Abstract:
With the
Fagus-dominated community within the protected area as the research object, this study elucidated the structural characteristics and stability status of
Fagus community in the Qizimei Mountain National Nature Reserve, Hubei Province, thus providing a scientific basis for their management and conservation. Based on detailed field investigations and systematic data collection, the interspecific relationships, community complexity, and stability of major species across different vegetation layers were analyzed, including the tree layer, shrub layer, and herb layer. The Chi-square test, interspecific association analysis, and the M. Godron stability method were employed to quantitatively evaluate interspecific associations, structural features, and stability patterns within the community. The specific results are as follows. Dominant species in the tree layer, shrub layer, and herb layer overall exhibited non-significant weak positive associations. Species pairs that showed no significant association accounted for 84.6% to 92.8% of the total. This finding indicated that interspecific associations within the community are generally loose. The observed pattern reflected relatively independent species distributions, an absence of pronounced strong positive or negative associations, and a comparatively simple structure of species interactions. Although
Fagus species possessed the highest importance values (
F. lucida: 16.8%;
F. hayatae: 5.95%), their ecological niche breadths were relatively narrow (1.77 and 1, respectively), suggesting a limited scope of resource utilization. Both species exhibited varying degrees of ecological niche overlap with many co-occurring species, implying potential competition for similar environmental resources and niche space. Community complexity displayed marked vertical differentiation, following the order: tree layer > shrub layer > herb layer. Differences in species composition, structural organization, and ecological function were evident among the various layers, with the tree layer exhibiting the highest degree of structural complexity. Stability analysis revealed that each vertical layer deviated from the theoretical 20/80 ratio, indicating that all layers were in a relatively unstable state. From the perspective of the entire community, the stability index approached the 20/80 ratio. This suggests that although stability at the individual layer level is low, the community as a whole maintains a comparatively higher stability level. In summary, the
Fagus-dominated community within this protected area is characterized by weak interspecific associations, relatively low stability at the layer level, and limited ecological niche breadth of the dominant species. These features point to potential vulnerabilities in community structure and function. It is recommended that conservation efforts should be strengthened for key species, particularly
Fagus species, and that habitat management strategies be optimized. Such measures would promote coordinated community development, enhance species interactions, and improve the overall stability and resilience of the ecosystem.