Spatial Distribution and Determinants of Aboveground Biomass in a Subalpine Coniferous Forest in Southwestern China
Xiaofeng Ni,
Xinyu Xiong,
Qiong Cai,
Fan Fan,
Chenqi He,
Chengjun Ji,
Sheng Li,
Xiaoli Shen,
Jiangling Zhu
Affiliations
Xiaofeng Ni
Institute of Ecology, and Key Laboratory for Earth Surface Processes of the Ministry of Education, College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
Xinyu Xiong
Institute of Ecology, and Key Laboratory for Earth Surface Processes of the Ministry of Education, College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
Qiong Cai
Institute of Ecology, and Key Laboratory for Earth Surface Processes of the Ministry of Education, College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
Fan Fan
Institute of Ecology, and Key Laboratory for Earth Surface Processes of the Ministry of Education, College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
Chenqi He
Institute of Ecology, and Key Laboratory for Earth Surface Processes of the Ministry of Education, College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
Chengjun Ji
Institute of Ecology, and Key Laboratory for Earth Surface Processes of the Ministry of Education, College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
Sheng Li
School of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
Xiaoli Shen
State Key Laboratory of Vegetation and Environmental Change, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100093, China
Jiangling Zhu
Institute of Ecology, and Key Laboratory for Earth Surface Processes of the Ministry of Education, College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
Aboveground biomass (AGB) is the most dynamic carbon pool in forest ecosystems and is sensitive to biotic and abiotic factors. Previous studies on AGB have mostly focused on tropical and temperate forests, while studies on AGB and its determinants in subalpine coniferous forests are lacking and the mechanisms are not yet clear. Here, we systematically investigated all woody plants in 630 subplots (20 m × 20 m) in the Wanglang Plot (25.2 ha) to explore the spatial distribution of AGB and the effects of topography, soil, and stand structure on AGB. The results showed that AGB varied remarkably among different subplots with an average of 184.42 Mg/ha. AGB increased significantly with aspect, soil organic matter, maximum DBH, and important value of spruce–fir, while it decreased significantly with slope, total phosphorus, and stem density. Stand structure exerted greater influences than topography and soil factors, and especially maximum DBH determines the variation of AGB. Our results are of great significance to accurately estimate and predict the productivity of this forest type, and can provide insights into the diversity maintenance of subalpine coniferous forests as well as the conservation and management of forest ecosystems.