Diversity of Understory Herbaceous Species and Canopy Density of Liriodendron chinense Stand

Authors LI Shuang-xi; ZHU Jian-jun; ZHANG Yin-long; YE Zheng-wen; HUANG Qi-zhong; GAO Jun-hui

Journal Journal of Ecology and Rural Environment , 2009,2:25

Abstract Species, mean coverage, mean density and a-diversity index of the understory herbaceous plants were investigated in five-year-old Liriodendron chinense forest stands different in canopy density in Chongming Island of Shanghai. Results show that with canopy density increasing from 0, (0,0.2] , (0.2,0.4] , (0.4,0.6] , (0.6,0.8] and (0.8,1.0] , the number of understory herbaceous plant species displayed a rising-and-then-falling trend, like 16, 16, 19, 15, 9 and 7. Significant negative correlations were observed between the canopy density and the mean coverage of herbaceous plants (r=-0.9643, P<0.01) and the mean density of herbaceous plants (r=-0.981 5, P<0.01) as well. The Simpson index, Shannon-Weiner index, and Pielou index peaked when the canopy density was (0.2,0.4] , being 0.754 8,1.327 3, and 0.880 6, respectively.

Species covered 鹅掌楸 Liriodendron chinense