TECHNISCHE UNIVERSITÄT MÜNCHEN LEHRSTUHL FÜR WALDBAU Assessment and Management of Oak Coppice Stands in Shangnan County, Southern Shaanxi Province, China Xiaolan Wang Vollständiger Abdruck der von der Fakultät Wissenschaftszentrum Weihenstephan für Ernäh- rung, Landnutzung und Umwelt der Technischen Universität München zur Erlangung des akademischen Grades eines Doktors der Forstwissenschaft genehmigten Dissertation. Vorsitzender: Univ.-Prof. Dr.rer.silv. Thomas F. Knoke Prüfer der Dissertation: 1. Univ.-Prof. Dr.rer.silv. Dr.rer.silv.habil. Reinhard Mosandl : 2. Univ.-Prof. Dr.rer.nat. Anton Fischer Die Dissertation wurde am 12.06.2013 bei der Technischen Universität München eingereicht und durch die Fakultät Wissenschaftszentrum Weihenstephan für Ernährung, Landnutzung und Umwelt am 08.08.2013 angenommen. Table of contents Contents 1 Introduction .......................................................................................................................... 1 2 Research questions ............................................................................................................... 6 3 Literature review .................................................................................................................. 7 3.1 Studies on coppice stands and management ............................................................... 7 3.2 Understory regeneration of oak ................................................................................. 10 3.3 Studies on Quercus variabilis ...................................................................................... 11 3.3.1 Morphological character ........................................................................................ 11 3.3.2 Geographic distribution .......................................................................................... 12 3.3.3 Ecological characteristics of Q. variabilis ............................................................. 12 3.3.4 Silviculture of Q. variabilis .................................................................................... 13 3.3.5 Utilization of Q. variabilis ..................................................................................... 13 3.3.6 Regeneration of Q. variabilis ................................................................................. 14 3.4 Studies on Quercus acutissima ............................................................................... 14 3.4.1 Morphological character ........................................................................................ 14 3.4.2 Geographic distribution .......................................................................................... 15 3.4.3 Ecological characteristics of Q. acutissima............................................................ 15 3.4.4 Silviculture of Q. acutissima .................................................................................. 15 3.4.5 Utilization of Q. acutissima ................................................................................... 16 3.4.6 Regeneration of Q. acutissima ............................................................................... 16 3.5 Socio-economic studies ................................................................................................ 17 4 Materials and methods....................................................................................................... 19 4.1 Introduction of study area .......................................................................................... 19 4.1.1 Geographic location ............................................................................................... 19 4.1.2 Topography ............................................................................................................ 19 4.1.3 Climate ................................................................................................................... 20 4.1.4 Vegetation .............................................................................................................. 20 4.1.5 Forest resources ...................................................................................................... 20 4.1.6 Social economic condition ..................................................................................... 21 4.2 Oak stands survey ....................................................................................................... 22 4.2.1 Sampling................................................................................................................. 22 4.2.2 Data collection........................................................................................................ 22 4.2.3 Data analysis .......................................................................................................... 24 4.3 Socio-economic survey ................................................................................................ 31 4.3.1 Sampling................................................................................................................. 31 4.3.2 Data collection........................................................................................................ 31 4.3.3 Data analysis .......................................................................................................... 32 I Table of contents 5 Results ................................................................................................................................. 33 Part 1 Results of oak stands ............................................................................................. 33 5.1 Description of stands ................................................................................................... 33 5.1.1 Main stand .............................................................................................................. 33 5.1.1.1 All trees ........................................................................................................... 33 5.1.1.2 Dominant trees ................................................................................................ 37 5.1.1.3 Single-stem trees ............................................................................................. 39 5.1.1.4 Multiple-stem trees .......................................................................................... 40 5.1.2 Regeneration & understory vegetation ................................................................... 42 5.1.2.1 Regeneration .................................................................................................... 42 5.1.2.2 Understory vegetation ..................................................................................... 45 5.2 Forest stand use and stand structure ......................................................................... 45 5.2.1 Main stand .............................................................................................................. 45 5.2.1.1 All trees ........................................................................................................... 45 5.2.1.2 Dominant trees ................................................................................................ 50 5.2.1.3 Single-stem trees ............................................................................................. 51 5.2.1.4 Multiple-stem trees .......................................................................................... 57 5.2.2 Regeneration & understory vegetation ................................................................... 60 5.2.2.1 Regeneration .................................................................................................... 60 5.2.2.2 Understory vegetation ..................................................................................... 64 5.3 Characteristics of Q. variabilis and Q. acutissima on tree level ............................... 64 5.3.1 Allometric relationships ......................................................................................... 65 5.3.2 Vitality .................................................................................................................... 73 Part 2 Results of socio-economic study ........................................................................... 79 5.4 Characteristics of socio-economic conditions ........................................................... 79 5.4.1 Description of socio-economic parameters ............................................................ 79 5.4.2 Relationships among socio-economic parameters ................................................. 82 5.5 Energy sources and use of fuelwood .......................................................................... 84 5.6 Household forests ........................................................................................................ 86 5.7 Farmers’ view on the current forest .......................................................................... 87 5.8 Communication between households and local forest authority ............................ 88 5.8.1 Present situation of communication ....................................................................... 88 5.8.2 Relationships among variables of communication................................................ 90 5.9 Relationships between socio-economic parameters and use of fuelwood ............... 91 5.10 Relationships between socio-economic parameters and efficiency of communication. .................................................................................................................