Spatial patterns and associations of four species in an old-growth temperate forest

Abstract

The spatial pattern of a tree species is an important characteristic of plant communities, providing critical information to explain species coexistence. The spatial distribution and association of four different successional species were analyzed among different life-history stages in an old-temperate forest. Significant aggregation patterns were found, and the degree of aggregation decreased with the scales and life-history stages. Significant interspecific spatial associations were detected. In comparing the relationships among the different life-history stages, positive associations were found at small scales in all of the juvenile species pairs. In the adult stage, negative associations were detected in coniferous vs. deciduous species pairs, while the deciduous species pairs, which have identical resource requirements, showed a positive association in this study. The coniferous species pairs showed a positive association at small scales. We infer that seed dispersal, competitive ability, or the requirement for specific topographic and light environments may contribute to the coexistence of these species.

Keywords:

• spatial pattern
• association
• spatial distribution
• temperate forest

Acknowledgments

This study was financially supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China [No. 31270473]. Thanks to Guojun Lin and Qingsong Yang for providing helpful suggestions and critical comments on the manuscript. We also thank Dr T. Wiegand for use of the Programita software, and many fieldworkers for their contributions to the establishment and census of the Liangshui forest dynamics plot (FDP).