Resource distribution and ecological characteristics of Fraxinus mandshurica in central-eastern forest region of Jilin Province, northeastern China

Based on the ecological status, economic value and the resource loss of Fraxinus mandshurica in the temperate broadleaf mixed forest, the resource of F. mandshurica was investigated in the central-eastern forest region of Jilin Province, northeastern China. The quantity, distribution and ecological characteristics of F. mandshurica in the boreal forest were analyzed, with the purpose of providing scientific basis for species conservation and the sustainable forest management. The resource distribution of F. mandshurica (D_1.3≥5 cm) was explored by analyzing the volume, density and sapling regeneration of F. mandshurica population in different communities (509 plots of 30 m×30 m), meanwhile the relationships between the resource distribution and environmental factors (longitude, attitude, altitude, temperature and precipitation) were measured by the Pearson correlation analysis. The results showed that: the quantity of F. mandshurica was relatively higher in the Korean pine and broadleaved mixed forest, spruce-fir mixed forest and broadleaved mixed forest without the dominant species, whereas it was relatively lower in plantation, birch forest, poplar forest and Mongolian oak forest. The sapling regeneration of F. mandshurica represented for an expanded population, but the density of sapling regeneration was not related with the quantity of F. mandshurica, such as it was relatively higher in plantation group, while lower in pure forest and broadleaved mixed forest dominated by F. mandshurica. The resource distribution map of F. mandshurica in central-eastern Jilin Province was drawn by Arcgis software. The cluster analysis showed that there were abundant areas of the F. mandshurica in Helong City, Huadian City, Tonghua County, Jinyu County, Fusong County and Antu County; the potential distribution areas were Dunhua City, Shulan City, Fengman District and Jiaohe City; and the other 25 cities/districts were the rare resource areas. With the increase of longitude and elevation, the volume and the volume ratio of F. mandshurica population appeared a hump pattern, whereas there was not a significant relation with latitude. The correlation analysis showed that the spatial distribution of F. mandshurica population was not related with the precipitation, but was significantly related with the range of temperature and minimum temperature of winter.