Arid Zone Research ›› 2023, Vol. 40 ›› Issue (10): 1661-1669.doi: 10.13866/j.azr.2023.10.12

• Plant Ecology • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Factors affecting Picea schrenkiana regeneration on different slope directions

WANG Guanzheng1,2(),CHANG Shunli1,2(),WANG Jianping1,2,ZHANG Yutao2,3,SUN Xuejiao2,3,LI Xiang2,3   

  1. 1. Key Laboratory of Oasis Ecology under the Ministry of Education, College of Ecology and Environment, Xinjiang University, Urumqi 830046, Xinjiang, China
    2. Tianshan Forest Ecosystem National Station, Urumqi 830063, Xinjiang, China
    3. Institute of Forest Ecology, Xinjiang Academy of Forestry, Urumqi 830063, Xinjiang, China
  • Received:2023-02-09 Revised:2023-03-17 Online:2023-10-15 Published:2023-11-01

Abstract:

The influence of different slope-facing environmental factors on the natural regeneration of Picea schrenkiana in the middle section of the northern slope of Tianshan Mountains was investigated. A series of plots were established on shady, semishady, semisunny, and sunny slopes at the same altitude, in a Picea schrenkiana forest to develop the structure equation model for the regeneration index which uses different slope-facing environmental factors. According to the environmental characteristics of the different slope-facings, the relationship between the survival status of Picea schrenkiana seedlings and environmental factors was analyzed. The results showed that the semishady and semisunny slopes were more suitable for the survival and growth of seedlings, and the regeneration indexes of the two slopes (0.065 and 0.057) were significantly higher than those of the shady and sunny slopes. Litter was found to have a dual effect on the regeneration of Picea schrenkiana. The undecomposed litter layer was too thick to be beneficial to regeneration, while the rich organic matter could promote the formation of a high nitrogen environment in the soil, which was conducive to the regeneration of seedlings. The influence of different slope-facing environmental factors on the regeneration index was in the order of total nitrogen content (0.60) > adult tree density (0.46) > litter half-decomposed layer (0.37) > total potassium content (0.24) > organic matter content (0.23) > total phosphorus content (-0.16) > available phosphorus content (-0.32) > litter undecomposed layer thickness (-0.34). Overall, the regeneration of Picea schrenkiana seedlings in the region was best on the semishady and semisunny slopes with a closure degree of approximately 0.6 and litter thickness of approximately 2.5 cm, as well as high total nitrogen and total potassium contents in the soil.

Key words: Picea schrenkiana, natural regeneration, slope, environmental factors, structural equation model, northern slope of Tianshan Mountains