Abstract: By the methods of geostatistics, this paper studied the spatial patterns of Liaodong oak (Quercus wutaishanica) seedlings and their microhabitats in two kinds of forests (Liaodong oak forest and Pinus tabulaeformis plantation) in the Ziwuling Mountains of Loess Plateau, and the relationships between the Liaodong oak seedlings and their microhabitat factors. In the two forests, Liaodong oak seedlings were in clumped distribution, but the clumped scale existed greater difference. The seedlings were spatially autocorrelated in 1-5.94 m range in Liaodong oak forest, while in 1-1.94 m range in P. tabulaeformis plantation. By using forward selection method and Detrended Canonical Correspondence Analysis (DCCA), 14 microhabitat factors were selected. In Liaodong oak forest, the main microhabitat factors affecting the spatial pattern of Liaodong oak seedlings were litter thickness, soil available potassium content, and soil temperature. In P. tabulaeformis plantation, the main microhabitat factors were soil humidity, pH, and organic matter content. It was deduced that the microhabitat difference in seedling’s establishment could be an important factor which caused the heterogeneity of the seedling’s spatial pattern.

Key words: amino acids, maize, soil pH, microorganisms, uptake.