Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: https://hdl.handle.net/1959.11/8549
Title: Tree competition and species coexistence in a 'Quercus-Betula' forest in the Dongling Mountains in northern China
Contributor(s): Hou, J (author); Mi, X (author); Liu, Canran (author); Ma, K (author)
Publication Date: 2006
DOI: 10.1016/j.actao.2005.10.002
Handle Link: https://hdl.handle.net/1959.11/8549
Abstract: The population size structure, growth dynamics and mode of competition among adult trees (≥ 4 cm DBH) of six abundant tree species in a 5 ha study plot of a temperate deciduous forest in the Dongling Mountains in northern China were investigated using diffusion and growth dynamics models. In the year of 2000, two dominant species, 'Quercus liaotungensis' and 'Betula dahurica' accounted for ca. 68.69% of the total basal area and 52.71% of the total density of adult plants. 'Q. liaotungensis', 'Populus davidiana' and 'Acer mono' exhibited inverse J-shaped DBH distributions whereas 'Betula dahurica', 'B. platyphylla' and 'Salix caprea' had unimodal DBH distributions. One-sided interspecific competition was detected between some species combinations at the scale of the 5 ha study plot, and the competitive effect was mainly size-dependent rather than from species-specific interactions with large individuals in the canopy layer out competing smaller individuals in the understory. Symmetric competition was found between 'Q. liaotungensis' and 'A. mono' only. However, considering the straight line relationship of G (t, x) - √D(t, x), which suggests that competitive asymmetry is very low or absent, combined with the relatively low mortality of trees with a DBH larger than 4 cm, we speculate that asymmetric interspecific competition was not important in structuring this tree community. Regeneration characteristics of each species are most likely important in regulating species coexistence and stand dynamics in this forest.
Publication Type: Journal Article
Source of Publication: Acta Oecologica, 30(1), p. 117-125
Publisher: Elsevier Masson
Place of Publication: France
ISSN: 1873-6238
1146-609X
Fields of Research (FoR) 2008: 060208 Terrestrial Ecology
Socio-Economic Objective (SEO) 2008: 969999 Environment not elsewhere classified
Peer Reviewed: Yes
HERDC Category Description: C1 Refereed Article in a Scholarly Journal
Appears in Collections:Journal Article

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