Disturbance Status of Secondary Forest of Castanopsis on Jiangle Forest Farm, Fujian Province, China

The study was conducted on the secondary forest of Castanopsis on Jiangle Forest Farm in Sanming City, Fujian Province, China to determine the vegetation disturbance status. Twenty one quadrats (20 m × 30 m) were sampled and recorded the vegetation parameters such as DBH, height, seedling and sapling density of woody species, and location and altitude of each quadrat. An evaluation system was established to assess the disturbance to the secondary forest based on the standard quadrat of the Jiangle Forest Farm. Using the evaluation system, we found that the Castanopsis forests on the farm were mostly pristine or sustained minor disturbance. These results suggest that secondary forests of Castanopsis must be managed and protected according to the disturbance status. More basic and applied researches should be conducted, for sustainable development of the forest and its products.