Arid Zone Research ›› 2023, Vol. 40 ›› Issue (7): 1141-1151.doi: 10.13866/j.azr.2023.07.11

• Plant Ecology • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Understory plant community diversity of Robinia pseudoacacia plantation with different densities in the loess plateau of western Shanxi Province

WANG Siqi1(),ZHANG Jianjun1,2,3,4(),ZHANG Yanqin5,ZHAO Jiongchang1,HU Yawei1,LI Yang1,TANG Peng1,WEI Zhaoyang1   

  1. 1. College of Soil and Water Conservation, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China
    2. Jixian National Forest Ecosystem Observation and Research Station, Chinese National Ecosystem Research Network, Jixian 042200, Shanxi, China
    3. State Forestry Administration Key Laboratory of Soil and Water Conservation, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China
    4. Forestry Ecology Engineering Research Center, Ministry of Education, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China
    5. Jixian County Hongqi Forestry Farm in Shanxi Provience, Jixian 042200, Shanxi, China
  • Received:2023-04-13 Revised:2023-06-02 Online:2023-07-15 Published:2023-08-01

Abstract:

Stand density has an important effect on understory plant community structure and species diversity of Robinia pseudoacacia plantations. Identifying changes of understory plant community structure and species diversity under different stand densities is helpful for vegetation restoration and improving forest ecological function in loess regions. Taking a R. pseudoacacia plantation in the Loess area of western Shanxi as the focus of study here, the understory community composition characteristics, growth characteristics, and species diversity associated with six stand densities (950, 1450, 1950, 2450, 2950 and 3450 trees·hm-2) were analyzed through field investigation. The following results were obtained: (1) The study identified 77 species of understory plants in 65 genera in 39 families, including shrubs of 36 species from 29 genera in 16 families, and herbs of 41 species from 36 genera in 25 families. The number of species in the shrub layer peaked when the stand density was 1950 trees·hm-2, and the number of species in the herb layer peaked when the stand density was 2450 trees·hm-2. The understory community of R. pseudoacacia forest mainly consists of Rosaceae, Compositae, Gramineae, and Caprifoliaceae. With increasing stand density, the dominant species transition from heliotropic species and intermediate species to shade species. (2) The height and aboveground biomass of shrubs decreased with increasing stand density. The aboveground biomass of herb layer had no significant difference among stand densities (P>0.05), and the total coverage of shrub and grass community showed little change. (3) With increasing stand density, Margalef richness index and Shannon-Wiener diversity index of the shrub layer first increased and then decreased, and peaked when the stand density was 1950 trees·hm-2, while the Simpson dominance index and Pielou evenness index showed gradually decreasing trends. The Margalef richness index and Shannon-Wiener diversity index of the herb layer peaked when the stand density was 2450 trees·hm-2, while the Simpson dominance index and Pielou evenness index peaked when the stand density was 1950 trees·hm-2. (4) The similarity of species composition of understory communities in R. pseudoacacia forest of different densities was above the medium level. When the stand density was 1950-2450 trees·hm-2, the understory community species diversity of R. pseudoacacia plantation was optimal, which was conducive to the improvement and sustainable development of its ecological function.

Key words: stand density, Robinia pseudoacacia plantations, community structure, species diversity, loess region of western Shanxi Province