Community structure and species diversity dynamics of a subtropical evergreen broad-leaved forest in China: 2005 to 2020.

Here, we characterize the temporal and spatial dynamics of forest community structure and species diversity in a subtropical evergreen broad-leaved forest in China. We found that community structure in this forest changed over a 15-year period. Specifically, renewal and death of common species was large, with the renewal of individuals mainly concentrated within a few populations, especially those of and .

Biogeochemical niche conservatism relates to plant species diversification and life form evolution in a subtropical montane evergreen broad-leaved forest.

The evolutionary mechanisms underlying the biogeochemical niche conservatism in forests remain incompletely understood. Here we aimed to determine how the strengths of biogeochemical niche conservatism vary among elements and between life forms. We measured leaf concentrations of basal elements (C, N, P, K, Ca, and Mg) in a wide range of life forms in a subtropical montane evergreen broad-leaved forest.

Leaf economics of evergreen and deciduous tree species along an elevational gradient in a subtropical mountain.

The ecophysiological mechanisms underlying the pattern of bimodal elevational distribution of evergreen tree species remain incompletely understood. Here we used leaf economics spectrum (LES) theory to explain such patterns. We measured leaf economic traits and constructed an LES for the co-existing 19 evergreen and 15 deciduous species growing in evergreen broad-leaved forest at low elevation, beech-mixed forest at middle elevation and hemlock-mixed forest at high elevation in Mao'er Mountain, Guangxi, Southern China (25°50'N, 110°49'E).