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Quantitative classification and carbon density of the forest vegetation in Lüliang Mountains of China

Plant Ecology volume 201, pages 1–9 (2009)Cite this article

Abstract

Forests play a major role in global carbon (C) cycle, and the carbon density (CD) could reflect its ecological function of C sequestration. Study on the CD of different forest types on a community scale is crucial to characterize in depth the capacity of forest C sequestration. In this study, based on the forest inventory data of 168 field plots in the study area (E 111°30′–113°50′, N 37°30′–39°40′), the forest vegetation was classified by using quantitative method (TWINSPAN); the living biomass of trees was estimated using the volume-derived method; the CD of different forest types was estimated from the biomass of their tree species; and the effects of biotic and abiotic factors on CD were studied using a multiple linear regression analysis. The results show that the forest vegetation in this region could be classified into 9 forest formations. The average CD of the 9 forest formations was 32.09 Mg ha−1 in 2000 and 33.86 Mg ha−1 in 2005. Form. Picea meyeri had the highest CD (56.48 Mg ha−1), and Form. Quercus liaotungensis + Acer mono had the lowest CD (16.14 Mg ha−1). Pre-mature forests and mature forests were very important stages in C sequestration among four age classes in these formations. Forest densities, average age of forest stand, and elevation had positive relationships with forest CD, while slope location had negative correlation with forest CD.

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Acknowledgments

This research was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (30170150). We thank Professor Feng Zhang for reviewing earlier drafts of this article; and anonymous reviewers for valuable comments on the manuscript.

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Affiliations

  1. Institute of Loess Plateau, Shanxi University, 580 Wucheng Road, Taiyuan, 030006, People’s Republic of China

    Xianping Zhang & Mengben Wang

  2. Shanxi Forestry Vocational Technological College, Taiyuan, 030009, People’s Republic of China

    Xianping Zhang

  3. Guandi Mountain State-Owned Forest Management Bureau of Shanxi Province, Jiaocheng, Lishi, 032104, People’s Republic of China

    Xiaoming Liang

Authors
  1. Xianping Zhang
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  2. Mengben Wang
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  3. Xiaoming Liang
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Correspondence to Mengben Wang.

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Zhang, X., Wang, M. & Liang, X. Quantitative classification and carbon density of the forest vegetation in Lüliang Mountains of China. Plant Ecol 201, 1–9 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11258-008-9507-x

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Keywords

  • TWINSPAN
  • Carbon density
  • Volume-derived method
  • Forest vegetation
  • China