The influence of environmental factors on species composition and distribution in a community forest in Northern Thailand

Abstract Understanding the environmental factors that influence tree species composition is essential for successful management of biodiversity and sustainable use of community forest resources. This study aims to assess tree species composition and distribution in the deciduous Ban Mae Chiang Rai Lum Community Forest in Northern Thailand and to analyze the influence of environmental factors on tree biodiversity in the forest. We conducted a stratified systematic sampling of the forest’s total area of 3925 ha, and twenty-five 0.16 ha survey plots were established in three different stands of the deciduous forests to estimate and characterize the difference in biological diversity among the stands. Canonical correspondence analysis (CCA) was used to investigate the environment factors affecting such differences in biodiversity of the stands. The results showed a high diversity of trees in the forest as 197 species, 144 genera, and 62 plant families were recorded. The CCA ordination identified the environmental factors—the most important of which were elevation, distance to streams, soil moisture, organic matter, and distance to communities—that significantly influenced the diversity and distribution of tree species (p < 0.05) in the community forest. Our findings indicate that the implementation of drought reduction measures such as building check dams, fire protection, and monitoring community forest-product usage would be recommended to further biodiversity conservation and the sustainable use of community forest resources.

Download Full-text

Tree Species Composition and Height-diameter Allometry of Three Forest Types in Northern Thailand

Chiang Mai University Journal of Natural Sciences ◽

10.12982/cmujns.2018.0021 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 17 (4) ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

Nuttaluck Khamyong ◽

◽

Prasit Wangpakapattanawong ◽

Sutthathorn Chairuangsri ◽

Angkhana Inta ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Species Composition ◽

Tree Species ◽

Forest Types ◽

Northern Thailand ◽

Tree Species Composition

Download Full-text

Tree species distribution in Andean forests: influence of regional and local factors

Journal of Tropical Ecology ◽

10.1017/s0266467411000617 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 28 (1) ◽

pp. 83-95 ◽

Cited By ~ 20

Author(s):

Cecilia Blundo ◽

Lucio R. Malizia ◽

John G. Blake ◽

Alejandro D. Brown

Keyword(s):

Environmental Factors ◽

Species Composition ◽

Species Distribution ◽

Tree Species ◽

Altitudinal Gradient ◽

Local Community ◽

Climatic Factors ◽

Regional Scale ◽

Tree Species Composition ◽

Local Factors

Abstract:We identified and quantified regional and local environmental factors and spatial variation associated with tree-species composition across a 2000-m altitudinal gradient of Andean forest in north-western Argentina. A network of 47 1-ha plots was established along the altitudinal gradient within an area of about 25 000 km2; all trees ≥ 10 cm dbh were identified and measured. Constrained ordinations and variance-partitioning analyses were performed to investigate the determinants of tree-species distribution at the regional scale, across and within forest types (i.e. dry and cloud forests). We marked and measured a total of 22 240 trees belonging to 160 species. Significant environmental factors and spatial location combined accounted for 35% of total variation explained. A high proportion of variation was explained by climatic factors that were spatially structured; after removing the spatial effect, climate explained more variation in species composition across the complete gradient than did local factors. Relative importance of regional and local factors varied with geographic extent. Local factors explained more variation in tree-species composition at the within-forest scale than at the scale of the complete gradient. Our findings support the conceptual model of multi-scale controls on vegetation distribution, where local community composition and abundance result from processes at both regional and local scales.

Download Full-text

Changes of Tree Species Composition and Distribution Patterns in Mts. Jiri and Baegun, Republic of Korea over 15 Years

Forests ◽

10.3390/f11020186 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 11 (2) ◽

pp. 186

Author(s):

Boknam Lee ◽

Juhan Park ◽

Hoontaek Lee ◽

Tae Kyung Kim ◽

Sunhee Cho ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Growth Rate ◽

South Korea ◽

Species Composition ◽

Tree Species ◽

Additive Models ◽

Annual Rainfall ◽

Permanent Plots ◽

Topographic Wetness Index ◽

Tree Species Composition ◽

Species Composition And Distribution

Long-term changes in the abundance and distribution of tree species in the temperate forests of South Korea remain poorly understood. We investigated the changes in tree species composition in temperate mountainous forests using survey data from 130 permanent plots (0.1 ha) from the past 15 years (1998–2012) distributed across Mts. Jiri and Baegun, South Korea. The tree communities showed positive net changes in terms of stand density, richness, diversity, and evenness. At the species level, the change in relative species composition has been mainly driven by species such as Quercus mongolica, Carpinus laxiflora, Quercus serrata, Quercus variabilis, Styrax japonicus, Lindera erythrocarpa, and Pinus densiflora. These changes were categorized into five groups representing gradual increase or decrease, establishment, extinction, or fluctuation in species populations. At the community level, the changes in species composition showed consistent and directional increases in the annual rate of change for the mean species traits, including stand prevalence, pole growth rate, adult growth rate, and adult stature. Based on additive models, topographic variables (elevation, latitude, longitude, slope, topographic wetness index, and curvature) were more strongly associated with the distribution of species diversity than climate variables (annual mean minimum and maximum temperatures, temperature seasonality, annual rainfall, rainfall seasonality). Elevation was the most significant driver, followed by latitude and longitude. This study reveals the dynamics of change in tree species composition and distribution along topographical and climate gradients in South Korea and contributes to a broader understanding of temperate forest ecosystems for the purpose of better forest management.

Download Full-text

Tree Species Composition and Distribution Pattern in a Myristica Swamp of Northern Kerala, India

Current World Environment ◽

10.12944/cwe.11.3.08 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 11 (3) ◽

pp. 743-750

Author(s):

K. A Sreejith ◽

U. M Chandrashekara ◽

T. K Nirmesh ◽

V. B Sreekumar

Keyword(s):

Species Composition ◽

Distribution Pattern ◽

Tree Species ◽

Dominant Species ◽

Basal Area ◽

Essential Elements ◽

Tree Species Composition ◽

The Family ◽

Species Composition And Distribution ◽

Species Specific

Knema Phytosociological studies have been carried out in a Myristica swamp in Northern Kerala to reveal the composition and distribution pattern of different tree species. On the basis of IVI, the family Myristicaceae was dominant and the association is attenuata - Myristica malabarica -Holigarna arnottiana type. The species like Gymnacranthera canarica and Myristica fatua var. magnifica, which are believed to be the essential elements of Myristica swamps, are totally absent here. A total 403 individuals (gbh > 10.1 cm) were recorded with a basal area of 34.25 m2 ha-1 in 0.5 ha. area. Total number of species recorded was 28, which represent 21families in which Myristicaceae represents 48.18% of total IVI. Among two dominant species, Myristica malabarica prefer swampy area hence their number of individual shows decreasing trend when we move from the swamp while the second dominant species Knema attenuata showing a reverse trend and was completely absent in the first five quadrats where soil water content is too high. Species specific eco-physiological studies are required to understand the reasons for change in the distribution pattern of these dominant species.

Download Full-text

Langfristige Entwicklung von zwei Waldgesellschaften im Białowieża-Urwald

Schweizerische Zeitschrift fur Forstwesen ◽

10.3188/szf.2008.0080 ◽

2008 ◽

Vol 159 (4) ◽

pp. 80-90 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Bogdan Brzeziecki ◽

Feliks Eugeniusz Bernadzki

Keyword(s):

Species Composition ◽

Tree Species ◽

Stand Structure ◽

Temporal Dynamics ◽

Structural Parameters ◽

Forest Communities ◽

Natural Forests ◽

Tree Species Composition ◽

Strong Trend ◽

Long Term Study

The results of a long-term study on the natural forest dynamics of two forest communities on one sample plot within the Białowieża National Park in Poland are presented. The two investigated forest communities consist of the Pino-Quercetum and the Tilio-Carpinetum type with the major tree species Pinus sylvestris, Picea abies, Betula sp., Quercus robur, Tilia cordata and Carpinus betulus. The results reveal strong temporal dynamics of both forest communities since 1936 in terms of tree species composition and of general stand structure. The four major tree species Scots pine, birch, English oak and Norway spruce, which were dominant until 1936, have gradually been replaced by lime and hornbeam. At the same time, the analysis of structural parameters indicates a strong trend towards a homogenization of the vertical stand structure. Possible causes for these dynamics may be changes in sylviculture, climate change and atmospheric deposition. Based on the altered tree species composition it can be concluded that a simple ≪copying≫ (mimicking) of the processes taking place in natural forests may not guarantee the conservation of the multifunctional character of the respective forests.

Download Full-text

Effects of nitrogen deposition on nitrate leaching from forests of the northeastern United States will change with tree species composition

Canadian Journal of Forest Research ◽

10.1139/cjfr-2016-0529 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 47 (8) ◽

pp. 997-1009 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

Katherine F. Crowley ◽

Gary M. Lovett

Keyword(s):

United States ◽

Species Composition ◽

Nitrate Leaching ◽

Tree Species ◽

N Deposition ◽

Red Oak ◽

Northeastern United States ◽

Tree Species Composition ◽

White Ash ◽

Species Change

As tree species composition in forests of the northeastern United States changes due to invasive forest pests, climate change, or other stressors, the extent to which forests will retain or release N from atmospheric deposition remains uncertain. We used a species-specific, dynamic forest ecosystem model (Spe-CN) to investigate how nitrate (NO3–) leaching may vary among stands dominated by different species, receiving varied atmospheric N inputs, or undergoing species change due to an invasive forest pest (emerald ash borer; EAB). In model simulations, NO3– leaching varied widely among stands dominated by 12 northeastern North American tree species. Nitrate leaching increased with N deposition or forest age, generally with greater magnitude for deciduous (except red oak) than coniferous species. Species with lowest baseline leaching rates (e.g., red spruce, eastern hemlock, red oak) showed threshold responses to N deposition. EAB effects on leaching depended on the species replacing white ash: after 100 years, predicted leaching increased 73% if sugar maple replaced ash but decreased 55% if red oak replaced ash. This analysis suggests that the effects of tree species change on NO3– leaching over time may be large and variable and should be incorporated into predictions of effects of N deposition on leaching from forested landscapes.

Download Full-text