Original Papers: Plant Diversity
Species diversity and community assembly of woody plants at different life history stages during the natural restoration of degraded karst forests
- Yongqiang Zhao ,
- Xiyu Yan ,
- Jiaqi Xie ,
- Mengting Hou ,
- Danmei Chen ,
- Lipeng Zang ,
- Qingfu Liu ,
- Mingzhen Sui ,
- Guangqi Zhang
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- 1 College of Forestry, Guizhou University, Guiyang 550025
2 Forest Ecology Research Center, Guizhou University, Guiyang 550025
3 Guizhou Libo Observation and Research Station for Karst Forest Ecosystem, National Forestry and Grassland Administration, Libo, Guizhou 558400
Received date: 2023-12-07
Accepted date: 2024-02-28
Online published: 2024-05-17
Abstract
Aim: Understanding the variations in biodiversity patterns and underlying rules of community assembly during natural restoration is the foundation of regional ecological restoration and conservation. However, most studies have focused on zonal vegetation, while azonal vegetation (e.g. karst forest) has been neglected, which severely limits regional ecological restoration and forest management.
Method: We established plots in the natural restoration areas of degraded karst forests within the Maolan National Nature Reserve. We compared the species diversity, species composition, and community assemble of woody plants across stages of life history and natural restoration.
Results: The findings showed an initial increase and then stabilization trend in species diversity in the natural restoration areas of degraded karst forests. Furthermore, the species richness of seedlings gradually decreased, while richness of adult trees increased. The species composition of seedlings, saplings, and adult trees in early succession stages gradually converged to that of the old-growth forest stage.
Conclusion: The natural restoration process of degraded karst forests exhibit a specific trend in species composition. These findings will provide valuable insights into the mechanisms governing species diversity maintenance and community assembly in degraded forest ecosystems.
Key words： species composition; species diversity; karst; life history; natural restoration
Cite this article
Yongqiang Zhao , Xiyu Yan , Jiaqi Xie , Mengting Hou , Danmei Chen , Lipeng Zang , Qingfu Liu , Mingzhen Sui , Guangqi Zhang . Species diversity and community assembly of woody plants at different life history stages during the natural restoration of degraded karst forests[J]. Biodiversity Science, 2024 , 32(5) : 23462 . DOI: 10.17520/biods.2023462
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