Topic
Undergrowth
About: Undergrowth is a research topic. Over the lifetime, 795 publications have been published within this topic receiving 11911 citations. The topic is also known as: understorey & underbrush.
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TL;DR: In this paper, the characteristics of spatial heterogeneity in a human-dominated landscape, vegetation and community structure of pine (Pinus densiflora andP. rigida) forests were studied at rural Teokseong-ri in Chollanam-do, in the southwestern part of Korea.
Abstract: To elucidate the characteristics of spatial heterogeneity in a human-dominated landscape, vegetation and community structure of pine (Pinus densiflora andP. rigida) forests were studied at rural Teokseong-ri in Chollanam-do, in the southwestern part of Korea. Daily removal of undergrowth for firewood affects the stratification and species composition in the community. In general, stratification of the pine forest develops in proportion to its distance from the main habitat of farmers, involving the residential and cultivated land. In pine forests near the main habitat of farmers, sun-demanding herbaceous plants grow well, while in remote forests, Fagaceous plants such asQuercus serrata, Q. actissima andCastanea crenata grow well. This zonation results from the fact that removal of undergrowth is greater in the forest near the main habitat of farmers, than in the remote forest. Construction and maintenance of graveyards, however, prevents development of stratification of the forest even in remote stands.
15 citations
01 Jan 1989
15 citations
01 Jan 2005
TL;DR: In this article, the amount and characteristics of woody debris (CWD) in three typical forest ecosystem types in southern China were investigated at the Dinghushan Nature Reserve, where the forests were selected to form a successional sequence with a Pinus massoniana forest, a mixed coniferous broad-leaved forest, and a monsoon evergreen broad leaved forest representing early-, mid-, and advanced stages, respectively.
Abstract: Coarse woody debris (CWD) in forest ecosystems provides critical habitat for many organisms, maintains a healthy forest structure, and is important in the biogeochemical cycling of carbon and nutrients. However, the characteristics and ecological functions of CWD are poorly documented and understood in the subtropical forests of southern China. In this study, the amount and characteristics of CWD in three typical forest ecosystem types in southern China were investigated at the Dinghushan Nature Reserve. These forests were selected to form a successional sequence with a Pinus massoniana forest, a mixed coniferous broad-leaved forest, and a monsoon evergreen broad-leaved forest representing early-, mid-, and advanced-successional stages, respectively. Both the Pinus massoniana and the mixed coniferous broad-leaved forests developed on artificial Pinus massoniana plantations planted in the 1930s. Nevertheless, these two forests were at different successional stages. The Pinus massoniana forest was harvested for leaf/needle litterfall, CWD, and undergrowth until 1990 whereas human interventions were excluded in the mixed coniferous broad-leaved forest. Results indicated that human disturbance dramatically altered the successional process of the Pinus massoniana forest and its ecological functions. Total aboveground biomass was just 35% of that of the mixed coniferous broad-leaved forest. The number of tree species that contributed to CWD increased along the successional sequence with 7, 18, and 29 species in the Pinus massoniana, mixed coniferous broad-leaved, and monsoon evergreen broad-leaved forest sites, respectively. There was almost no CWD (0.1 Mg C·hm -2) in the Pinus massoniana forest, while CWD amounted to 8.7 Mg C·hm -2 in the mixed coniferous broad-leaved forest and 13.2 Mg C·hm -2 in the monsoon evergreen broad-leaved forest, representing 9.1% and 11.3% of the total aboveground biomass, respectively. Only about 10% of the CWD was standing in the mixed coniferous broad-leaved and the monsoon evergreen broad-leaved forests, suggesting that sudden forest canopy gaps created by falling or snapping of trees might be more important than gradual gaps formed by standing dead trees in the succession of these forests in this region. Although the decomposition rate of CWD was relatively fast, it was still comparable to that of the soil organic carbon in the region, suggesting that CWD can play an important role in the global carbon cycle. Keeping CWD on the forest floor is a critical strategy for maintaining forest productivity and implementing sustainable forest management in southern China.
15 citations
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TL;DR: Four new species of conifer twigs are described from well-preserved compressions isolated from black shales found in Makhtesh Ramon, a large cirque in southern Israel, dated as Lower Jurassic.
15 citations
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TL;DR: Results from a short-term study of birds and small mammals in pine plantations, regenerating clear-felled sites and indigenous forest and fynbos habitats at Grootvadersbosch, southern Cape indicate that the pine faunal assemblages are pauperised in relation to those of the original habitat.
Abstract: SYNOPSIS Results from a short-term study of birds and small mammals in pine plantations, regenerating clear-felled sites and indigenous forest and fynbos habitats at Grootvadersbosch, southern Cape, indicate that the pine faunal assemblages are pauperised in relation to those of the original habitat. The pine bird assemblage is largely composed of forest species which are not habitat specialists. Small mammal occurrence in pine habitat is dependent on the presence of sufficient undergrowth, and these small mammals are of fynbos origin. Recovery of the fynbos plant and animal assemblages after clear-felling may take many years.
15 citations