Strip Clearcutting Drives Vegetation Diversity and Composition in the Moso Bamboo Forests

Abstract Strip clearcutting of Moso bamboo forests in southern China has seen increasing interest as a way of reducing harvesting costs. Previous research has shown that cutting influences the overstory structure and drives changes in the microclimate and soil properties. However, the effects of strip cutting on understory vegetation diversity and composition remain unclear. To better understand the influence of cutting on the understory vegetation, this study compares sites under natural restoration after cut and uncut sites in the Moso bamboo forest. We selected plots that were cut in 2019 (C19) and 2017 (C17), as well as unharvested plots as controls (CK). The results showed that strip clearcutting increased the understory vegetation richness and diversity, and a significant difference (A = 0.23, P = 0.001) existed in the composition of the vegetation between the three treatments. Furthermore, the decrease of soil total phosphorus and total potassium content resulted in the difference in undergrowth vegetation distribution and composition between the uncut plots and the cut plots. Our results suggest that strip clearcutting may not be harmful to biodiversity on a local scale in the Moso bamboo forest. Study Implications: This study demonstrates that strip clearcutting, which is an economically important harvesting method for bamboo, had significant effects on understory vegetation composition and diversity, and understory vegetation has not returned to preharvest levels after two years. The understory vegetation was affected by soil nutrient content and light conditions in the forest. We believe our research has made a significant contribution to the literature because bamboo is commercially important and its sustainable management is needed by many industries. This study highlights the impact of strip cutting on understory vegetation. The retention of understory vegetation characteristics is critical for the sustainable management of these forests, and this study not only demonstrates the dynamics of cut plots recovery but also increases our knowledge of this important species.

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Effects of Anthropogenic Disturbance Measures on Plant Diversity of Understory Vegetation in Moso Bamboo Forests

Advanced Materials Research ◽

10.4028/www.scientific.net/amr.726-731.4288 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 726-731 ◽

pp. 4288-4293

Author(s):

Yan Rong Fan ◽

Shuang Lin Chen ◽

Hua Lin ◽

Qing Ping Yang ◽

Yi Cong Hong ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Plant Diversity ◽

Anthropogenic Disturbance ◽

Dominant Species ◽

Diversity Index ◽

Understory Vegetation ◽

Moso Bamboo ◽

System Structure ◽

Structure Stability ◽

Bamboo Forest ◽

Moso Bamboo Forest

Anthropogenic disturbance measures have complex effects on understory plants. In order to establish a theoretical basis for moso bamboo forest sustainable management, three types of moso bamboo forests with many years not weeding, hilltops weeding and herbicides weeding were choosed. And species names, numbers and coverages of all arbors, shrubs, herbs and vines were recorded in every quadrat. Species composition and α-diversity were analyzed to compare understory vegetation under the three types of moso bamboo forests with consistent stand structure and site conditions. There are four major findings in this study: (1) 74 species belonged to 47 families and 58 generas which are recorded in the three types of moso bamboo forests. Many years not weeding, hilltops weeding and herbicides weeding are respectively 33 families 39 genera 40 species, 33 families 37 genera 41 species and 37 families 43 genera 49 species. (2) Dominant species of arbors and shrubs within hilltops weeding and herbicides weeding moso bamboo forests are less than the ones of many years not weeding moso bamboo forest, whereas dominant species of herbs increased. Meanwhile, co-dominant specie of arbors is Cunninghamia lanceolata, shrubs is Rubus reflexus, and herbs are Melastoma dodecandrum and Dicranopteris dichotoma. (3) Richness of herbicides weeding and hilltops weeding moso bamboo forests is significantly lower than (p<0.05) the one of many years not weeding moso bamboo forest, and Containing absolute abundance diversity index (I) of hilltops weeding moso bamboo forest is also significantly lower than (p<0.01) many years not weeding moso bamboo forest. The differences of Simpson dominance index (C), Simpson diversity index (D),Shannon-Wiener diversity index (H) and Pielou evenness index (J) among the three types of moso bamboo forests are not significant. Considering understory plant diversity and system structure stability analysis, anthropogenic hilltops weeding measure is suggested to be used for understory vegetation interference.

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Rates of soil respiration components in response to inorganic and organic fertilizers in an intensively-managed Moso bamboo forest

Geoderma ◽

10.1016/j.geoderma.2021.115212 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 403 ◽

pp. 115212

Author(s):

Kaiping Huang ◽

Yongfu Li ◽

Junguo Hu ◽

Caixian Tang ◽

Shaobo Zhang ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Soil Respiration ◽

Moso Bamboo ◽

Organic Fertilizers ◽

Bamboo Forest ◽

Intensively Managed ◽

Moso Bamboo Forest ◽

Inorganic And Organic

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Stand-scale transpiration estimates in a Moso bamboo forest: (I) Applicability of sap flux measurements

Forest Ecology and Management ◽

10.1016/j.foreco.2010.07.012 ◽

2010 ◽

Vol 260 (8) ◽

pp. 1287-1294 ◽

Cited By ~ 40

Author(s):

Tomonori Kume ◽

Yuka Onozawa ◽

Hikaru Komatsu ◽

Kenji Tsuruta ◽

Yoshinori Shinohara ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Moso Bamboo ◽

Bamboo Forest ◽

Sap Flux ◽

Flux Measurements ◽

Moso Bamboo Forest

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Object-based classification using SPOT-5 imagery for Moso bamboo forest mapping

International Journal of Remote Sensing ◽

10.1080/01431161.2013.875634 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 35 (3) ◽

pp. 1126-1142 ◽

Cited By ~ 22

Author(s):

Ning Han ◽

Huaqiang Du ◽

Guomo Zhou ◽

Xiaoyan Sun ◽

Hongli Ge ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Moso Bamboo ◽

Bamboo Forest ◽

Forest Mapping ◽

Object Based ◽

Moso Bamboo Forest ◽

Spot 5

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Nitrogen addition decreases methane uptake caused by methanotroph and methanogen imbalances in a Moso bamboo forest

Scientific Reports ◽

10.1038/s41598-021-84422-3 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Quan Li ◽

Changhui Peng ◽

Junbo Zhang ◽

Yongfu Li ◽

Xinzhang Song

Keyword(s):

Community Structure ◽

Forest Soils ◽

Nitrogen Addition ◽

N Deposition ◽

Moso Bamboo ◽

Bamboo Forest ◽

N Addition ◽

Atmospheric Methane ◽

Key Factor ◽

Moso Bamboo Forest

AbstractForest soils play an important role in controlling global warming by reducing atmospheric methane (CH4) concentrations. However, little attention has been paid to how nitrogen (N) deposition may alter microorganism communities that are related to the CH4 cycle or CH4 oxidation in subtropical forest soils. We investigated the effects of N addition (0, 30, 60, or 90 kg N ha−1 yr−1) on soil CH4 flux and methanotroph and methanogen abundance, diversity, and community structure in a Moso bamboo (Phyllostachys edulis) forest in subtropical China. N addition significantly increased methanogen abundance but reduced both methanotroph and methanogen diversity. Methanotroph and methanogen community structures under the N deposition treatments were significantly different from those of the control. In N deposition treatments, the relative abundance of Methanoculleus was significantly lower than that in the control. Soil pH was the key factor regulating the changes in methanotroph and methanogen diversity and community structure. The CH4 emission rate increased with N addition and was negatively correlated with both methanotroph and methanogen diversity but positively correlated with methanogen abundance. Overall, our results suggested that N deposition can suppress CH4 uptake by altering methanotroph and methanogen abundance, diversity, and community structure in subtropical Moso bamboo forest soils.

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