PARENT SESSION
Poster Session 2: Forest Ecology
Monday, August 8, 5:00 PM - 6:30 PM, Exhibit Hall 220 A-E, Level 2, Palais des congrès de Montréal

Spatial pattern of sub-alpine forest restoration in west Sichuan, China.

Zhang, Yuandong^*,1, Liu, Shirong, Zhao, Changming, ¹ Chinese Academy of Forestry, Beijing, China

ABSTRACT- Western Sichuan sub-alpine is an extension of Qinghai-Tibet Plateau to southeastern China and was covered with forests in the valleys, mainly old dark coniferous ones. As a result of long-term over-logging on a large scale from 1950s to 1980s, they have been greatly reduced and degraded. Now days forest restoration and regeneration are being highlighted in the region. 1 Study area and methods Miyaluo, 102°35′∼103°4′E and 31°24′∼31°55′N, with the elevation range from 2200m to 5500m, is at the east of western Sichuan sub-alpine region. After an over-logging to the virgin forests dominant with Abies faxoniana, Picea asperata was planted in most cutover area in later years but seedling foster only went on 2∼3 years at most site with the absence of finance. Pioneer deciduous tree species regenerated naturally at the same time. Through forest plots investigation, ETM image interpretion and overlaying of vegetation map with digital topography in Miyaluo, the relations between appearing and origon of four forest vegetation types are analyzed, along with their topography differentiation rule and spatial patterns after a large scale of logging and regeneration. 2 Results The appearings of forest vegetation are related with their origons, OC (old coniferous forest) are primitive ones, MYC (middle-aged & young coniferous forest) are from artificial regeneration, DB (decidous broadleaf forest) are natural secondary ones, MCD (mixed forest of coniferous with deciduos) are partly from natural secondary ones and others from the common action of artificial and natural regeneration. Taking Menggu gully in Miyaluo as an example, OC, dominant in 1953, only reserve near treeline in recent days and are replaced by MYC, DB and MCD at the site with the elevation range from 2800m to 3600m. Four types are in mosic pattern and landscape is seriously fragmentized. Forest vegetation changes with elevation and aspect, OC reserves at the site with elevation more than 3600m, MYC are mainly distributed at southwest and west aspect with the elevation range from 2800m to 3600m, DB and MCD are mainly at the northeast and north aspect with the elevation range from 2800m to 3600m.

Key words: sub-alpine forest, spatial pattern, regeneration, topograpgy