44 (21%)
华山松 Pinus armandii	ECT	58.0 (27%)	22.9 (17%)	4.4 (33%)	9.2 (23%)	69.7 (46%)	19.6 (35%)	1.20 (32%)
尼泊尔桤木 Alnus nepalensis	DBT	37.3 (26%)	21.0 (19%)	8.8 (29%)	7.5 (23%)	45.8 (50%)	42.7 (27%)	1.19 (27%)
胡桃 Juglans regia	DBT	55.2 (20%)	30.6 (9%)	13.3 (20%)	14.3 (20%)	165.3 (44%)	43.8 (24%)	2.93 (24%)
头状四照花 Dendrobenthamia capitata	EBT	32.5 (27%)	18.7 (7%)	7.8 (20%)	7.7 (28%)	49.1 (58%)	42.0 (21%)	1.56 (23%)
野桂花 Osmanthus yunnanensis	EBT	30.5 (17%)	15.4 (18%)	4.2 (15%)	7.3 (25%)	44.1 (53%)	27.7 (20%)	1.59 (77%)