Abstract
Community structure characteristics and vegetation damage degree were investigated and analyzed in a forest around village, which had been long term exposed to ambient atmospheric pollution stress, to study the influence of airborne pollutant emissions from the concentrated ceramic industries on vegetation. Field survey was carried out in a semi-natural secondary forest on hilly land, Nanhai District of Guangdong Province, for the tree layer in ten quadrates with the total area of 10×(10 m×10 m), and for shrub and herb layers in eight subquadrates with the total area of 4×(5 m×5 m). Results showed that exotic Eucalyptus exserta and Eucalyptus urophylla were dominated over the community, followed by native tree species, Schefflera octophylla and Bambusa gibba, with the importance value (Iv) of 26.75, 17.08, 16.27 and 11.50, respectively. Among all tree species, Eucalyptus exserta and Pinus massoniana were most severely damaged with nearly 100% damaged rate. Bambusa gibba and Dalbergia balansae were injured with damaged rate of 85.1%–68.3%, however, Eucalyptus urophylla, Celtis sinensis, Helicia cochinchinensis, Cinnamomum burmanni and Vitex negundo revealed moderate injuries (45%–57.5%). Most of other indigenous species including Schefflera octophylla, Viburnum odoratissimum, Desmos chinensis, etc. showed less injured symptoms under the pollution stress. Compared with species in tree layer, damages of undergrowths were largely less. These results suggested that attention and concern should be paid on those introduced Eucalyptus species which had ever been widely used for forest restoration in degraded hilly lands of south China since 1970–1980s, due to their fast growing aspect. The results also demonstrated the potentials and perspectives by developing native species as target plants for restoration of degraded area at similar polluted location, which may provide scientific base for scientists to study and understand the functional aspects of native species and process-based interactions with pollution stress.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Aber, J.D., Nadelhoffer, K.J., Steudler, P., Melillo, J.M. 1989. Nitrogen saturation in northern forest ecosystems [J]. BioScience, 39(6): 378–386.
Christiansen, E., Waring, R. H., Berryman, A. A. 1987. Resistance of conifers to bark beetle attack: Searching for general relationships [J]. Forest Ecology and Management, 22: 89–106.
Cutini, A. 2002. Litterfall and leaf area index in the CONECOFOR permanent monitoring plots [J]. Journal of Limnology, 61(Suppl. 1): 62–68.
Dallmeier, F. 1992. Long-term monitoring of biological diversity in tropical forest areas: Methods for establishment and inventory of permenant plots [J]. MAB digest, 11: p. 72. UNESCO, Paris.
de Vries, W., Reinds, G.J., Deelstra, H.D., et al. 1999. Intensive monitoring of forest ecosystems in Europe [R]. Technical Report. UN/ECE, EC, Forest Intensive Monitoring Coordinating Institute, 1–173.
Dong Ming, Wang Yifeng, Kong Fanzhi, et al. 1996. Standard methods for observation and analysis in Chinese Ecosystem Research Network “Survey, Observation and Analysis of Terrestrial Biocommunities” [M]. Beijing: Standards Press of China, p1–23. (In Chinese)
Jia Chunsheng. 2000. Advances on the effects of air pollution on population dynamics of forest insects [J]. Journal of Beihua University (natural science edition), 1(4): 336–341. (In Chinese)
Kong Guohui, Huang Zhongliang, Zhang Qianmei, et al. 1997. Type, structure, dynamics and management of the lower subtropical evergreen broad-leaved forest in the Dinghushan Biosphere Reserve of China [J]. Tropics, 6(4): 335–350.
Liu Houtian, Du Xiaoming, Zhang Weiping. 1989. Acid precipitation and the decline of Masson pine [C]. In: Forestry Society of China, Acid rain and Agriculture, Chinese Forestry Publishing House, 140–146. (In Chinese)
Luo Tushou, Wu Zhongmin, Xu Yiguang. 2001. Preliminary study on the effects of atmosphere pollution on forest and soil in Pearl River Delta, China [J]. Ecologic Science, 20(1–2): 11–16. (In Chinese)
Ma Zineng. 2002. Study on sustainable development of Foshan [M]. Guang-zhou: Guangdong Economy Publishing House, 156–157. (In Chinese)
Ministry of Urban and Rural Construction and Environmental Protection. 1986. Analysis Method of Environmental Monitoring [M]. Beijing: Chinese Environmental Science Press, 201–223.
Romane, F. 1995. Introduction and objectives. In: Romane F. (Ed.), Sustainability of Mediterranean ecosystems. Case study of the chestnut forest [R]. European Commission, Brussels, Ecosystem research report, 19: 1–5.
Solberg, S. 1999. Forest health monitoring: evaluation of methods, trends and causes based on a Norweigian nationwide set of monitoring plots [M]. Norges landbrukshogskole: Norsk Institute for Skogforskning, 1–120.
Song Yongchang. 2001. Species composition of plant community. [C]. In: Song Yongchang (ed.), Vegetation Ecology. Shanghai: East China Normal University Publishing House, 35–61. (in Chinese)
UN/ECE and EC. 1998. Forest condition in Europe [R]. Report on the 1996 survey. Geneva and Brussels: UN/ECE and EC, 1–180.
UN/ECE and EC. 2000. Internal Review of ICP Forests [C]. In: The 16th Task Force Meeting of ICP Forests. Gent, Belguim., 1–48.
Wang Yue, Sui Zhenzhang, Yin Xiaokang, et al. 1996. Impacts of air pollution on plant pathogeny [J]. Forest Science and Technology, 21(2): 41–42 (In Chinese)
Waring, R.H. 1983. Estimating forest growth and efficiency in relation to canopy leaf area [J]. Advances in Ecological Research, 13: 327–354.
Waring, R.H. (1985). Imbalanced forest ecosystems: assessment and consequences [J]. Forest Ecology & Managenent, 12: 93–112.
Waring, R.H., Pitman, G.B. 1985. Modifying lodgepole pine stands to change susceptibility to mountain pine beetle attack [J]. Ecology, 66: 889–897.
Yan Changrong, Zhu Zhongbao. 1996. Declining of Pinus massoniana in relation to air pollution in Dashengshan, Lengshuijiang, Hunan [J]. Acta Phytoecologica Sinica, 20(3): 207–205. (In Chinese)
Yang Chuangui, Jiao Zhi Yuan. 2000. A summary of studies on relationship between forest degradation and air pollution [J]. World Environment, 2(1): 45–48.(In Chinese)
Yang Jinkuan, Ji Lanzhu, Shao Yuhua, et al. 1991. Study on the relationships between the acid rain damage and the secondary pests of Pinus massoniana. [J]. Environmental Science, 12: 33–37. (In Chinese)
Yuan Zheng. 2002. The way and direction of environmental protection of the Pearl River Delta [J]. Guangdong Environmental Protection Science and Technology, 12(2): 1–4. (In Chinese)
Zhang Ping, Yang Guangying, Li Bozhong. 1995. Study on the change of needle nutrient elements of Masson pine under atmospheric pollution [J]. Forest Research, 8: 462–465. (In Chinese)
Zhang Yun, Ye Wanhui, Li Yuelin. 2002. Effects of atmospheric pollution on phytophagous insects and its mechanism [J]. Rural Eco-Environment, 18(3): 49–55. (In Chinese)
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
Foundation item: This work was supported by Natural Science Foundation of China (30370283), Natural Science Foundation of Guangdong Province (04002306), and the Special Fund for the Development of Science and Technology of Foshan (03020091).
Biography: WEN Da-Zhi (1966–), male, Ph.D., in Institute of Ecology, South China Botanical Garden, the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510650, P.R. China.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Wen, Dz., Kuang, Yw., Liu, Sz. et al. Evidences and implications of vegetation damage from ceramic industrial emission on a rural site in the Pearl River Delta of China. J. of For. Res. 17, 7–12 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11676-006-0002-8
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11676-006-0002-8