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Distribution pattern of Rhododendron aganniphum var. schizopeplum population at the timberline of Sejila Mountains, Tibet of China.

GUO Qi-qiang1,2, LUO Da-qing1,2, LU Jie1,2, MA He-ping1,2   

  1. (1Institute of Plateau Ecology, Tibet Agricultural and Animal Husbandry College, Linzhi 860000, Tibet, China; 2National Key Station for Field Scientific Observation & Experiment, Linzhi 860000, Tibet, China)
  • Online:2013-05-18 Published:2013-05-18

Abstract: Rhododendron aganniphum var. schizopeplum grows at the elevation of 4300-4500 m in Sejila Mountains, being a dominant species of shrub layer at the timberline of southeast Tibet. Based on the sampling plot investigation and basal diameter structure analysis, this paper studied the distribution pattern of R. aganniphum var. schizopeplum population at the timberline of Sejila Mountains. With the increase of altitude, the population density of R. aganniphum var. schizopeplum increased, but the population height decreased. At the same altitudes, the population density on the shady slope was larger than that on the sunny slope, while the basal diameter was smaller. On the two slope directions, the distribution of the basal diameter classes of the population appeared as “∩” shape, i.e., middleaged individuals were more, while seedlings and saplings were relatively less. The intraspecific competition of R. aganniphum var. schizopeplum population was in the form of wave, being stronger on shady slope than on sunny slope, and existing self-thinning.