Abstract:

Based on 3 field measured ecophysiological traits (A_max, g_max and SLA) which directly related to plant-atmosphere interactions, major plant species in the tropical montane rain forest on Hainan Island were aggregated into functional groups using hierarchical cluster analysis and NMS(non-metric multidimensional scaling). And the changes of functional group composition along the four successional stages (primary, early, middle, and late) was analyzed. The results showed that 87 major plant species in the tropical montane rain forest could be classified into 8 distinct functional groups (with significant between group differences and high within-group homogeneity).The richness and relative aboundance of different functional groups varied significantly along the four successional stages, it was low in primary stage and became higher in the early stage while the peak appeared in middle stages, and then declined in late successional stage.The dominant functional groups in the primary stage has the highest A_max and lowest WUE, while dominant functional groups in early and middle successional stages has A_max and WUE of moderate level, and dominant functional groups in late successional stage has the lowest A_max and the highest WUE.

Key words: tropical montane rain forest, plant functional group, ecophysiological traits, hierarchical cluster analysis, non-metric multidimensional scaling (NMS), successional stage, Hainan Island