Abstract:

Data for this study were collected from 105 standard plots of moso bamboo (Phyllostachys edulis) forests in Anji County and Longquan City, Zhejiang Province. Effects of altitude, slope aspect, slope position, and slope degree on stand structure and vegetation carbon storage (VCS) of moso bamboo forests were studied by using covariance analysis and partial correlation analysis methods. Results showed that stand structure and vegetation carbon storage of moso bamboo forests are different on different terrain factors. Variation in mean diameter at breast height (DBH) was relatively small while variations in mean stand density and vegetation carbon storage were relatively large; Covariance analysis revealed that the slope degree had significant (P<0.01) effect on mean DBH, and altitude also had significant (P<0.05) effect on mean DBH. The altitude and slope degree had obviously interaction on vegetation carbon storage, while the slope aspect and slope degree had significant interaction on mean DBH. However, the other terrain factors had no interaction on vegetation carbon storage or/and DBH; Partial correlation analysis showed that there were significant partial correlation coefficients between altitude and slope degree with mean DBH (P<0.01). There was significant partial correlation between slope degree and vegetation carbon storage (P<0.05). The impact of terrain factors to stand density successively was slope aspect, altitude, slope position, and slope degree. The importance of these factors to mean DBH was in turn slope degree, altitude, slope aspect, and slope position. The importance of terrain factors to vegetation carbon storage is followed by slope degree, slope aspect, slope position and altitude. vegetation carbon storage decreased with increasing altitude and slope degree. vegetation carbon storage on sunny slope was greater than that on shade slope, and vegetation carbon storage at low altitude was greater than that at high altitude. These results suggest that moso bamboo should be planted on land with low altitude, gentle slope, and sunny slope to increase carbon sequestration.

Key words: moso bamboo (Phyllostachys edulis), stand structure, carbon storage, altitude, slope aspect, slope position, slope degree