Beta-diversity reflects the spatial changes in community species composition which helps to understand how communities are assembled and biodiversity is formed and maintained. Larch(Larix) forests, which are coniferou...Beta-diversity reflects the spatial changes in community species composition which helps to understand how communities are assembled and biodiversity is formed and maintained. Larch(Larix) forests, which are coniferous forests widely distributed in the mountainous and plateau areas in North and Southwest China, are critical for maintaining the environmental conditions and species diversity. Few studies of larch forests have examined the beta-diversity and its constituent components(species turnover and nestedness-resultant components). Here, we used 483 larch forest plots to determine the total betadiversity and its components in different life forms(i.e., tree, shrub, and herb) of larch forests in China and to evaluate the main drivers that underlie this beta-diversity. We found that total betadiversity of larch forests was mainly dependent on the species turnover component. In all life forms,total beta-diversity and the species turnover component increased with increasing geographic, elevational, current climatic, and paleoclimatic distances. In contrast, the nestedness-resultant component decreased across these same distances. Geographic and environmental factors explained 20%-25% of total beta-diversity, 18%-27% of species turnover component, and 4%-16% of nestedness-resultant component. Larch forest types significantly affected total beta-diversity and species turnover component. Taken together, our results indicate that life forms affect beta-diversity patterns of larch forests in China, and that beta-diversity is driven by both niche differentiation and dispersal limitation. Our findings help to greatly understand the mechanisms of community assemblies of larch forests in China.展开更多
Plantations of Rupprecht's larch(Larix principis-rupprechtii)have been widely established in the drylands of northwest and north China under traditional fastgrowing plantation management strategies.These strategie...Plantations of Rupprecht's larch(Larix principis-rupprechtii)have been widely established in the drylands of northwest and north China under traditional fastgrowing plantation management strategies.These strategies and the long-term logging ban have led to over-populated stands with lower structural and functional stability,less economic benefit and higher water consumption.To guide the sustainable management of larch plantations,field surveys and historical data compilation were undertaken in the Liupan Mountains of northwest China.The main influencing factors(stand structure and site condition)and their effects on mean tree height,mean DBH and timber volumes were determined based on up-boundary line analysis.Tree growth models coupling the effects of tree age,stand density,and elevation were established.Both height and DBH markedly increased initially and then slowly with tree age,decreased with stand density,and showed unimodal change with elevation.The coupled growth models accounted for72-78%of the variations in tree height,DBH and timber growth.Recommendations for future plantation management are:(1)prolong the rotation to at least 60 years to produce large-diameter,high-quality timber and maintain greater carbon stocks;(2)zone the target functions of stands by elevation;and,(3)reduce stand density for balanced supply of multiple ecosystem services.The growth models developed can predict growth response of larch plantations to density alteration under given ages and elevations,and assist the transformation from traditional management for maximum timber production to site-specific and multifunctional management with longer rotations and moderate tree density.展开更多
Correction to:J.For.Res.https://doi.org/10.1007/s11676-022-01526-w The article“The amelioration of degraded larch(Larix olgensis)soil depends on the proportion of Aralia elata litter in larch-A.elata agroforestry sys...Correction to:J.For.Res.https://doi.org/10.1007/s11676-022-01526-w The article“The amelioration of degraded larch(Larix olgensis)soil depends on the proportion of Aralia elata litter in larch-A.elata agroforestry systems”,written by Pingzhen Gao·Jiaojun Zhu·Qiaoling Yan·Kai Yang and Jinxin Zhang was originally published Online First without Open Access.展开更多
In Table 3 of the published version,“Parameters fi tted for tree height and DBH growth models of Eq.(6)”,the parameters letter mismatched the corresponding values.Hence,the authors regret that this may lead to mista...In Table 3 of the published version,“Parameters fi tted for tree height and DBH growth models of Eq.(6)”,the parameters letter mismatched the corresponding values.Hence,the authors regret that this may lead to mistakes in the tree height and DBH simulation based on the model Eq.(6).The correct Table 3 with exact parameter values is listed as follow.展开更多
Climate-driven changes in the thermal and moisture regimes may variously influence different tree species growth and ranges.We hypothesize that drought resistant Siberian larch(Larix sibirica Ledeb.)and precipitation-...Climate-driven changes in the thermal and moisture regimes may variously influence different tree species growth and ranges.We hypothesize that drought resistant Siberian larch(Larix sibirica Ledeb.)and precipitation-sensitive Siberian pine(Pinus sibirica Du Tour)responded differently to climate change along the elevational thermal and precipitation gradients.We studied the influence of air temperature,precipitation,soil moisture,and atmospheric drought(indicated by the drought index SPEI)on larch and pine growth along the southward megaslope of the West Sayan Ridge.We found that since 2000 climate change resulted in increasing larch and pine radial growth index(GI)(c.1.5–3times)within treeline(2000–2300 m)and timberline(1900–2000 m)ecotones,i.e.within high precipitation zones.Within the forest-steppe ecotone(1100–1200 m)in which L.sibirica is the only species,larch GI stagnated or even decreased.The total forested area increased since 2000 up to+50%in the high elevations,whereas in the low elevations(<1400 m)area changes were negligible.Within treeline and timberline,trees’GI was stimulated by summer temperature.Meanwhile,temperature increase in early spring reduces GI due to living tissue activation followed by tissue damage by desiccation.Within forest-steppe,larch radial growth was mostly dependent on soil moisture.Warming shifted dependence on moisture to the early dates of the growing period.Acute droughts decreased GI within forest-steppe as well as within treeline,whereas the drought influence on both species within highlands was insignificant.Within forest-steppe seedlings establishment was poor,whereas it was successful within treeline and timberline.Current climate change leads to stagnation or even decrease in Larix sibirica growth in the southern lowland habitat.In combination with poor seedlings establishment,reduced growth threatens the transformation of open lowland forests into forest-steppe and steppe communities.Meanwhile,in the highlands warming facilitated the growth of Siberian larch and pine and the increase of forested area.展开更多
The Dahurian larch forest in northeast China is important due to its vastness and location within a transitional zone from boreal to temperate and at the southern distribution edge of the vast Siberian larch forest. T...The Dahurian larch forest in northeast China is important due to its vastness and location within a transitional zone from boreal to temperate and at the southern distribution edge of the vast Siberian larch forest. The continuous carbon fluxes were measured from May 2004 to April 2005 in the Dahurian larch forest in Northeast China using an eddy covariance method. The results showed that the ecosystem released carbon in the dormant season from mid-October 2004 to April 2005, while it assimilated CO2 from the atmosphere in the growing season from May to September 2004. The net carbon sequestration reached its peak of 112 g.m^-2.month ^-1 in June 2004 （simplified expression of g （carbon）.m^-2.month^-1） and then gradually decreased. Annually, the larch forest was a carbon sink that sequestered carbon of 146 g-m^-2.a^-1 （simplified expression of g （carbon）.m^-2.a^-1） during the measurements. The photosynthetic process of the larch forest ecosystem was largely affected by the vapor pressure deficit （VPD） and temperature. Under humid conditions （VPD 〈 1.0 kPa）, the gross ecosystem production （GEP） increased with increasing temperature. But the net ecosystem production （NEP） showed almost no change with increasing temperature because the increment of GEP was counterbalanced by that of the ecosystem respiration. Under a dry environment （VPD 〉 1.0 kPa）, the GEP decreased with the increasing VPD at a rate of 3.0 μmol.m^-2.s^-1kPa -1 and the ecosystem respiration was also enhanced simultaneously due to the increase of air temperature, which was linearly correlated with the VPD. As a result, the net ecosystem carbon sequestration rapidly decreased with the increasing VPD at a rate of 5.2 μmol.m^-2.s-1.kPa^-1. Under humid conditions （VPD 〈 1.0 kPa）, both the GEP and NEP were obviously restricted by the low air temperature but were insensitive to the high temperature because the observed high temperature value comes within the category of the optimum range.展开更多
Soil samples were taken from rhizosphere zone and off-rhizosphere zone of ash (Fraxinus mandshurica Rupr.) and larch (Larix olgensis Henry) in mixed and monoculture stands, and the nutrient concentration of N, P, and ...Soil samples were taken from rhizosphere zone and off-rhizosphere zone of ash (Fraxinus mandshurica Rupr.) and larch (Larix olgensis Henry) in mixed and monoculture stands, and the nutrient concentration of N, P, and K was analyzed to study the effect of nutrients variation on yield improvement in the mixed stand. The result showed that: 1) The stand level total soil N concentration and available N in the mixed stand was similar to that in the monoculture stand of ash, but higher than that in monoculture stand of larch. The total N and available N concentration in rhizosphere soil of ash in the mixed stand was similar to that in the monoculture stand of ash, but the available N concentration in rhizosphere of larch in mixed stand was much higher than in its monoculture. 2) The stand level total P, total K concentration in the mixed stand was similar to that in monocul-ture stands of both species, but available P and K was more concentrated in the mixed stand than in the monoculture stands of ash. The rhizosphere available P and K of ash in the mixed stand was 44.1% and 13.5% (for the 9-yr-old stands) and 79.6% and 25.6% (for the 21-yr-old stands) higher than that in its monoculture. The improvement of soil P and K availability in the mixed stand is concluded.展开更多
Accurate estimations of biomass and its temporal dynamics are crucial for monitoring the carbon cycle in forest ecosystems and assessing forest carbon sequestration potentials.Recent studies have shown that integratin...Accurate estimations of biomass and its temporal dynamics are crucial for monitoring the carbon cycle in forest ecosystems and assessing forest carbon sequestration potentials.Recent studies have shown that integrating process-based models(PBMs)with remote sensing data can enhance simulations from stand to regional scales,significantly improving the ability to simulate forest growth and carbon stock dynamics.However,the utilization of PBMs for large-scale simulation of larch carbon storage distribution is still limited.In this study,we applied the parameterized 3-PG(Physiological Principles Predicting Growth)model across the Mengjiagang Forest Farm(MFF)to make broad-scale predictions of the biomass and carbon stocks of Larix olgensis plantation.The model was used to simulate average diameter at breast height(DBH)and total biomass,which were later validated with a wide range of observation data including sample plot data,forest management inventory data,and airborne laser scanning data.The results showed that the 3-PG model had relatively high accuracy for predicting both DBH and total biomass at stand and regional scale,with determination coefficients ranging from 0.78 to 0.88.Based on the estimation of total biomass,we successfully produced a carbon stock map of the Larix olgensis plantation in MFF with a spatial resolution of 20 m,which helps with relevant management advice.These findings indicate that the integration of 3-PG model and remote sensing data can well predict the biomass and carbon stock at regional and even larger scales.In addition,this integration facilitates the evaluation of forest carbon sequestration capacity and the development of forest management plans.展开更多
The roots of 200 one-year-old Changbai Larch (Larix olgensis) seedlings were soaked for 6 hours at the TMS concentrations of 2000, 1000, 500, 250, 125, and 62 μL·L?1. Mean seedling height, root collar diameter, ...The roots of 200 one-year-old Changbai Larch (Larix olgensis) seedlings were soaked for 6 hours at the TMS concentrations of 2000, 1000, 500, 250, 125, and 62 μL·L?1. Mean seedling height, root collar diameter, main root length and number of lateral roots were measured every 15 days during growing season from May 30 to Oct. 20. Experimental results showed that TMS treatments greatly promoted seedling growth and improved seedling quality. The treatment by 500 μL·L?1 TMS produced the best result, for which the mean height, root collar diameter, main root length, and the number of lateral roots of seedlings were increased by 42.5%, 30.7%, 14.0%, and 31.6%, respectively, compared to that of the control seedlings. As to seedling quality, grade-I seedling and grade-II seedlings were fifty-fifty, and no grade-III seedlings was found. The treatment by 500 μL·L?1 TMS resulted in the highest chlorophyll concentration. Keywords Changbai Larch - Larix olgensis - Seedling production - Nanostructured silicon dioxide CLC number S143.8 Document code B Foundation item: This study is supported by Jilin Forestry Group Co.Biography: LIN Baoshan (1955-), male, Associate professor at the college of forestry, Beihua University, Jilin City 132011, Jilin Province, P.R China.Responsible editor: Chai Ruihai.展开更多
The spatial distribution of standing fine roots in tree rows of different species in a 12-year-old mixed stand of ash (Fraxinus mandshurica Rupr.) and larch (Larix olgensis Henry) was studied by soil core sampling in ...The spatial distribution of standing fine roots in tree rows of different species in a 12-year-old mixed stand of ash (Fraxinus mandshurica Rupr.) and larch (Larix olgensis Henry) was studied by soil core sampling in early spring, 2001. It is found that ash and larch differ greatly in their belowground biomass distribution. Ash has much higher fine root biomass density in the soil than larch at stand level (with the max value of 4442.3 vs. 2234.9 gm-3). Both tree species deployed more fine roots in their neighboring zone, suggesting a less intensive competition between roots of the two species. Both fine root biomass density and root length density of ash in the zone between larch tree rows are greater than that of larch in zone between ash tree rows, indicating that ash is more powerful than larch in belowground competition. The spatial distribution feature of roots favors the growth of ash in the mixed stand.展开更多
基金supported by the Major Program for Basic Research Project of Yunnan Province (No. 202101BC070002)the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 32201426, No. 31988102)the National Science and Technology Basic Project of China (No. 2015FY210200)
文摘Beta-diversity reflects the spatial changes in community species composition which helps to understand how communities are assembled and biodiversity is formed and maintained. Larch(Larix) forests, which are coniferous forests widely distributed in the mountainous and plateau areas in North and Southwest China, are critical for maintaining the environmental conditions and species diversity. Few studies of larch forests have examined the beta-diversity and its constituent components(species turnover and nestedness-resultant components). Here, we used 483 larch forest plots to determine the total betadiversity and its components in different life forms(i.e., tree, shrub, and herb) of larch forests in China and to evaluate the main drivers that underlie this beta-diversity. We found that total betadiversity of larch forests was mainly dependent on the species turnover component. In all life forms,total beta-diversity and the species turnover component increased with increasing geographic, elevational, current climatic, and paleoclimatic distances. In contrast, the nestedness-resultant component decreased across these same distances. Geographic and environmental factors explained 20%-25% of total beta-diversity, 18%-27% of species turnover component, and 4%-16% of nestedness-resultant component. Larch forest types significantly affected total beta-diversity and species turnover component. Taken together, our results indicate that life forms affect beta-diversity patterns of larch forests in China, and that beta-diversity is driven by both niche differentiation and dispersal limitation. Our findings help to greatly understand the mechanisms of community assemblies of larch forests in China.
基金funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (U20A2085,U21A2005,41971038)the Central Public-Interest Scientifi c Institution Basal Research Fund of Chinese Academy of Forestry (CAFYBB2021ZW002,CAFYBB2020QB004)。
文摘Plantations of Rupprecht's larch(Larix principis-rupprechtii)have been widely established in the drylands of northwest and north China under traditional fastgrowing plantation management strategies.These strategies and the long-term logging ban have led to over-populated stands with lower structural and functional stability,less economic benefit and higher water consumption.To guide the sustainable management of larch plantations,field surveys and historical data compilation were undertaken in the Liupan Mountains of northwest China.The main influencing factors(stand structure and site condition)and their effects on mean tree height,mean DBH and timber volumes were determined based on up-boundary line analysis.Tree growth models coupling the effects of tree age,stand density,and elevation were established.Both height and DBH markedly increased initially and then slowly with tree age,decreased with stand density,and showed unimodal change with elevation.The coupled growth models accounted for72-78%of the variations in tree height,DBH and timber growth.Recommendations for future plantation management are:(1)prolong the rotation to at least 60 years to produce large-diameter,high-quality timber and maintain greater carbon stocks;(2)zone the target functions of stands by elevation;and,(3)reduce stand density for balanced supply of multiple ecosystem services.The growth models developed can predict growth response of larch plantations to density alteration under given ages and elevations,and assist the transformation from traditional management for maximum timber production to site-specific and multifunctional management with longer rotations and moderate tree density.
文摘Correction to:J.For.Res.https://doi.org/10.1007/s11676-022-01526-w The article“The amelioration of degraded larch(Larix olgensis)soil depends on the proportion of Aralia elata litter in larch-A.elata agroforestry systems”,written by Pingzhen Gao·Jiaojun Zhu·Qiaoling Yan·Kai Yang and Jinxin Zhang was originally published Online First without Open Access.
文摘In Table 3 of the published version,“Parameters fi tted for tree height and DBH growth models of Eq.(6)”,the parameters letter mismatched the corresponding values.Hence,the authors regret that this may lead to mistakes in the tree height and DBH simulation based on the model Eq.(6).The correct Table 3 with exact parameter values is listed as follow.
基金The Tomsk State University Development Program《Priority-2030》supported this study。
文摘Climate-driven changes in the thermal and moisture regimes may variously influence different tree species growth and ranges.We hypothesize that drought resistant Siberian larch(Larix sibirica Ledeb.)and precipitation-sensitive Siberian pine(Pinus sibirica Du Tour)responded differently to climate change along the elevational thermal and precipitation gradients.We studied the influence of air temperature,precipitation,soil moisture,and atmospheric drought(indicated by the drought index SPEI)on larch and pine growth along the southward megaslope of the West Sayan Ridge.We found that since 2000 climate change resulted in increasing larch and pine radial growth index(GI)(c.1.5–3times)within treeline(2000–2300 m)and timberline(1900–2000 m)ecotones,i.e.within high precipitation zones.Within the forest-steppe ecotone(1100–1200 m)in which L.sibirica is the only species,larch GI stagnated or even decreased.The total forested area increased since 2000 up to+50%in the high elevations,whereas in the low elevations(<1400 m)area changes were negligible.Within treeline and timberline,trees’GI was stimulated by summer temperature.Meanwhile,temperature increase in early spring reduces GI due to living tissue activation followed by tissue damage by desiccation.Within forest-steppe,larch radial growth was mostly dependent on soil moisture.Warming shifted dependence on moisture to the early dates of the growing period.Acute droughts decreased GI within forest-steppe as well as within treeline,whereas the drought influence on both species within highlands was insignificant.Within forest-steppe seedlings establishment was poor,whereas it was successful within treeline and timberline.Current climate change leads to stagnation or even decrease in Larix sibirica growth in the southern lowland habitat.In combination with poor seedlings establishment,reduced growth threatens the transformation of open lowland forests into forest-steppe and steppe communities.Meanwhile,in the highlands warming facilitated the growth of Siberian larch and pine and the increase of forested area.
基金the Global Environment Research Fund,Ministry of the Environment,Japan (S-1: Integrated Study for Terrestrial Carbon Management of Asia in the 21st Century Based on Scientific Advancements)the Chinese Academy of Sciences (07W70000SZ)+1 种基金the National Natural Science Foundation of China (30300271)the State Key Basic Research and Development Plan of China (2004CCA02700)
文摘The Dahurian larch forest in northeast China is important due to its vastness and location within a transitional zone from boreal to temperate and at the southern distribution edge of the vast Siberian larch forest. The continuous carbon fluxes were measured from May 2004 to April 2005 in the Dahurian larch forest in Northeast China using an eddy covariance method. The results showed that the ecosystem released carbon in the dormant season from mid-October 2004 to April 2005, while it assimilated CO2 from the atmosphere in the growing season from May to September 2004. The net carbon sequestration reached its peak of 112 g.m^-2.month ^-1 in June 2004 （simplified expression of g （carbon）.m^-2.month^-1） and then gradually decreased. Annually, the larch forest was a carbon sink that sequestered carbon of 146 g-m^-2.a^-1 （simplified expression of g （carbon）.m^-2.a^-1） during the measurements. The photosynthetic process of the larch forest ecosystem was largely affected by the vapor pressure deficit （VPD） and temperature. Under humid conditions （VPD 〈 1.0 kPa）, the gross ecosystem production （GEP） increased with increasing temperature. But the net ecosystem production （NEP） showed almost no change with increasing temperature because the increment of GEP was counterbalanced by that of the ecosystem respiration. Under a dry environment （VPD 〉 1.0 kPa）, the GEP decreased with the increasing VPD at a rate of 3.0 μmol.m^-2.s^-1kPa -1 and the ecosystem respiration was also enhanced simultaneously due to the increase of air temperature, which was linearly correlated with the VPD. As a result, the net ecosystem carbon sequestration rapidly decreased with the increasing VPD at a rate of 5.2 μmol.m^-2.s-1.kPa^-1. Under humid conditions （VPD 〈 1.0 kPa）, both the GEP and NEP were obviously restricted by the low air temperature but were insensitive to the high temperature because the observed high temperature value comes within the category of the optimum range.
基金This study was supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 30130160) and the Quick Response of Basic Research Supporting Program (Grant No.2102)
文摘Soil samples were taken from rhizosphere zone and off-rhizosphere zone of ash (Fraxinus mandshurica Rupr.) and larch (Larix olgensis Henry) in mixed and monoculture stands, and the nutrient concentration of N, P, and K was analyzed to study the effect of nutrients variation on yield improvement in the mixed stand. The result showed that: 1) The stand level total soil N concentration and available N in the mixed stand was similar to that in the monoculture stand of ash, but higher than that in monoculture stand of larch. The total N and available N concentration in rhizosphere soil of ash in the mixed stand was similar to that in the monoculture stand of ash, but the available N concentration in rhizosphere of larch in mixed stand was much higher than in its monoculture. 2) The stand level total P, total K concentration in the mixed stand was similar to that in monocul-ture stands of both species, but available P and K was more concentrated in the mixed stand than in the monoculture stands of ash. The rhizosphere available P and K of ash in the mixed stand was 44.1% and 13.5% (for the 9-yr-old stands) and 79.6% and 25.6% (for the 21-yr-old stands) higher than that in its monoculture. The improvement of soil P and K availability in the mixed stand is concluded.
基金funded by National Key Research and Development Program(2023YFD220080430&2017YFD0600404)。
文摘Accurate estimations of biomass and its temporal dynamics are crucial for monitoring the carbon cycle in forest ecosystems and assessing forest carbon sequestration potentials.Recent studies have shown that integrating process-based models(PBMs)with remote sensing data can enhance simulations from stand to regional scales,significantly improving the ability to simulate forest growth and carbon stock dynamics.However,the utilization of PBMs for large-scale simulation of larch carbon storage distribution is still limited.In this study,we applied the parameterized 3-PG(Physiological Principles Predicting Growth)model across the Mengjiagang Forest Farm(MFF)to make broad-scale predictions of the biomass and carbon stocks of Larix olgensis plantation.The model was used to simulate average diameter at breast height(DBH)and total biomass,which were later validated with a wide range of observation data including sample plot data,forest management inventory data,and airborne laser scanning data.The results showed that the 3-PG model had relatively high accuracy for predicting both DBH and total biomass at stand and regional scale,with determination coefficients ranging from 0.78 to 0.88.Based on the estimation of total biomass,we successfully produced a carbon stock map of the Larix olgensis plantation in MFF with a spatial resolution of 20 m,which helps with relevant management advice.These findings indicate that the integration of 3-PG model and remote sensing data can well predict the biomass and carbon stock at regional and even larger scales.In addition,this integration facilitates the evaluation of forest carbon sequestration capacity and the development of forest management plans.
基金This study is supported by Jilin Forestry Group Co.
文摘The roots of 200 one-year-old Changbai Larch (Larix olgensis) seedlings were soaked for 6 hours at the TMS concentrations of 2000, 1000, 500, 250, 125, and 62 μL·L?1. Mean seedling height, root collar diameter, main root length and number of lateral roots were measured every 15 days during growing season from May 30 to Oct. 20. Experimental results showed that TMS treatments greatly promoted seedling growth and improved seedling quality. The treatment by 500 μL·L?1 TMS produced the best result, for which the mean height, root collar diameter, main root length, and the number of lateral roots of seedlings were increased by 42.5%, 30.7%, 14.0%, and 31.6%, respectively, compared to that of the control seedlings. As to seedling quality, grade-I seedling and grade-II seedlings were fifty-fifty, and no grade-III seedlings was found. The treatment by 500 μL·L?1 TMS resulted in the highest chlorophyll concentration. Keywords Changbai Larch - Larix olgensis - Seedling production - Nanostructured silicon dioxide CLC number S143.8 Document code B Foundation item: This study is supported by Jilin Forestry Group Co.Biography: LIN Baoshan (1955-), male, Associate professor at the college of forestry, Beihua University, Jilin City 132011, Jilin Province, P.R China.Responsible editor: Chai Ruihai.
基金This study was supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 30130160) and the Quick Response of Basic Research Supporting Program (Grant No.2102)
文摘The spatial distribution of standing fine roots in tree rows of different species in a 12-year-old mixed stand of ash (Fraxinus mandshurica Rupr.) and larch (Larix olgensis Henry) was studied by soil core sampling in early spring, 2001. It is found that ash and larch differ greatly in their belowground biomass distribution. Ash has much higher fine root biomass density in the soil than larch at stand level (with the max value of 4442.3 vs. 2234.9 gm-3). Both tree species deployed more fine roots in their neighboring zone, suggesting a less intensive competition between roots of the two species. Both fine root biomass density and root length density of ash in the zone between larch tree rows are greater than that of larch in zone between ash tree rows, indicating that ash is more powerful than larch in belowground competition. The spatial distribution feature of roots favors the growth of ash in the mixed stand.
