THE DIPTEROCARP FOREST OF HAINAN ISLAND, CHINA

Abstract

Hainan Island, China, has a total area of 34 104 km² and a dipterocarp forest which covers mainly the mountainous area below 1000m a.s.l. over a total area of about 6500 km². The forest consists of mixtures of species and single-dominance of species such as Vatica hainanensis, Hopea exalata, Heritiera parvifolia, Amesiodendron chinense and Litchi chinensis var. euspontanea. The forest possesses all features of the physiognomy and structure of a tropical rain forest, but not so typical as those of the equatorial forests. It can be divided into five types: hygrophilous mixed Vatica forest, hemihygrophilous mixed Vatica forest, mesophilous mixed Vatica forest, single-dominant Hopea forest, and single-dominant Vatica forest. Floristic and structural characteristics of the . forest can clearly be correlated with the five forest types.