Response of understory plant functional groups to changes in stand spatial structure in Masson pine (Pinus massoniana Lamb.) plantations depends on thinning mode and intensity

作者：Guowei Wen, Junchao Ma, Wenqiang Xu, Junjie Wang, Wenchun He, Yang Wang, Xiao Wang, Tianyi Li, Mengting Ye, Gang Chen, Kuangji Zhao, Guirong Hou, Xianwei Li, Chuan Fan · 发表于：Journal of Environmental Management · 年份：2025 · DOI：10.1016/j.jenvman.2025.124441 · 被引用次数：8 · 研究领域：Forest ecology and management、Ecology and Vegetation Dynamics Studies、Botany and Plant Ecology Studies

The functional groups of understory plants are important components of forest biodiversity, and help in maintaining the stability and resilience of ecosystems. However, their growth advantages and richness are influenced by changes in the spatial structure of forest stands, and the mechanism of these changes is still unclear. Therefore, in this study, a Pinus massoniana Lamb. Plantation was used as the research object to elucidate how thinning treatments affect the species composition and importance values of understory plant functional groups (PFGs) by changing the spatial structure of the forest stand. The results revealed a significant correlation between the spatial structure of forest stands and the importance of understory PFGs, but not correlation with species composition. The stand uniform angle index (W) was significantly negatively correlated with the importance values of ferns, and significantly positively correlated with the importance values of grasses and forbs; the stand opening degree index (K) was significantly positively correlated with the importance values of tree seedlings and forbs, and negatively correlated with the importance values of ferns; and the stand competition index (CI) was significantly negatively correlated with the importance values of grasses and forbs, and significantly positively correlated with the importance values of ferns. Moreover, the spatial structure of the forest stands under the crop tree management (CTM) mode and medium-thinni...