Age structure and growth characteristic of Castanopsis fargesii population

In this paper, the age structure and growth characteristics of Castanopsis fargesii population in a shade-tolerant broadleaved evergreen forest were studied, aimed to understand more about the regeneration patterns and dynamics of this population. The results showed that the age structure of C. fargesii population was of sporadic type, with two death peaks of a 30-year gap. This population had a good plasticity in growth to light condition. Because there were no significant differences in light condition under the canopy in vertical, the saplings came into their first suppression period when they were 5 - 8 years old, with a height growth rate less than 0.1 m · a^-1 lasting for 10 years. The beginning time of the first growth suppression period was by the end of the first death peak of the population, and the ending time of the first growth suppression period was at the beginning of the second death peak of the population, demonstrating that growth characteristic was the key factor affecting the age structure of C. fargesii.