Journal of Food, Agriculture and Environment
Evaluation of forest ecosystem services and forest succession in the mountainous region of Beijing, China
Author(s):
Shaowei Lu 1,
Shaonong Li 1*, Bo Chen 1, Sen Nie 2Recieved Date: 2013-06-30, Accepted Date: 2013-09-03
Abstract:Variations in ecosystem services and their underlying ecophysiological mechanisms, as well as an evaluation of ecosystem service values, were investigated in detail using the forest succession sequence and its representative community in the mountainous region of Beijing province, China. The results showed that during forest succession, the net primary productivity (NPP) and water conservation amounts increased at first and subsequently declined. From the starting point of forest succession (shrub) to the earliest succession stage (birch, poplar), NPP went from 6.14 to 10.77 t hm-2 a-1, the amount of water conservation went from 2174.18 to 3034.69 m3 hm-2 a-1, the difference in erosion modulus went from 149.48 to 149.5 m3 hm-2 a-1, and the soil nutrient content increased rapidly. However, during the latest succession stage (robur), forest ecosystem services declined or remained steady. Both the carbon sequestration value and the oxygen release value significantly increased from 19314.96 to 33890.192 RMB hm-2 a-1, though it decreased slightly during the late succession stage. The results also showed that carbon sequestration and oxygen release accounted for the largest portion of the total value (41-58%) followed by water conservation (23-38%) and then soil conservation (13-18%), while both environmental purification and nutrient cycling accounted for minor fractions of the total value. Moreover, compared to shrubs, the capacity of litter to hold water, soil water storage, and the infiltration rate of forest-supported water conservation increased during forest succession. Based on our results, the growth potential of ecosystem services during forest succession in the mountainous area of Beijing was immense. This study may provide a basis for forest management, as well as an important reference for vegetation restoration in the mountainous region of Beijing.
Keywords:Forest succession,
ecosystem services, ecological mechanisms, valueJournal: Journal of Food, Agriculture and Environment
Year: 2013
Volume: 11
Issue: 3&4
Category: Environment
Pages: 2674-2681
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