Effects of gap size, gap age, and bamboo Fargesia denudata on Abies faxoniana recruitment in South-western China

<p><em>Aim of study</em>: to study the effects of gap size, gap age and bamboo <em>Fargesia denudata</em> on natural regeneration of <em>Abies faxoniana</em>, both of which are the ubiquitous dominants in our research area.</p><p><em>Area of study</em>: subalpine coniferous forests in Wanglang Natural Reserve in Southwestern China.</p><p><em>Material and Methods:</em> 10 transect belts were randomly established, and a total of 97 gaps were recorded and used.</p><p><em>Main results</em>: (1) the number of bamboos with coverage of &lt;17% significantly increased with increases of gap size and age, but the latter had little influence on the numbers of <em>F. denudata</em> with coverage of &gt;17%. (2) <em>F. denudata</em> strongly inhibited <em>A. </em><em>faxoniana</em> seedlings and saplings in small, young and old gaps, where the amount of <em>A. </em><em>faxoniana</em> recruitment was relatively abundant, than in other types of gap. (3) The numbers of <em>A. </em><em>faxoniana</em> seedlings in A-gaps, significantly decreased with the increases in gap size. However, in gaps where <em>F. denudate </em>was also present, <em>A. </em><em>faxoniana</em> seedlings and saplings were insensitive to gap size or age. <em>Research highlights</em>: thick <em>F. denudata</em> would not be influenced by gap size or age. Because of the low occurrences of <em>A. </em><em>faxoniana</em> seedlings and saplings, the negative effect of gap size, gap age and <em>F. denudata</em> on <em>A. </em><em>faxoniana</em> recruitment was unclear.</p><p><strong>Key words</strong>: <em>Abies faxoniana</em>; <em>Fargesia denudata</em>; gap age; gap size; regeneration.</p>