Different forest types along the elevational gradient exist: evergreen broad-leaved forest (<1300 m), beech-mixed forest (1300 1800 m) and hemlock-mixed forest (>1800 m) (Cao 1995; Huang and Jiang 2002; Zhu et al. 2004).
Ordination graphic by NMS highlighted relations among forest types and locations (Fig. 3), since Axis 1 split between coast and mountain plots, while Axis 2 showed a gradient among deciduous, mixed and evergreen forests, which was more evident in mountain than in coast location.
We examined these aspects using field surveys and Airborne Laser Scanning (ALS) data in 1-ha sample quadrats distributed along an altitudinal gradient in three major forest types of Central Italy, namely evergreen sclerophyllous forest, oak-dominated thermophilous deciduous forest and montane beech forest.
Microclimatic conditions could varies more widely in deciduous and mixed forest stands than in evergreen stands, in response to the annual gradient of light, influencing soil properties (Gazol and Ibáñez, 2010; Yu and Sun 2013; Márialigeti et al. 2016).
We argue that LES would effectively separate evergreen and deciduous species and reflect adaptation to the elevational gradient in Mao'er Mountain.
To test this prediction, we quantify canopy structure of evergreen rainforests with varying dominance of conifers along altitudinal gradients and on different soil/substrates.
By using a ground-based, portable light detection and ranging (LIDAR) system, canopy structure was quantified for old-growth evergreen rainforests with varying dominance of conifers along altitudinal gradients (200 3100 m a.s.l). on tropical and sub-tropical mountains (Mount Kinabalu, Malaysian Borneo and Yakushima Island, Japan) that have different conifer floras.
In the Himalayan ranges of Arunachal Pradesh, the vegetation ranges from tropical mixed and broadleaf evergreen forest to alpine meadow and scrub, across large elevation gradients.
Taken together, our results suggest that elevation acts as an environmental filter to both select the locally adapted evergreen and deciduous species with sufficient phylogenetic variation and regulate their distribution along the elevational gradient based on their coordinated spreading of phylogenetic divergence and leaf economic variation.
Our findings thus suggest that elevation acts as an environmental filter to both select the locally adapted evergreen and deciduous species with sufficient phylogenetic variation and regulate their distribution along the elevational gradient based on their coordinated spreading of phylogenetic divergence and leaf economic variation.
