Chamaecyparis montane cloud forest in Taiwan: ecology and vegetation classification

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Authors

LI Ching-Feng ZELENÝ David CHYTRÝ Milan CHEN Ming-Yih CHEN Tze-Ying CHIOU Chyi-Rong HSIA Yue-Joe LIU Ho-Yih YANG Sheng-Zehn YEH Ching-Long WANG Jenn-Che YU Chiou-Feng LAI Yen-Jen GUO Ke HSIEH Chang-Fu

Year of publication 2015
Type Article in Periodical
Magazine / Source Ecological Research
MU Faculty or unit

Faculty of Science

Citation
Web http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs11284-015-1284-0
Doi http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s11284-015-1284-0
Field Ecology
Keywords Cocktail Determination Key; Seasonality of moisture; Species group; Supervised classification; Topography
Description Montane cloud forest is one of the most endangered ecosystems. However, there are few comprehensive studies on the distribution of subtropical montane cloud forest (SMCF). Chamaecyparis forest is one type of SMCF in Taiwan, distributed across the whole island. This study describes eleven types of this forest in Taiwan based on the Braun-Blanquet approach. Plots were selected from the National Vegetation Database of Taiwan. Two alliances were defined, both of which belong to the order Fagetalia hayatae. Topography and altitude explain the contrasting habitat requirements of these two alliances, whereas seasonality of moisture, soil properties and altitude explain differences in floristic composition at the association level. The alliance of Chamaecyparidion formosanae on slopes and ridges includes coniferous or mixed coniferous and evergreen broad-leaved forests; it is found at higher altitudes and is more influenced by the summer monsoon than the other alliance. Five associations are defined within this alliance. The alliance of Pasanio kawakamii - Machilion japonicae growing on slopes and in valleys contains evergreen broad-leaved forests or forests with a mixture of coniferous and evergreen broad-leaved species. Six associations can be determined under the alliance of Pasanio kawakamii-Machilion japonicae. Classification of each syntaxon was formalized using Cocktail Determination Key.
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