Abstract: Rattan is an important non-woody forest resource and plays a critical role in global biodiversity conservation and economic development. To understand the effects of forest restoration process and stand structure of tropical rainforest on the distribution and growth of rattan, we conducted a research on secondary rain forests in three different restoration stages in Ganshiling, Hainan Island using the methods of quadrat investigation and sequencing analysis. The results showed that: (1) The abundance of rattan was the highest in the early-middle stage of restoration (74±43), followed by the middle stage (32±37), and the lowest in the early stage (0±0). The frequency distribution of rattan manifested overall as early-middle stage>middle stage>early stage. The ground diameter growth of Calamus rhabdocladus(13.62±8.39 mm), Plectocomia microstachys (8.01±3.05 mm), C. walkerii (6.54±7.52 mm) and Daemonorops jenkinsiana (3.62±2.52 mm) in the middle stage was greater than that in the early-middle stage (7.52±3.75, 6.72±3.33, 4.73±5.20, 3.51±2.4 mm). The ground diameter growth of C. tetradactylus (1.32±0.53 mm) was smaller than that in the middle stage (7.87±6.45 mm). The height growth of C. rhabdocladus (131.35±62.72 cm) and D. jenkinsiana (23.93±15.23 cm) in the middle stage was greater than that in the early-middle stage (90.02±92.13, 23.72±17.93 cm), but the height growth of C. tetradactylus (8.31±0.85 cm), C. walkerii (32.43±30.91 cm) andP. microstachys (31.62±8.74 cm) was lower than those in the early-middle stage (54.30±50.77, 48.46±78.11, 34.35±7.10 cm). (2) Most of the rattan species were distributed in the forests at the earlymiddle stage and middle stage of the restoration. The shrub communities were not conducive to the distribution of rattan. D. jenkinsiana, C. rhabdocladus, C. walkerii and C. tetradactylus tended to be distributed in the communities at the early-middle stage of the restoration, while P. microstachys was mostly distributed in the communities at the middle stage of the restoration. (3) The average tree height was positively correlated with the abundance of rattan. Stem density was positively correlated with the abundance of rattan. The maximum and average diameters at breast height were positively correlated with the abundance of P. microstachys. It was suggested that the protection of tropical rain forests should be strengthened in respect of the conservation of rattan resources and that stand structure should be adjusted according to different rattan species or suitable stand structure should be selected for near-natural cultivation.

Key words: drought stress, apple tree, water status indicator.