The Strategy for Optimizing the Stand Structure of <i>Pinus tabuliformis</i> Carr. Forests to Enhance the Ecological Function on the Loess Plateau, China
The enhancement of the ecological functions of forests through stand structure optimization is a key issue for high-quality forestry and its sustainable development on the Loess Plateau. In this study, fifty standard plots of <i>Pinus tabuliformis</i> Carr. forest were established in the...
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| Format: | Article |
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MDPI AG
2022-08-01
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| Series: | Forests |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4907/13/8/1217 |
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| author | Ning Wang Huaxing Bi Ruidong Peng Danyang Zhao Huiya Yun Zehui Liu Daoyun Lan Chuan Jin |
| author_facet | Ning Wang Huaxing Bi Ruidong Peng Danyang Zhao Huiya Yun Zehui Liu Daoyun Lan Chuan Jin |
| author_sort | Ning Wang |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The enhancement of the ecological functions of forests through stand structure optimization is a key issue for high-quality forestry and its sustainable development on the Loess Plateau. In this study, fifty standard plots of <i>Pinus tabuliformis</i> Carr. forest were established in the Loess Plateau of western Shanxi, China. Eleven factors of the stand structure, three topographical factors, and four functional indices of the ecological function, including 20 sub-functional indices, were investigated and monitored. The study results indicated that the stand structure and topographical conditions could significantly affect the ecological functions of the <i>Pinus tabuliformis</i> forest, which was primarily reflected in the water-holding function, soil improvement function, and diversity function of understory plants, but had little effect on the function of reducing runoff and sediment yield on slope. We found that the stand density and uniform angle index could be used to achieve the optimal regulation of the stand structure to enhance the ecological functions of the <i>Pinus tabuliformis</i> forest. Overall, the optimization strategy for the stand structure of <i>Pinus tabuliformis</i> on the Loess Plateau should be to (1) determine the characteristics of the regulation target by understanding the stand structure and its ecological function characteristics through stand surveys on the altitude of the stand, stand density, uniform angle index of the individual trees in the sample plot, and average uniform angle index of the sample plot; (2) determine the optimization target by quantifying and analyzing the ecological functions of the stand, selecting a certain functional index as the optimization target, and specifying the degree of improvement in the functional index; and (3) substitute the optimization target and elevation of the stand into the corresponding stand structure optimization model and determine the regulation direction and regulation range of the stand density, uniform angle index, and specific stand structure regulation measures. The results of this study serve as a guide for optimizing the stand structure on the Loess Plateau. |
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| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1999-4907 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T09:57:17Z |
| publishDate | 2022-08-01 |
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| series | Forests |
| spelling | doaj.art-63328d2daed94f46a8286a5b921d29bd2023-12-01T23:41:31ZengMDPI AGForests1999-49072022-08-01138121710.3390/f13081217The Strategy for Optimizing the Stand Structure of <i>Pinus tabuliformis</i> Carr. Forests to Enhance the Ecological Function on the Loess Plateau, ChinaNing Wang0Huaxing Bi1Ruidong Peng2Danyang Zhao3Huiya Yun4Zehui Liu5Daoyun Lan6Chuan Jin7College of Soil and Water Conservation, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, ChinaCollege of Soil and Water Conservation, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, ChinaCollege of Soil and Water Conservation, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, ChinaCollege of Soil and Water Conservation, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, ChinaCollege of Soil and Water Conservation, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, ChinaCollege of Soil and Water Conservation, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, ChinaCollege of Soil and Water Conservation, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, ChinaCollege of Soil and Water Conservation, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, ChinaThe enhancement of the ecological functions of forests through stand structure optimization is a key issue for high-quality forestry and its sustainable development on the Loess Plateau. In this study, fifty standard plots of <i>Pinus tabuliformis</i> Carr. forest were established in the Loess Plateau of western Shanxi, China. Eleven factors of the stand structure, three topographical factors, and four functional indices of the ecological function, including 20 sub-functional indices, were investigated and monitored. The study results indicated that the stand structure and topographical conditions could significantly affect the ecological functions of the <i>Pinus tabuliformis</i> forest, which was primarily reflected in the water-holding function, soil improvement function, and diversity function of understory plants, but had little effect on the function of reducing runoff and sediment yield on slope. We found that the stand density and uniform angle index could be used to achieve the optimal regulation of the stand structure to enhance the ecological functions of the <i>Pinus tabuliformis</i> forest. Overall, the optimization strategy for the stand structure of <i>Pinus tabuliformis</i> on the Loess Plateau should be to (1) determine the characteristics of the regulation target by understanding the stand structure and its ecological function characteristics through stand surveys on the altitude of the stand, stand density, uniform angle index of the individual trees in the sample plot, and average uniform angle index of the sample plot; (2) determine the optimization target by quantifying and analyzing the ecological functions of the stand, selecting a certain functional index as the optimization target, and specifying the degree of improvement in the functional index; and (3) substitute the optimization target and elevation of the stand into the corresponding stand structure optimization model and determine the regulation direction and regulation range of the stand density, uniform angle index, and specific stand structure regulation measures. The results of this study serve as a guide for optimizing the stand structure on the Loess Plateau.https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4907/13/8/1217ecological functionstand structure optimizationstand densityuniform angle index<i>Pinus tabuliformis</i> Carr.Loess Plateau |
| spellingShingle | Ning Wang Huaxing Bi Ruidong Peng Danyang Zhao Huiya Yun Zehui Liu Daoyun Lan Chuan Jin The Strategy for Optimizing the Stand Structure of <i>Pinus tabuliformis</i> Carr. Forests to Enhance the Ecological Function on the Loess Plateau, China Forests ecological function stand structure optimization stand density uniform angle index <i>Pinus tabuliformis</i> Carr. Loess Plateau |
| title | The Strategy for Optimizing the Stand Structure of <i>Pinus tabuliformis</i> Carr. Forests to Enhance the Ecological Function on the Loess Plateau, China |
| title_full | The Strategy for Optimizing the Stand Structure of <i>Pinus tabuliformis</i> Carr. Forests to Enhance the Ecological Function on the Loess Plateau, China |
| title_fullStr | The Strategy for Optimizing the Stand Structure of <i>Pinus tabuliformis</i> Carr. Forests to Enhance the Ecological Function on the Loess Plateau, China |
| title_full_unstemmed | The Strategy for Optimizing the Stand Structure of <i>Pinus tabuliformis</i> Carr. Forests to Enhance the Ecological Function on the Loess Plateau, China |
| title_short | The Strategy for Optimizing the Stand Structure of <i>Pinus tabuliformis</i> Carr. Forests to Enhance the Ecological Function on the Loess Plateau, China |
| title_sort | strategy for optimizing the stand structure of i pinus tabuliformis i carr forests to enhance the ecological function on the loess plateau china |
| topic | ecological function stand structure optimization stand density uniform angle index <i>Pinus tabuliformis</i> Carr. Loess Plateau |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4907/13/8/1217 |
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