Abstract
Pinus tabulaeformis is an endemic species in northern China. The northern edge of its distribution corresponds to the northern margin of the monsoon climate. Several stands of Pinus tabulaeformis beyond its major range of distribution were found on the southeastern edge of the Inner Mongolia Plateau. Phytosociological analysis shows that the community structure, species composition and regeneration ability of Pinus trees in these stands are quite different from those within its continuous range of distribution. This paper presents palynological evidence to explain how and when these remnant communities were formed. Pinus tabulaeformis entered the study area in the mid-Holocene as the summer monsoon intensified, and declined when the summer monsoon weakened. Climatic change was the driving factor for the migration of Pinus tabulaeformis. It might be supposed that the competition between pine and oak forest during the mid-Holocene warm period also affected the immigration of pine. The remnant stands of Pinus tabulaeformis were apparently favored by the microhabitat of the sandy soils in valleys when the climate became drier. The remnant stands of Pinus tabulaeformis help stabilize the stand dunes. The protection of these stands is an important task of natural conservation in the study area.
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Liu, H., Cui, H., Yu, P. et al. The origin of remnant forest stands of Pinus tabulaeformis in southeastern Inner Mongolia. Plant Ecology 158, 139–151 (2002). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1015515332254
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1015515332254