[Gap edge effect of Castanopsis kawakamii community].

This paper reported the characters of gap edge effect of Castanopsis kawakamii community in Sanming, Fujian Province. The species diversity, ecological dominance, and edge effect strength of 38 forest gaps with different development stages in different stands of Castanopsis kawakamii community were measured, and Shannon-Wiener index, Simpson index, and index of edge effect strength were calculated. The results showed that the index of the gap edge effect of Castanopsis kawakamii community was about 0.7-1.3 (according to the species diversity index) and 0.3-1.8 (according to the ecological dominance index). The gap edge effect had the trend of increasing the species diversity of forest communities. The index of gap effect was affected by the size and development stage of the gap and the related forest type. The study provided a theoretical basis for the maintenance of species diversity and the forest management in Castanopsis kawakamii community.