Abstract:

The dynamic relationship between species biodiversity and biomass accumulation was studied in a mid-subtropical evergreen broad-leaved forest in Wuyishan Mountain. A 9 600 m² and 400 m² plots were established in a Castanopsis eyrei Forest. The results were as follows: Though biomass was increasing with progress of succession in the 9 600 m² plot, arbor layer, undergrowth and overall community showed a downward trend in species richness. The individual number declined in the whole community, however, it first increased then decreased in arbor layer and first decreased then increased in undergrowth, respectively. Shannon-Wiener index of whole community and arbor layer diversity showed a significant decrease, whereas the index first decreased then increased in undergrowth. Evenness index of arbor layer, undergrowth and whole community all first decreased then increased. At the same time, these indexes varies with the time course in 400 m² plots. Shannon-Wiener index and species richness decreased, this decrease mainly reflected substantial decline in undergrowth from 2001 to 2004; however, there was a downward trend in tree layer from 2004 to 2007. Furthermore, there was no significant correlation between biodiversity index and standing tree biomass (P>0.05). In summery, the extent to which the biodiversity affected ecosystem functions was obvious differences in different temporal and spatial scales.

Key words: mid-subtropical zone, Castanopsis eyrei, species diversity, biomass