Effects of Thinning Intensity on Species Composition and Diversity of Undergrowth Vegetation Community in Pinus Massoniana Plantation at Initial Stage of Thinning

Species composition and diversity of undergrowth vegetation community under different thinning intensities (0, 10%, 20%, 30%, 40%, 50%) were examined at the initial stage of thinning in 29-year-old Pinus massoniana plantation in the low mountain region of eastern Sichuan. The results show that all the thinning treatments could reduce the absolute dominance of Miscanthus sinensis and Dicranopteris dichotoma. The dominant species composition of shrubs in each treatment was different. There were more extensive species in the medium thinning intensity (20%, 30% and 40%) treatments than other treatments. The diversity indices increased first and then decreased with increasing thinning intensity. The variation degree of herbs was stronger than shrubs. The diversity indices of herbs were positively correlated with soil water content. The explanation amount of thinning intensity and soil physicochemical properties to community differentiation was 81%. The vegetation communities in the medium thinning intensity forests showed positive correlation with all the factors except total phosphorus. At the initial stage of thinning, herbaceous communities were more sensitive to disturbance than shrub communities. The 40% thinning intensity treatment was more closely related to soil environmental factors, with high stability and the most abundant species, which would be the best thinning measure under the experimental condition.