Assessing Effects of Cupressus chengiana Plantations in the Dry Valley of Zagunao River, Li county of Sichuan province

Abstract

In the arid valley of the Zagunao River, five plantation plots of Cupressus chengiana with different years were chosen, and the growth of C. chengiana young trees (including tree height, basal diameter, crown diameter, and growth of height) , plant community characteristics (vegetation coverage and species composition) and soil properties (soil pH, water content, soil nutrient content) were examined to assess the ecological effects of plantation using native tree species. The growth of all young trees with different planting years was well, young trees planted in 2003 were the best, the basal