The relationships among structure variables of larch forests in China

Abstract

Background Larch (Larix Mill.) forests are widely distributed in the upper parts of mountainous areas in China, playing vital roles in constructing mountain landscapes and maintaining mountain environments. Despite their importance, our knowledges on the large-scale patterns of structure characteristics and the relationships between different structure variables are unclear. In this paper, we investigated 155 plots from 11 natural larch forest types across the country to explore the biogeographic patterns of the structure characteristics and the allometric relationships between different structure variables for Chinese larch forests. Results The structure characteristics were significantly different among larch forest types. For different larch forest types, the power function fits the relationships between tree height and diameter at breast height (DBH), average DBH and stem density, and taper and stem density well, but with different exponents among larch forest types. The power exponents of the allometric relationships between tree height and DBH for different larch forest types varied from 0.61 to 0.93 (mean = 0.86) by standard major axis regression (SMA), and from 0.51 to 0.78 (mean = 0.56) by ordinary least square regression (OLS). The 50%, 75% and 95% quantile regression (QR) and OLS indicated that the average DBH and taper of the L. gmelinii forests, L. gmelinii var. principis-rupprechtii forests, and L. sibirica forests were significantly correlated with stem density. Conclusions The relationship between tree height and DBH showed a power function relationship for all larch forest types in China, but with different exponents. Overall, stem density was negatively correlated with average DBH and taper. The Sect. Larix forests exhibited stand density effect. Our findings provide an important basis for recognizing the biogeographic patterns of structure factors and for the management of larch forests in China.

Life forms affect beta-diversity patterns of larch forests in China

“…6 and Table S4 ). In this analysis, in addition to environmental distance, larch forest type (identified by dominant larch species in the forest) also reflected the results of species niche differentiation since the distribution of different larch forest types in China has distinct zonality formed by a lengthy historical process ( Liu et al., 2002 ; Sundaram et al., 2019 , 2021 ; Fang et al., 2020 , 2022 ). Our results showed that larch forest types significantly affect total beta-diversity and the species turnover component of larch forests ( Table 2 ).…”

“…The tree layer of larch forests largely consists of coniferous species with less species richness. The understory species of these forests are relatively abundant because the transmittance of larch forests is relatively high and provides favorable light conditions for understory plants ( Fang et al., 2019 , 2020 ). We found beta-diversity was lower in trees than in shrubs and herbs growing at similar geographic or climatic distances ( Fig.…”

Facile fabrication of carbon microtube arrays from waste wood for use as self-supporting supercapacitor electrodes

“…Larch, as a typical softwood species, is mainly composed of one cell type (tracheid) with a uniform microtubule channel structure (Fig. 1a and 3a), 19 which contributes to shortening the transport routes for electrolyte ions as an ''electron expressway'' in the vertical direction. Generally, lignin and hemicellulose are embedded between the cellulose microfibers, and delignification can decompose lignin and hemicellulose to form more gaps of different sizes while preserving the microtubule channel structure of natural wood (Fig.…”

“…Larch, as the main fast-growing wood species for forest regeneration and afforestation, has abundant accumulation and stable construction. 10 It is widely used in housing construction, civil engineering, wood processing and other industries. A large amount of waste larch wood is produced during the harvesting and processing of larch.…”

Assessing Community Distribution Characteristics and Succession Stages on Mountainous Areas Hosting Coming Winter Olympics Games

“…Therefore, plantations such as Larix gmelinii (Ruprecht) Kuzeneva located in this study area should be included in the research scope, not only because of its wide distribution range and its in uence on the ecosystem that cannot be ignored but also because of its the function of landscape construction in a mountainous area (Fang et al 2020). However, this is poorly understood in the scienti c literature.…”