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Evergreen Broad-Leaved Forest of East Asia

  • Chapter
Vegetation Structure and Function at Multiple Spatial, Temporal and Conceptual Scales

Part of the book series: Geobotany Studies ((GEOBOT))

Abstract

Under the influence of alternating subtropical high atmospheric pressure and tropical cyclonic influence, large regions within 23–35° N latitude have desert or semi-desert, especially on continental wet sides. Only the Mediterranean region, eastern North America and East Asia have evergreen broad-leaved forest (EBLF), a special vegetation type. Especially in southeastern China, central and southern Japan, as well as southernmost Korea, all under the influence of a monsoon climate, this vegetation type appears to be typical and luxuriant. Based on ecologically conditioned physiognomy and floristic composition, the EBLF of East Asia are classified into: (1) typical summer-rain EBLF, (2) subtropical seasonal EBLF, and (3) subtropical ombrophilous EBLF. The consistencies and differences of these types are compared and discussed.

We have modified the classification system for evergreen broad-leaved forest of China. The new classification system was shown in a new book Song Y-C (2014) Evergreen broad-leaved forest in China. Classification-Ecology-Conservation. Science Press, Beijing, 801 . The readers who interet on it, please check the new book for more detail.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    In China people always use the term “formation group” for such units; in order to avoid misunderstanding with the term “formation”, here we use the term “collective group ”, similar to the “collective type” of Whittaker (1980).

  2. 2.

    In China people always use the term of “formation” for this unit, here we use “dominance type ” (Do-Ty) instead of the corresponding term “alliance ” used by the Braun-Blanquet school.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Ecological and Environmental Science, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China

    Song Yong-Chang & Da Liang-Jun

Authors
  1. Song Yong-Chang
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  2. Da Liang-Jun
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Correspondence to Song Yong-Chang or Da Liang-Jun .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Geography, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, USA

    Elgene Owen Box

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Yong-Chang, S., Liang-Jun, D. (2016). Evergreen Broad-Leaved Forest of East Asia. In: Box, E. (eds) Vegetation Structure and Function at Multiple Spatial, Temporal and Conceptual Scales. Geobotany Studies. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-21452-8_3

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