The Undergrowth Diversity of Five Broadleaved Stand Types in Xiaokeng Forest Farm from Shaoguan City, Guangdong
The diversity of understory plants of Elaeocarpus sylvestris, Cinnamomum camphora, Castanopsis fissa, Castanopsis hystrix and Michelia macclurei stands were studied. The results showed that there were 12 shrub species and 13 herb species in the E. sylvestris forest, 7 shrub species and 11 herb species in the Cin. camphora forest, 16 shrub species and 12 herb species in the Cas. fissa forest, 10 shrub species and 14 herb species in the Cas. hystrix forest, 9 shrub species and 20 herb species in the M. macclurei forest. Shannon Wiener diversity indexes and evenness indices (Jsw and Jsi) of shrub layer under E. sylvestris stand were 2.51, 0.70 and 0.84, respectively, which were significantly higher than those of other stands. This result indicated that stand types played an important role on undergrowth diversity, and the E. sylvestris stand was favorable for undergrowth development.