JOURNAL OF NANJING FORESTRY UNIVERSITY ›› 2020, Vol. 44 ›› Issue (6): 48-54.doi: 10.3969/j.issn.1000-2006.202001029

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Species diversity of communities and environmental interpretation of the suburban forest in Northern Nanjing

PAN Tingting1(), CHEN Lin1,*(), YANG Guodong2, YI Xiangui1, WANG Xianrong1   

  1. 1. Co-Innovation Center for the Sustainable Forestry in Southern China, College of Biology and the Environment, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, China
    2. Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Environmental Engineering, Jiangsu Academy of Environmental Sciences, Nanjing 210036, China
  • Received:2020-01-13 Revised:2020-06-23 Online:2020-11-30 Published:2020-12-07
  • Contact: CHEN Lin E-mail:1242724890@qq.com;clinechen@njfu.edu.cn

Abstract:

【Objective】This study aimed to investigate the structural characteristics, species diversity and the relationship between the plant communities and ecological environment of suburban forest of northern Nanjing, thereby providing basic information for protection of forest vegetation and sustainable utilization of plant resources in the region. 【Method】Based onthe field investigation, information of 72 plots of 10 m×10 m in 8 natural mountains in northern Nangjing (north to the Yangtze River) was collected using a typical sample method. The community composition, species diversity index and relationship between the community types and environmental factors were analyzed; the communities were classified using the multivariate regression tree (MRT) and canonical correspondence analysis (CCA). 【Result】There were 270 species of 203 genera in 79 families collected from the plots. Celtis sinensis and Quercus acutissima were the dominant and constructive species owing to their high important value in the arbor layer. The species diversity of the communities was determined by the number and distribution uniformity of dominant species such as C. sinensis and Q. acutissima, with characteristics of concentrated distribution and obvious domination. Seventy-two plots were divided into five clusters by MRT classification. Association Ⅰ, Ⅱ, Ⅲ, Ⅳ and Ⅴ mainly consisted of Quercus variabilis + Morus alba with 16 plots, Pinus massoniana + Robinia pseudoacacia with 15 plots, Quercus acutissima + Broussonetia papyrifera with 13 plots, Pistacia chinensis + Liquidambar formosana with 18 plots, and Celtis sinensis + Dalbergia hupeana with 10 plots, respectively. The result of CCA two-dimension ordination was basically in accordance with that of MRT classification, dividing the communities into 5 groups. 【Conclusion】Suburban forests in the north of Nanjing are important areas for maintaining and improving the plant diversity of the region, which has high community species diversity, concentrated distribution and obvious domination of dominant species. Environmental factors such as altitude, slope and soil moisture content significantly affected the community structure and plant growth; among them, altitude exhibits the greatest effect, however, soil moisture content and soil nutrients also demonstrate certain effects on the plant growth.

Key words: community structure, multivariate regression trees(MRT), canonical correspondence analysis(CCA), environmental factor, suburban forest, Nanjing

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