Dynamics of dominant tree species in a forest ecotone on the northern slop of Changbai Mountain

Abstract

The competition and dynamics of dominant trees species in the forest ecotone between the broad-leaved/Korean pine (Pinus koraiensis) mixed forest and the spruce-fir forest (also known as dark conifer forest) in Changbai Mountain, Jilin Province in Northeast China were studied by using Lotka-Volterra model, based on the data from twenty-eight sample plots with area of 20 m×90 m for each one. Results showed that under natural condition, differentiation of communities followed two directions: one would be Spruce (Picea jezoensis and few P. koraiensis) and fir (Abies nephrolepis) co-dominant conifer forest, and at the equilibrium fir was absolutely preponderant (77.1% of relative dominance (RD)); the other would be the confier and broad-leaved mixed forest, and at equilibrium, the broad-leaved tree species was 50% of RD in the broad-leaved/Korean pine mixed forest and 66% of RD in the broad-leaved and spruce-fir mixed forest. The study demonstrated that both broad-leaved/Korean pine mixed forest and dark conifer forest were climax community, the ecotone had transitional characteristics, and the diversification of the forest communities suggested that the direction of succession was affected by local habitat.