Relationship between species diversity and biomass of eucalyptus plantation in Guangxi, south China

Abstract

To reveal the relationship between species diversity and biomass in a eucalyptus (Eucalyptus urophylla × E. grandis) plantation located in the Dongmen State Forestry Farm of Guangxi, south China, 18 sample plots were established and the total biomass, arbor layer biomass and undergrowth biomass of communities were subsequently harvested. The results were as follows: 1) Species richness in eucalypt plantation had remarkable positive correlation with biomass of arbor layer, undergrowth and community (α=0.001), its correlation coefficients were 0.6935, 0.7028 and 0.7106 respectively. 2) Leaf area index (LAI) had remarkable positive correlation with species richness and undergrowth biomass (α=0.001). Its correlation coefficients were 0.7310 and 0.6856, respectively. 3) Arbor layer biomass had remarkable correlation with soil organic matter and hydrolysable N, its correlation coefficients was 0.6416 and 0.6203 respectively. Species richness had remarkable correlation with soil organic matter and correlation coefficient was 0.6359. Among them, the correlation was significant at the 0.1 level. Undergrowth biomass had little correlation with nine soil nutrients and correlation coefficients were under 0.4. To sum up, species diversity was advantageous to the promotion of the biomass of the eucalyptus plantation, and the variation of LAI and soil nutrient in small-scales could result in the difference of species diversity and biomass in different sample plots.

Key words： eucalyptus plantations; species diversity; biomass; soil nutrient; leaf area index

Acknowledgements

We thank Shanhua Wei, Hongwei Li, Bai Zheng, Dejie Liu, Guofu Zhou, Zaisheng Tang (Guangxi Dongmen State-owner Forest Farm), and our colleagues Taiping He, Minyi Zhou, Bin He, Chengbiao Huang, Lijun Zhao, Yulin Zhou, Yongping Sun, Haiqun Deng, Minyan Ying, Hanling Cheng for their assistance with the field work. This study was supported by the Development Plan of the State Key Fundamental Research of China (No. 2002CB111504) and the Foundation of Research Start-up for Returned Student from Abroad (1997-832) and the Foundation of Research of Forestry Bureau of Guangxi.

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