Succession Dynamics Of The Forest In The Northeast Of China Under The Climate Changing Scenarios

By using the forest gap model,FAREAST,we simulated the forest dynamics of Northeast China and the potential response of some typical species to climate change in this region. We chose three different climate change scenarios developed from GCM results: current climate, warmer climate and the state of precipitation changing and higher temperature. In the study, we took into account the effect of climate-induced variations of fire frequency on forest succession in Daxing'anling. The results show as follow. If the climate goes with no change, northeast forests in China will still maintain their current species composition and biomass. In the warmer scenario, some drought-tolerant broad-leaved tree species,such as Quercus mongolica,will be the major species in Daxing'anling forest.The increased proportion of the broadleaves is found in Mixed broad-leaved tree species/Korean pine forests in Xiaoxing'anling and the east mountain of Northeast China, and Pinus koraiensis,Tilia amurensis,Fraxinus manshurica appear in spruce/fir forests.It indicates that a significant increase is simulated in the percentage of broadleaves in the major forest types in the northeast of China and the forest vertical distribution belt in east mountaion of Northeast China will tend to move upward and more warmer,more distinct.Taken account of rainfall further, Pinus koraiensis,Tilia amurensis,Fraxinus mandshurica appear in Daxing'anling forest and the forest belt of northeast of China will tend to move northward.Yet,rainfall has only a little effect on the forests in Xiaoxing'anling and east of Northeast China mountain,meanwhile the impacts might become much smaller with the higher elevation. In conclusion,if the climate changes,the forest belt of Northeast China forest will tend to move northward,and the vertical distribution belt of Northeast China forest will tend to move upward.Temperature would be the key factor to forest succession in the northeast of China.And rainfall has some certain effects on the Daxing'anling forests in the higher latitude,but the influence could be neglected in lower latitude.Morever, fire disturbance influences forest biomass and forest species composition.