Effects of anthropogenic disturbance measures on plant diversity of understory vegetation in moso bamboo forests

Anthropogenic disturbance measures have complex effects on understory plants. In order to establish a theoretical basis for moso bamboo forest sustainable management, three types of moso bamboo forests with many years not weeding, hilltops weeding and herbicides weeding were choosed. And species names, numbers and coverages of all arbors, shrubs, herbs and vines were recorded in every quadrat. Species composition and alpha-diversity were analyzed to compare understory vegetation under the three types of moso bamboo forests with consistent stand structure and site conditions. There are four major findings in this study: (1) 74 species belonged to 47 families and 58 generas which are recorded in the three types of moso bamboo forests. Many years not weeding, hilltops weeding and herbicides weeding are respectively 33 families 39 genera 40 species, 33 families 37 genera 41 species and 37 families 43 genera 49 species. (2) Dominant species of arbors and shrubs within hilltops weeding and herbicides weeding moso bamboo forests are less than the ones of many years not weeding moso bamboo forest, whereas dominant species of herbs increased. Meanwhile, co-dominant specie of arbors is Cunninghamia lanceolata, shrubs is Rubus reflexus, and herbs are Melastoma dodecandrum and Dicranopteris dichotoma. (3) Richness of herbicides weeding and hilltops weeding moso bamboo forests is significantly lower than (p<0.05) the one of many years not weeding moso bamboo forest, and Containing absolute abundance diversity index (I) of hilltops weeding moso bamboo forest is also significantly lower than (p<0.01) many years not weeding moso bamboo forest. The differences of Simpson dominance index (C), Simpson diversity index (D),Shannon-Wiener diversity index (H) and Pielou evenness index (J) among the three types of moso bamboo forests are not significant. Considering understory plant diversity and system structure stability analysis, anthropogenic hilltops weeding measure is suggested to be used for understory vegetation interference.