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Scientia Silvae Sinicae ›› 2015, Vol. 51 ›› Issue (2): 18-27.doi: 10.11707/j.1001-7488.20150203

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Population Structure and Spatial Patterns of Five Syzygium Species in Tropical Evergreen Monsoon Elfin Forest, Tongguling

Long Cheng1,2, Yang Xiaobo2,3, Long Wenxing2,3, Li Donghai2,3   

  1. 1. College of Environment and Plant Protection, Hainan University Haikou 570228;
    2. Key Laboratory of Protection and Development Utilization of Tropical Crop Germplasm Resources, Ministry of Education Hainan University Haikou 570228;
    3. College of Horticulture and Landscapes, Hainan University Haikou 570228
  • Received:2013-11-03 Revised:2014-12-30 Online:2015-02-25 Published:2015-03-11

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Abstract:

【Objective】The study was intended to understand population structure and spatial patterns of 5 species of Syzygium in tropical evergreen monsoon elfin forest of Tongguling Natural Reserve, Hainan Wenchang.【Method】A 2.56 hm2 permanent sample plot was established in tropical evergreen monsoon elfin forest. Common methods for population structure and spatial patterns were used: analysis of population structure of diameter-class, static life table, survival curve, function Ripley's K that was part of spatial point pattern analysis and SPSS software were applied in the study. Spatial pattern, inter-specific association, and relationships of aggregation scale and dominance of five typical Syzygium plant species were studied by using function Ripley's K and software SPSS. 【Result】Mortality of population increased along with the increase of age-class, but the life expectancy was opposite to this trend.. Evident fluctuations of the value of life expectancy were found among three species Syzygium tephrodes, S. buxifolium and S. acuminatissimum, this phenomenon indicated that density regulation process might have existed in the three species, so that density of populations could achieve the best growing condition for individual trees. The largest number of trees were found in S. tephrodes (1 950 trees), and most of them were seedlings and young trees, indicating good regeneration of the population. Survival curve tended to gradually close to the model Deevey II with increase of the age-class, indicating a stable mortality was maintained and regeneration allowing the population continue to survive. The total number of individual trees did not significantly differ among the other 4 species (374 trees of S. buxifolioideum, 390 trees of S. buxifolium, 393 trees of S. championii, and 282 trees of S. acuminatissimum). Although their survival curve tended to close to the model Deevey I, there were yet some differences among these species. For example, there were fewer seedlings and young trees (82 trees) in the population of S. buxifolioideum. Although the regenerated seedlings can grow up and survive for the physiological life span (Model Deevey II), too few trees may influence normal reproduction of the population. The other 3 species had certain quantity of seedlings and young trees, although their regeneration ability was inferior to S. tephrodes, they still had a great potential for survival in the community. Generally, the spatial distribution of the 5 species followed a normal pattern, clustering in small scale and random to uniform distribution in larger scale. But regular distribution appeared on certain scope of scales in population of S. buxifolioideum, S. championii, and S. acuminatissimum, indicating competition from other populations on these scales. The aggregation scale and scope of the 5 species decreased with the decline of their dominance. Thereinto, there was a significant linear correlation between aggregation scale and dominance of population. The regression equation was y = 58.531x－132.33 (R2 = 0.958,P = 0.004 < 0.01). Negative correlation was found between S. acuminatissimum and S. buxifolioideum or S. acuminatissimum and S. buxifolium, in addition, other 4 populations could coexist on any scale. 【Conclusion】Syzygium plants was growing well in tropical evergreen monsoon elfin forest. They all have a certain ability of regeneration. Significantly, there were fewer seedlings in the population of S. buxifolioideum than other species, and pressure of competition from the other populations (S. acuminatissimum) appeared on a larger scale. Therefore, a greater attention is needed in management of secondary natural forest.

Key words: Tongguling National Nature Reserve, tropical evergreen monsoon elfin forest, Syzygium, population structure, spatial distribution pattern, interspecies association

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