Nanjenshan

 

Overview

The Nanjenshan Forest Dynamics Plot was established in 1989 in the Nanjenshan Nature Reserve of Ken-Ting National Park in southern Taiwan, an area lies between the tropics and the sub-tropics. The original plot measured 3 ha (300m x 100m) and was enlarged to 5.88 ha in 1997. The forest of this area is exposed to the Northeast monsoon wind, which prevails throughout the region during October and March.

The focus of research at this plot is to understand how monsoon winds affect forest dynamics. The plot has been censused four times (1989, 1997, 2005 and 2013). The forest structure and species composition revealed that the vegetation can be classified into two different types. The forest that exposed to wind is short and un-stratified with high stem density (13,957 ha-1), low above-ground biomass (111.77 Mg ha-1) and low per-stem species diversity. The leaf in this area is small and thick, and litterfall is low. In contrast, trees in areas that protected from monsoon wind are taller and the forest is stratified with low stem density (6,968 ha-1), high above-ground biomass (135.03 Mg ha-1) and high per-stem species richness. Leaves in this area are thinner and larger, and litterfall is high. In addition, the growth and mortality rates of species showed clear difference between the two areas. 

Established: 
1989
Ecological Zone: 
Subtropical humid forest
Number of species:
129
Number of stems:
65,421
Number of Trees:
45,312
Number of plot(s):
1
Size: 
5.88ha
Dimensions: 
300 m x 100 m and 240 m x 120 m
Latitude: 22.056000000000
Longitude: 120.860000000000
Number of Censuses: 
4

Related Resources

Site Description

Principal Scientist