Abstract:

Evergreen broad-leaved forests, the typical subtropical climax and important vegetation types in vertical zone of the middle section of Nanling Mountain, were severely damaged by the huge ice disaster in spring of 2008. We investigated the floral components and characteristics in sampling plots. The results showed that the communities had a high species diversity and most species were evergreen woody plants with 96 vascular plants families including 206 genera and 395 species (including infraspecific taxa). Among of them, there were 21 species pteridophytes in 19 genera of 15 families, 4 gymnosperm families including 4 genera and 4 species, 71 dicotyledon families including 165 genera and 346 species, and 7 monocotyledon families including 18 genera and 24 species. Analysis of geographical elements showed that the communities exhibited a relative strong tropic floristic nature and there were unique tropical Asia, Sino-Japan and Chinese endemic elements appearing in all the synusiae from the canopy to the ground layer, including tree layer, shrub layer, ground layer and inter layers. This area was a floristic pool of South China, Central China, East China, Southwest China, and Dian-Qian-Gui region with significant transitional features and highly local endemic elements. There were various types of secondary forests belonging to in ecological succession in the communities, which would be an ideal place for studying the secondary succession and restoration ecology. It is worth to note the area was a living place harboring many endemic and endangered taxa. Therefore, the analysis of its floristic characteristics and the discussion of its biodiversity conservation at various levels and accurate monitoring and evaluation of ice disaster could provide a scientific basis for post-disaster vegetation recovery.

Key words: ice disaster, evergreen broad-leaved forest, flora, conservation biology, the middle section of Nanling mountain