Abstract: Sorbus pohuashanensis is an important non timber tree species in Northeast China. Aimed to study the natural regeneration characteristics of this
 tree species and related affecting factors, representative S. pohuashanensis forests in the  forest region of eastern Northeast China were investigated by line sampling method. In this forest region, S. pohuashanensis was regenerated by seed propagation, stump sprouting, and root sprouting. In intact or poor habitat natural forests, the proportions of the S. pohuashanensis seedlings established by each of the three regeneration methods occupied roughly a third, with no significant difference (P＞0.05) among them; while in secondary forests, the frequency of stump sprouts (16.5%) was lower than that in natural forests. Even so, the combination of stump sprouting and root sprouting could likely maintain a stable local population. Root sprouting could make the seedlings spread more than 50 cm away from the stump. The transfer rate from diameter class II (1.0-2.9 cm) to diameter class Ⅲ (3.0-4.9 cm) was 25.6% in secondary forests, 45.3% in poor habitat natural forests, and 15.9% in intact natural forests, suggesting that the lower transfer rate was the key limiting factor for S. pohuashanensis natural regeneration.

Key words: Sorbus pohuashanensis, natural regeneration, seed propagation, clone propagation, diameter-class transfer, global radiation, diffuse radiation, comparative observation, clearness condition, diffuse fraction.