Abstract: To explore the responses of plant community of urban remnant mountains to artificial disturbance, plant community structure and stability of urban remnant mountains under different artificial disturbance ways and intensities were analyzed using the theories and methods of community ecology and quantitative ecology. The results showed that: (1) Vertical structure integrity of plant community under different intensities of human disturbance declined with increasing disturbance density. Reclamation, excavation, and construction had significant negative effects on trees and shrubs, while park utilization was beneficial to the integrity of community vertical structure. (2) The diameter class structure of trees exhibited an inverted “J” type distribution under different disturbance intensities. Small diameter trees (DBH<10 cm) accounted for 53%, 58% and 48% of the total individual numbers in the plots under light, moderate and heavy disturbances, respectively. The regeneration potential of tree layer was high. The diameter class structure of tree changed abnormally under reclamation and excavation disturbance ways. (3) Based on the coefficient of variation of community density and the Godron stability index, community stability decreased with human disturbance intensities. Plant communities under the disturbances of trample and park utilization were relatively stable, while those with the reclamation and engineering excavation were most unstable.

Key words: multi-mountainous city, remnant habitat, vertical structure, disturbance way.