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The Variation of Species Diversity, Regeneration and Community Structure in Larix gmelinii Forest Shaping by Local Environment Factors

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Abstract

Inner Mongolia Hanma National Nature Reserve without human disturbance is a natural laboratory for the study of Larix gmelinii forest because it has well-preserved coniferous forests in cold temperate zone in Northeast China. Fifty-eight plots were set up in nature reserve to examine the most important local environment factors involved in spatial distribution of Larix gmelinii forest communities. Based on field investigation, there were 5 association groups in Larix gmelinii forest including Community I (Larix gmelinii-Betula platyphylla-Vaccinium vitis-idaea+ Ledum palustre), Community II (Larix gmelinii-Pinus pumila-Vaccinium vitis-idaea), Community III (Larix gmelinii-Rhododendron dauricum-Vaccinium vitis-idaea), Community IV (Larix gmelinii-Vaccinium vitis-idaea+ Ledum palustre), Community V (Larix gmelinii-Betula fruticosa-Ledum palustre). Larix gmelinii in Community IV has larger Diameter at breast height of trees and relatively little regeneration seedlings. The content of soil total carbon, soil total nitrogen and soil total phosphorus in Community III reached highest value among all the association groups. Species richness showed significantly negative correlation with elevation and slope, meanwhile, positive correlation with soil total phosphorus. Species evenness showed significantly positive correlation with elevation and slope, meanwhile, significantly negative correlation with soil total nitrogen and phosphorus. Redundancy analysis showed a better explanation for vegetation distribution pattern and indicated that elevation, slope, soil pH and aspect played significant roles in community assembly. The study provided a reference for Larix gmelinii forest ecosystem protection and a theoretical basis for scientific management in similar areas.

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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

This study was supported by the Key Project of Natural Science Foundation of Liaoning Province (Grant no. 20180540005), China Postdoctoral Science Foundation (no. 2020M670196) and the 13th Five-year Informatization Plan of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Grant no. XXH13506).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Key Laboratory of Forest Ecology and Management, Institute of Applied Ecology, Chinese Academy of Science, Key Laboratory of Plant Resources Conservation and utilization, 110016, Shenyang, Liaoning Province, China

    Xiaohang Bai & Jinghua Yu

  2. Zhuhai Branch of State Key Laboratory of Earth Surface Processes and Resource Ecology, Advanced Institute of Natural Sciences, Beijing Normal University at Zhuhai, 519087, Zhuhai, China

    Xiaohang Bai

  3. State Key Laboratory of Earth Surface Processes and Resource Ecology, Faculty of Geographical Science, Beijing Normal University, 100875, Beijing, China

    Xiaohang Bai

  4. Institute of Land Surface System and Sustainable Development, Faculty of Geographical Science, Beijing Normal University, 100875, Beijing, China

    Xiaohang Bai

  5. Department of Biological Sciences, University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, 54000, Lahore, Pakistan

    Sehrish Sadia

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  1. Xiaohang Bai
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  2. Sehrish Sadia
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  3. Jinghua Yu
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Correspondence to Xiaohang Bai or Jinghua Yu.

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Xiaohang Bai, Sadia, S. & Yu, J. The Variation of Species Diversity, Regeneration and Community Structure in Larix gmelinii Forest Shaping by Local Environment Factors. Russ J Ecol 52, 275–282 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1134/S1067413621040111

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