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This paper documents micro-habitat distribution of the Betula schmidii trees in a deciduous broad-leaved forest dominated by Quercus mongolica, B. schmidii and Betula davurica in the southern-most Primorie, the Russian Far East, to clarify an ecological characteristic of the micro-habitat preference of the trees, which still remains uncertain. The paper surveys totally 107 stems of tall tree species in a forest of semi-matured stand, for the tree height, diameter at breast height, and their micro-habitats which represent in this paper a ground surface conditions: soil site or stony site. B. schmidii trees occur preferably on the stony sites rather than on the soil sites. Other major canopy trees such as Q. mongolica and B. davurica show no strong preferences for micro-habitat conditions within total trees surveyed. B. schmidii keeps canopy trees, despite it occurs on stony habitats. B. schmidii adopts one of the climax species with continuous regeneration in a stony stand, avoiding canopy competition with shade-tolerant species such as Q. mongolica. This overview contrasts with the generally accepted view that Betula trees are usually shade-intolerant pioneer species appearing in an earlier stage of forest succession and disappearing in the climax stage. |
