Community Ecological Revaluation of Acer pseudosieboldianum and Carpinus cordata in the Natural Deciduous Forest

Abstract

Classified into sub-tree of the growth-form, Acer pseudosieboldianum and Carpinus cordata hardly reach the uppermost canopy with limited height growth potentiality in the natural deciduous forest. However, the two species usually dominate lower stories of the forest, playing an important role in overall ecological characteristics in the forest. Based on the vegetation data of 106 20 m×20 m sample plots in Mt. Jumbong area, this study was carried out to evaluate ecological constitution by several quantitative analysis so as to understand the mechanism of the natural deciduous forest. The results indicated that individuals of A. pseudosieboldianum and C. cordata were absent or few in overstory, but emerged the most dominant species in midstory and understory, providing adequate proof of the ecological importance. The comparison of indices of succession between presented and predicted values in midstory did not make much difference, suggesting that the species composition would not change much and come close to steady state in midstory and understory. The pair combination of species association noted that A. pseudosieboldianum had significant positive association with C. cordata, Quercus mongolica, and Tilia amurensis had significant positive association with A. pseudosieboldianum, A. pictum subsp. mono and Fraxinus mandshurica but negative association with F. rhynchophylla. Being compared with other major canopy tree species in the study forest, the target species of A. pseudosieboldianum and C. cordata had strong regeneration strategies, partially characterized by large number of saplings and pole sized trees and high ratio of live crown, which indicated high shade tolerance to survive in the limited amount of light under the canopy. Even though A. pseudosieboldianum and C. cordata do not reach and occupy the canopy layer mainly due to the inherent growth form, they would have highest competitive potentiality to prosper and dominate in the midstory of the natural deciduous forest.