[Effects of human disturbance on coarse woody debris of Larix gmelinii forest on northern slope of Greater Hinggan Mountains].

An investigation was conducted on the living tree volume, coarse woody debris (CWD) loading, and composition of Larix gmelinii forest along a human disturbance gradient, i.e., no disturbance (natural larch forest), one-time disturbance (natural forest was disturbed once only), and two-time disturbance (natural forest was disturbed two times consecutively), on the northern slope of Greater Hinggan Mountains. The results showed that under no disturbance, one-time disturbance, and two-time disturbance, the average living tree volume of L. gmelinii forest was 161.6, 138.3, and 114. 8 m3 x hm(-2), and the average CWD loading was 69.77, 36.64 and 32.61 m3 x hm(-2), respectively. In natural L. gmelinii forest, most of CWD was of 20-40 cm diameter class, among which, fallen logs occupied 72%, and snags and stumps occupied 28% ; while in one-time and two-time disturbance L. gmelinii forests, most CWD was of 10-30 cm diameter class, with the fallen logs, snags, and stumps occupied 70%, 14% and 16%, and 57%, 15% and 28%, respectively. Human disturbance reduced the CWD loading of L. gmelinii forest and altered the composition of the CWD.