Concept and Classification of Coarse Woody Debris in Forest Ecosystems

摘要: Coarse woody debris (CWD) is generally considered as dead materials in various stages of decomposition, including sound and rotting logs, snags, large branches. CWD an important functional structural component forested ecosystems plays role nutrient cycling, long-term carbon storage, tree regeneration, maintenance heterogeneous environmental biological diversity. However, the definition classification have been subject a long debate forest ecology. has not precisely defined. Recently, with rapid development landscape ecology CWD, USDA Forest Service Long Term Ecological Research (LTER) provided standardized for which makes data comparison scale possible. Important characteristics their include: (1) minimum diameter (or equivalent cross-section) ≥10 cm at widest point (the from 1 to 10 should be defined fine debris, rest litterfall); (2) stumps, branches (located above soil), coarse root (larger than diameter). This greatly facilitated studies. Therefore, it widely applied some countries (particularly North America). this source confusion ecologists China. Furthermore, different definitions criteria are still adopted individual studies, interpretation generalization work difficult. article reviewed recent progress classifying emphasis on introducing system LTER. It expected that review will help facilitate suitable