Community dynamics of a montane Fagus engleriana–Cyclobalanopsis multiervis mixed forest in Shennongjia, Hubei, China

A montane evergreen and deciduous broad-leaved mixed forest in Shennongjia, Hubei, China, demonstrates remarkable resilience to external disturbances. The Fagus engleriana–Cyclobalanopsis multiervis mixed forest, a dominant community in the region, maintained stable species richness and structure over nine years despite an ice storm in 2008. While total species count fluctuated slightly (from 81 to 84), dominant species such as Cyclobalanopsis multiervis, Fagus engleriana, Rhododendron hypoglaucum, and Lithocarpus henryi remained constant. Stem number and basal area followed a similar trend, increasing initially before declining, suggesting dynamic equilibrium. The study analyzed three datasets (2001, 2006, and 2010) from a permanent plot, revealing that mortality and recruitment rates varied significantly but did not alter the community's overall stability.

Jielin, G., Gaoming, X., Longqiang, D., Changming, Z., Guozhen, S., & Zongqiang, X. (2013). Community dynamics of a montane Fagus engleriana–Cyclobalanopsis multiervis mixed forest in Shennongjia, Hubei, China. Biodiversity Science, 20(6), 643–653. https://doi.org/10.3724/sp.j.1003.2012.11053