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Scientia Silvae Sinicae ›› 2015, Vol. 51 ›› Issue (1): 12-21.doi: 10.11707/j.1001-7488.20150102

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Interspecific Associations of Dominant Plant Populations in Secondary Forest of Pinus armandii in Qinling Mountains

Zhang Mingxia1, Wang Dexiang1, Kang Bing2, Zhang Ganggang1, Liu Pu2, Du Yanling2, Yu Fei1   

  1. 1. College of Forestry, Northwest A & F University Yangling 712100;
    2. College of Life Science, Northwest A & F University Yangling 712100
  • Received:2014-04-30 Revised:2014-12-10 Online:2015-01-25 Published:2015-01-23

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Abstract:

[Objective]The study of interspecific associations of dominant plant populations respectively in the layers of tree, shrub and herb in communities of secondary natural forest of Pinus armandii in Qinling Mountains is to reveal the inherent links of interactions among different populations during the process of community development, to clarify the natural rules of community development in relation to the succession and interspecific association, and to provide the theoretical basis for sustainable management of forest communities of P. armandii in Qinling Mountains.[Method]Typical communities of secondary natural forest of P. armandii in Huoditang Forest Farm in Qinling Mountains were selected for the studies. 2×2 contingency tables of species presence/absence data were used as the basis for the analyses of overall interspecific associations among dominant plant populations in different layers of tree, shrub and herb using the variance ratio method. χ2 test and Jaccard index were used to characterize interspecific associations of 15 tree species, 19 shrub species and 15 herb species.[Result]In the community of secondary natural forest of P. armandii, the overall interspecific associations among dominant plant populations respectively in tree, shrub and herb layers displayed non-significant positive, non-significant negative and significant positive correlations. The χ2 test showed positive correlations of majority of species-pairs in all layers of tree, shrub and herb, accounting for 81.9%, 77.2%, and 81.9%, respectively; followed by negative correlations of species-pairs accounting for 15.2%, 13.5%,and 1.8% respectively. Only few species-pairs displayed no correlations. The numbers of species-pairs with extremely significant or significant positive correlations in the 3 different layers were 11, 2, and 5, respectively, while those of extremely significant or significant negative correlation were 13, 2, and 1 respectively. The JI values were highly consistent with the results of χ2 test, indicating that the species-pairs in 3 different layers with higher JI values had extremely significant or significant positive correlations. Among those species-pairs, the JI values of Acer davidii and Carpinus cordata, A. davidii and Quercus spinosa, Q. spinosa and Tilia paucicostata, Desmodium elegans and Lonicera hispida, Fragaria vesca and Artemisia dubia were greater than 0.6, indicating interdependency between each of the species-pairs. The JI values of the rest were smaller. [Conclusion]The interspecific association of species-pairs in tree, shrub and herb layers in community of secondary forest of P. armandii in Qinling Mountains was obvious. The overall community structure was mixed forest with certain independence among main plant species and tending to form a relatively stable community as a whole. In the tree layer, the interspecific association was relatively weak with certain independence, to a low extent though. The structure at tree layer tended to be stable. In the shrub layer, however, the dominant population was at an unstable stage with dynamic succession. The population structure of herb layer was stable. To conclude, the analyses of interspecific association can be used as an effective way to detect the stability of forest communities and the dynamic changes of interspecific relations during the process of succession. In practice, tree species with higher positive correlations should be protected as ecological species for shortening the succession process of communities of secondary natural forest of P. armandii in Qinling Mountains.

Key words: Qinling Mountains, interspecific association, variance ratio method, Pinus armandii, secondary forest

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