Ecosystem Management Strategies Of Subalpine Coniferous Forest Within The Western Sichuan

The subalpine coniferous forest within the western Sichuan Province, is located in the east of Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau and called the key ecological green-defense, half headstream of Chinese water resources, the mine of biodiversity, the sensor of global change, the topical frangible ecotone, and so on. Further more, it is one of the regions that the minority inhabits. For few decades' rapacity usage, the series terrible environment disasters such as soil and water erosion, frequent natural misfortune and biodiversity decline have come into being. Following the conservation practice of natural forest, it is Crucial of how to use the forest ecosystem and then impel the regional sustainable development. Therefore, it is important to study how to manage subalpine coniferous forest ecosystem within the western Sichuan.Aimed to meet need of country and Sichuan Province, the management strategies of subalpine coniferous forest ecosystem (SCFE) had been studied. Wanglang National Nature Reserve (WNNR) had been selected to be the study site of topical SCFE. Based on the ecosystems survey, the ecosystem services of WNNR had been valuated accurately through the practice-guiding index of ecosystem services value. Through the process investigation of fluctuation in primary forest and second succession occurred on the logging plots, the mechanism of vegetation had been discussed. According to the survey, ecosystems of WNNR had been regionalized by their functions based on the managers' need. At last, the forest ecosystem management strategies of WNNR had been posed. The results indicated as fellow:(1) Valuation and classification of ecosystem services: WNNR's ecosystem services value of production, decontamination, holding water and soil, absorbing CO₂ and release O₂ and nutrition circle wasï¿¥51372.245×10⁴ per year, which could been classified to the actual value (ï¿¥318.435×10⁴ per year, 0.62% of the total) and theory value (ï¿¥51053.81×10⁴ per year, 99.38% of the total). In the theory value, and the water-hold was the major (48.71% of the theory value). The ecosystem services value ordered: spice forest＞fir forest＞mixed forest＞cypress forest＞birch forest＞shrub＞grass land. (2) Natural restoration process on the logging plots: In the process of second succession, the biodiversity rose from the grassland phase, and got the maximum in the birch forest, and then declined, which meant that the primary forest hadn't the highest biodiversity. The similar habitats had common species. Following the second succession advanced, the community's structure became complication, the microclimate became stable, the environment-control of canopy became obvious, and the value of ecosystem services increased largely.(3) Fluctuation of climax: The canopy gap disturbance indicated that gap-disturbance in the primary forest of WNNR belonged to the fine scale. The frequently gap-disturbance in the last 30 yrs meant the primary forest of WNNR came to the overmature phrase. The gap turnover was 429 yrs. In fact, the mosaic fluctuation in primary forest had been made up of the gap was phrase of formation, grow-up and mature. After gap formation, the sunshine increased largely, which droved a series actions of physical, chemical and biological. Canopy gap led to the heterogeneity and then became the room for natural regeneration and biodiversity maintain. At the first of regeneration, there's no significant influence on the growth of seedlings in canopy gap. After 10 yrs of regeneration, the seedlings' height-growth had been accelerated significantly in the canopy gap, and after 15 yrs, the biomass of above-ground accumulated at the stem largely in the canopy gap while that accumulated at the branches under the forest.(4) Ecosystem changes mechanism: The process of second succession on the logging plots and fluctuation of the primary forest indicated that: the vegetation-replacement and gap-droved regeneration were caused by, the environment synthesis influence that resulted in the distribution variances of sunshine and rain because of canopy variation. However, the environment synthesis influence could be acted because the Reserve had been established, and human's disturbance had been removed. So, the essential impeller of ecosystem changes was the need of society and human beings.(5) Regionalization of ecosystem function: According to the need of conservation, WNNR had been partitioned to the core areas of conservation, the cushion areas, the experiment areas, and the giant pandas' corridors, their sizes were 8539.83hm² (26.59% of the total), 4685.59 hm² (26.59% of the total), 18642.67 hm² (26.59% of the total) and 246.96 hm²(26.59% of the total). The tourism areas were following up the river, and overlapped with the road and the station largely. The sizes of tourism regions, road and station were small and hadn't been calculated.(6) Management of different function regions: The core regions don't means to prohibit everybody's entrance. In fact, the some monitor, regulation and studies related to giant panda should be carried out in these areas. The buffer zones were the potential habitat of giant panda, and the positive disturbance accelerating direct succession to meet giant pandas' needs, but the crab use should be avoided. The actions in experiment areas and tourism areas could bring some earnings, and these areas managements should be strengthened. The disturbance at giant pandas' corridors should be removed, esp. in the reproductive seasons.(7) Strategies of forest ecosystem management: Based on the definitude of right, obligation and incumbency, understanding the valuation and classification of ecosystem services, and regionalization of ecosystem function, the management goals was to maximize the earnings. All of the managements should: obey the related laws and regulations; maintain the sustainability of production, decontamination, regulation and holding; maintain the whole of forest ecosystem, region, and so on; don't harm to the native and the other regions; and adjust the strategies following the situation of society, economics, and so on. The basic management steps included: valuation of ecosystem services, ecological function regionalization and management plans, practice of management, ecological monitor and assessment, adjustment of management.(8) Strategies of WNNR forest ecosystem management: Based on the valuation and classification of ecosystem service, ecosystem advance and ecological function regionalization, the management programming had been laid out, that majored in conservation giant pandas and their habitat, gave some attention to the other species and then got the maximum earnings. All of the managements should: obey the related laws and regulations; don't lead to some problems such as ethic and other censure; realize the basic conservation duty, exploitation border and extent. The material measurements included: harmonizing the relationship between the WNNR and the communities, helping the communities to develop; maintaining the sustainability (production, regulation, decontamination, holding, maintaining, and so on) of ecosystem; strengthening the basic establishment and enhancing staff's ability to take part in some researches; reinforcing the cooperation, and broadening the channel of financing; reading to deal with the happening; strengthening ecological monitor, supervision and protect, and adjusting the managing strategies according to the society, economics and so on.