PS 2-26 - The forest dynamic in Nanjenshan Area in Southern Taiwan

Monday, August 8, 2016
ESA Exhibit Hall, Ft Lauderdale Convention Center
Wei-Chun Chao, Department of Forestry and Natural Resources, National Chiayi University, Chiayi, Taiwan, Kuo-Jung Chao, International Master Program of Agriculture, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung, Taiwan, Guo-Zhang Michael Song, Department of Soil and Water Conservation, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung, Taiwan and Chang-Fu Hsieh, Institute of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
Background/Question/Methods

Lots of studies in recent years showed that climate change has affected the composition and structure of forest ecosystems. In order to understand the effects on Taiwan forests reality, we chose the first established forest dynamic plots in Taiwan – Lanjenchi plot, Nanjenshan plot and Nanjenshan transect to be our study sites. These plots are in Nanjenshan ecology conservation area which is in Kenting National Park, southernmost Taiwan. The Lanjenchi plot (censused in 1991, 1997, 2005, 2013) has two habitats –windward and leeward habitat because of long-term northeast monsoon wind and topography sheltered. The Nanjenshan plot (censused in 1993, 2000, 2008, 2013) is a creek area which less affected by the northeast monsoon wind owing to Nanjenshan mountain barrier, and the transect was established from foot of Nanjenshan mountain to top in 1995 which has been recensused in 2013. We analyzed the four times census data of the Lanjenchi and Nanjenshan plot for the change of composition, structure and population dynamic which including the number of species, density, and basal area, and so did transect data. 

Results/Conclusions

The result in Lanjenchi plot showed that the number of species in windward habitat was decreased but increased in leeward, and the density was constantly decreased in windward but not significant in leeward. Both number of species and density in the Nanjenshan plot were no significant changed while there were increased during the eighteen years in the transect. However, the basal area of three plots were no changed. To sum up, the monsoon has different impact on three plots so that there are variety of reflects on forest dynamic under the climate change.