Spatial pattern of dominant tree species of the secondary monsoon rain forest in Lianjiang, Guangdong Province

Abstract

Based on the summed dominance ratios of species in sample plots, the first three dominant species (Litchi chinensis, Elaeocarpus sylvestris andCanarium album) of the secondary monsoon rain forest of Mt. Royal Shoe in Lianjiang City, western Guangdong, were chosen for analyzing their spatial distribution pattern with the analysis methods such as frequency models of Poisson Distribution, Two Negative Items Distribution, Neyman Distribution, aggregate indexes, Taylor exponential equation and Iwao's equation modeling. The results showed that these three species distributed in the congregate spatial pattern.Litchi chinensis andElaeocarpus sylvestris had the characteristic of basic congregate population and attractive characteristic between their plants. The patterns forCanarium album may change and become more evenly distributed with the increase of density. The overall species spatial pattern also depended on the conservation of the secondary monsoon rain forest besides it was affected by the species reproduction characteristics and its growing environment. The congregate spatial patterns of three dominant species showed that it is important to conserve forest urgent conservation of the forest.