Plant Biomass and Nutrient Accumulation in Subalpine Dark Coniferous Forest of Gongga Mountain, Southwest China

Aboveground and underground biomass and nutrient storage were measured in subalpine dark coniferous forest at different growth phases which include the undisturbed primeval mature Abies fabri forest and the moderately disturbed succession mid-aged Abies fabri forest of Gongga Mountain, Southwest China. The total biomass of Abies fabri at the mature forest (490 t•ha-1) was much higher than that at the succession forest (106 t•ha-1). The accumulation biomass of Abies fabri was more in stems than other tree components. The biomass of the species in the shrub and herb layers were considerable least compared with the trees in both stands. The nutrient generally were the most concentrated in leaves and the least concentrated in stems in arboreal and shrub layer both at the mature forest and at the succession forest, except C. Most nutrients accumulated in dominant trees. The nutrient accumulations of Abies fabri at the mature forest were much higher than those at the succession forest. At the mature forest nutrient storage of Abies fabri for different tree parts was in the order C¿N¿Ca¿K¿S¿P¿Mg, while at the succession forest trees stored more K than Ca. Both two stands the accumulation of nutrient of herbaceous plants were the least due to their lower biomass.