%A Wanze Zhu, Xiaohu Cai, Fei He, Jinxi Wang %T Response of species diversity to restoration succession: the case of the moist evergreen broad-leaved forests in the western edge of Sichuan Basin %0 Journal Article %D 2006 %J Biodiv Sci %R 10.1360/biodiv.050154 %P 1-12 %V 14 %N 1 %U {https://www.biodiversity-science.net/CN/abstract/article_7486.shtml} %8 2006-01-20 %X Based on investigation of moist evergreen broad-leaved forests in Anzihe Nature Reserve and Tiantai National Forest Park, located at the western edge of the Sichuan Basin, we studied the response of species diversity to different restoration phases using the technique of space-for-time substitution, the results were as follows: (1) During 350 years of restoration succession, we found a unimodal response of species diversity over time. Species richness and the Margalef index peaked 100 years after the onset of restoration succession, up to 130 and 21.49, respectively. There was a fast increase in arbor species within the first 50 years, and then in shrubs and herbs within 50–100 years phase. The species number and the Margalef index (y) varied according to a parabolic function with time (t): y = y0+at+bt2+ct3. We recommend Lindera limprichitii and Machilus pingii as ideal tree species for afforestation in the study area because of their wide niche; (2) There were greater value of Simpson index during 30–50 years after restoration and value of Shannon-Wiener index during 30–100 years respectively. The variance coefficient of species diversity in the arbor layer was greater than that in the shrub layer. The shrub layer contributed greatly to species diversity of the whole community, therefore it should be given more concern in the restoration of secondary forests; (3)Species evenness index displayed a fluctuating increase with the restoration process. Pielou index reaching 2.0834 and the McIntosh index 2.4177 after 350 years of restoration; (4) The Whittaker index displayed a fluctuating increase through the whole restoration process, whereas the Sørenson index decreased. Although the restoration of the moist evergreen broad-leaved forest is a long-term process and it will take at least 300 years to recover to its climax community, there is strong resilience, implying that natural recovery is a very effective and efficient way to restore degraded moist evergreen broad-leaved forest and its biodiversity in the study area.