Niche Characteristics of Dominant Tree Species of Subtropical Evergreen Broad-leaved Secondary Forest in Dongguan City, Guangdong Province, China

Abstract:

To understand the niche characteristics and succession status of subtropical evergreen broad-leaved secondary forest community in Dongguan, Guangdong Province, three 1 hm² plots were set up. Levins niche width and Pianka niche overlap are used to analyze the niche characteristics of the dominant tree species of the evergreen broad-leaved secondary forest community in Mashan and Yinpingshan Nature Reverses in Dongguan. The results showed that the secondary forest communities in Mashan and Yinpingshan were mainly composed of Lauraceae, Rutaceae, Theaceae, Iteaceae, Rubiaceae. The niche width of Acronychia pedunculata, Shichima superb, Machilus chinensis, Cinnamomum parthenoxylon, Itea chinensis in communities was large, and the niche width was closely related to the frequency. The niche overlap of dominant tree species ranged from 0 to 0.53, indicating that the competition of dominant tree species was weak. The succession stages of the three plots are different. The niche width and the niche overlap of heliophytes were large in Yinpingshan communities, while those of mesophytes in Mashan community were relatively larger, reflecting the replacement process of evergreen broad-leaved forest from heliophytes to mesophytes, these would provide scientific basis for the protection and management of secondary forest in this area.

Key words:Subtropical evergreen broad-leaved forest;Secondary forest;Dominant tree species;Niche characteristic