Forest carbon storage, one of the major carbon pools of terrestrial ecosystems, plays an important role in terrestrial carbon cycle. However, little research has been conducted on the features of carbon storage and spatial distribution of forest vegetation in Shanxi Province, China. In the present study, based on the forest inventory data in 2000 and 2005, the authors characterized the carbon density and its spatial distribution patterns of the forests in the South Lüliang Mountains (Shanxi Province, China). The forests were classified using Two-Way Indicator Species Analysis (TWINSPAN) method;the carbon density of them was estimated using the variable BEF (Biomass Expansion Factor) method, and the spatial distribution patterns of carbon density for these forests were analyzed based on geo-statistics theory. The results showed that the forest vegetation was classified into 9 formations, i.e. Form. Ailanthus altissima, Form. Salix babylonica, Form. Quercus liaotungensis + Pinus tabulaeformis, Form. Quercus liaotungensis, Form. Quercusliaotungensis + Liquidamdar formosana, Form. Quercus liaotungensis+Betula platyphylla + Populus davidiana, Form. Pinus bungeana+Quercus liaotungensis, Form. Pinus bungeana+Platycladus orientalis,and Form. Sophora japonica. The average carbon density of these formations was 54.90 Mg·hm-2 in 2000 and 57.20 Mg·hm-2 in 2005, respectively, with a range of 23.53 Mg·hm-2 to 75.65 Mg·hm-2 in 2000, and 24.16 Mg·hm-2 to 78.91 Mg·hm-2 in 2005, and the average increase of forest carbon density was 2.30 Mg·hm-2 during the study period. The spatial heterogeneity of carbon density could be well described by spherical model. The distribution of forest carbon density was mainly affected by structural factors. The forest carbon density had a strong spatial dependence, without obvious trend on a small scale, while with cluster-shaped feature on a middle scale. The forest carbon density showed increasing trends from south to north and from west to east across the study area. The spatial distribution of forest carbon density was also influenced by altitudinal gradient, slope position, slope aspect, and slope gradient. The forest carbon density first increased and then decreased with the altitude increase, with the maximum value at 1 600-1 800 m. It was the highest in slope top and the second in slope bottom, while it was the lowest in the ridge area. The forest carbon density was higher at shady and half-shady slopes than at sunny and half-sunny slopes, and it was significantly higher at slope and flat ground than other slopes, with the lowest at steep slope.
forestLüliang mountainstwo-way indicator species analysiscarbon densityspatial pattern
国家科技期刊平台
NSTL
维普
万方数据
