Ailaoshan Forest Ecosystem Research Station was established in 1980s. Its main functions were to study the regarded typicalprimary mid-montane evergreen-broad-leaved forest there. Through years of studies, researchers found that some trees showed sprouting regeneration abilities, the diversity of tree species were not so high, and the understory soil showed some trace of forest fire. Therefore, many scientists asked whether the mid-montane evergreen-broad-leaved forest in Ailaoshan is primary in the real sense.

During a field investigation in southwest Yunnan in November, Prof. Zhu Hua found a large patch of primary mid-montane moist evergreen broad-leaved forest in Dahei Mountain at an altitude of 1900 meters above sea level, Menglian, on the border to Myanmar.

Primary mid-montane moist evergreen broad-leaved forest in Dahei Mountain (Image by ZHu Hua)

According to Dr. Zhu Hua, the mid-montane moist evergreen broad-leaved forest is typical vegetation type of the subtropical montane vegetation type in Dahei Mountain. The forest boasts a diversity of tree species, with genera Castanopsis, and species of Nyssaceae and Magnoliaceae as dominant plants in its canopy layer. The canopy plants are lofty and forceful, with lichen epiphytes on their trunks and branches. The vertical structure of the forest is multilayered, including canopy, subcanopy, shrub layer and understory.

Structure of the forest (Image by Zhu Hua)

The finding of the primary mid-montane moist evergreen broad-leaved forest will help scientists have more thorough studies. Compared with the newly found forest, the so-called primary mid-montane evergreen-broad-leaved forest in Ailao Mountains in centre Yunnan showed evidence of intense disturbance in the history, said Zhu Hua.