Vegetation Types and Community Structure of Shimentai Nature Reserve, Yingde, Guangdong

Community analysis was made followed by the survey of the vegetation in Shimentai Nature Reserve, northern Guangdong Province's Yingde City. The typical tropical and subtropical families and genera, with Fagaceae, Theaceae, Lauraceae, Elaeocarpaceae, Magnoliaceae, Escalloniaceae, Daphniphyllaceae, Hamamelidaceae, Aquifoliaceae, Styracaceae, Ericaceae, Sterculiaceae, and Pentaphylacaceae being the dominant families, characterize the forest vegetation in Shimentai Nature Reserve. Dominant species are also tropical and subtropical elements, most of which belong to the dominant families. Based on ecological physiognomy and community structure, vegetation of Shimentai Nature Reserve was classified into 8 vegetation-subtypes, i.e., monsoon valley evergreen broadleaved forest, montane evergreen broadleaved forest, subtropical evergreen coniferous-broadleaved forest, montane elfin forest, cliff dwarf scrub, subtropical coniferous forest, subtropical bushy hillside grassland and subtropical bushy mountain slope; and the forest vegetation was further classified into 23 associations. The diverse vegetation, with relevance to the special topography of the protected area, has great value for protection, science and natural heritage. To name only the cliff dwarf scrub, it is significantly important for the research into the initiation and adaptation of plant community and the environmental change in time.