Abstract: Employing variance/mean ratio,χ² test,negative binomial parameter,and some indices of aggregate intensity,this paper studied the spatial distribution patterns and dynamics of dominant mountain elfin forest populations in Shimentai Nature Reserve in Guangdong.The analysis of size structure in place of age structure showed that the five dominant populations in the Reserve were distributed aggregately,and their aggregation intensity from high to low was Rapanea neriifolia,Schima remotiserrata,S.superba,Castanopsis hystrix,and Pentaphylax euryoides.Dynamic analysis suggested that in the series from seedling to sapling,the distribution patterns of these five dominant populations were of aggregate type.R.neriifolia showed an aggregative trend,while the others showed a scattered one.The big trees of R.neriifolia,S.superba and P.euryoides were missing,the saplings and midsize trees of S.superba and P.euryoides were aggregative,while the saplings and mid-size trees of R.neriifolia were aggregative and uniformly aggregative.The distribution of C.hystrix saplings,mid-size trees and big trees showed an aggregative trend,while S.remotiserrata was aggregative in sapling and mid-size tree stages but random in big tree stage.

Key words: Artificial Pinus massoniana forest, Natural vegetation composition, Driving species, Niche breadth, Niche overlap