Study On The Classification Of Plant Functional Groups In Forest Ecosystem At The WuYishan National Nature Reserve

This study was conducted at Wuyishan National Nature Reserve to investigate dominant plant species.By using the investigation method of community ecology,based on the chi-square test,we measured the association and correlation analysis,together with percentage co-occurrence(PC)and association coefficient(AC).According to the interspecific association and altitudinal gradient changes,dominant species were divided into Plant Function Groups(PFGs)for the forest resource management and providing new ideas and means.The main findings are as follows:Forest ecosystem of tree layer at Wuyishan National Nature Reserve can be divided into three main function groups,the first group:Castanopsis eyrei,Pinus massoniana and Castanopsis fabri(under 1000m);the second group:Schima superba,Rhododendron ovatum and Rhododendron simiarum(1000～1600m);the third group:Pinus taiwanensis and Tsuga chinensis var.tchekiangensis(above 1600m).The main trees of different plant function group in tree layer performed effective of substitution:under the altitude of 1000m,Pinus massoniana had a dominant position;above the altitude of 1000m Schima superba and Pinus taiwanensis were also observed;at the altitude of 1600m,Schima superba gradually disappeared,while Pinus taiwanensis gradually become the main and constructive species.This study found that different plants of the same plant function group at the tree layer had effective substitution.PFGs in the same tree layer,between tree layer species showed a significant effect of substitution,and each functional group plays different roles in different PFGs in the community.Some species function as bridges to contact each other especially when the type of community change that were bridging speciesThe plants of the shrub layer are divided into four PFGs.The first group:Bredia quadrangularis Cogn.,Mahonia bealei,Cyclobalanopsis glauca,Rhododendron simsii and Schima superba;the second group:Oligostachyum oedogonatum,Vaccinium japonicum var.sinicum and Epifagus virginiana;the third group:Indocalamus tessellatus,Cinnamomum pauciflorum,Symplocos yizhangensis and Camellia chekiangoleosa;the fourth group:Enkianthus quinque florusLour,Cunninghamia lanceolata,Lits ea elongate,Vacciniuim mandarinorum Diels,Rhododendron ovatum and Prunus serrulata.Between different PFGs there is a proper ecological niche and a clear substitution too,this showed the same trend as in the tree layer.And in the same group,species had mutual complement and replaced each other,hence,the substitution is effective.So different plants perform their own functions in different environmental conditions in the shrub layer.The plants of the herb layer are divided to four PFGs.The first group:Woodwardia japonica,Gahnia tristis,Dryopteris wuyishanica and Hicriopteris laevssima;the second group:Dendranthema indicum and Artemisia argyi;the third group:Carex tristachya,Viola pilosa and Plagiogyria chinensis;the four group:Moliniopsis hui and Miscanthus sinensis.The change of frequency is the same trend between the different plants in the herb layer,and it is also to demand the same environment.The dominant species had an effective substitution among different PFGs.With exception of Cyclobalanopsis glauca,Enkianthus quinque florusLour and Rhododendron simsii in the shrub layer,the important value of all species in each layer and altitude showed a significant correlation(p<0.05)or highly significant correlation(p<0.01).Therefore altitude plays an important role in distribution of the plants,it is also an important environment factor.