Abstract
In 1995, a 0.6-ha (300×20 m) permanent forest plot was established in the Kaohifo
Experimental Forest, southern Taiwan. The second and third censuses were done in 2002
and 2009, respectively. In this study, we reveal demographic patterns of recruitment, mortality, abundance, basal area, and structure of size classes of diameter at breast height in both
census intervals. During the past 14 years, the species composition was almost the same
except for a few species for which a few individuals moved into or moved out the plot. Both
census intervals showed the same pattern of increased basal area and decreased number of individuals. The rank of the top 10 dominant species changed slightly. Not all species had the
same pattern of change, because species responded to fluctuations of the environment
differently in the time series. The mortality rate decreased with the size class increment
indicating that individual tree competition was the main mechanism controlling the mortality
pattern. Comparing the demographics of 3 habitats defined by the positions on slopes, the
lower slopes had a higher mortality rate and more-variable recruitment rate than the other 2
habitats. On the other hand, the upper slopes had more-stable mortality and recruitment
rates. This pattern might have been caused by small-scale landslides which more frequently occurred on the steep lower slopes after typhoons than on the gentle upper slopes. After the
these 2 censuses, we concluded that the Kaoshifo forest might be adapted to frequent
typhoon influence. The forest has maintained a stable species composition, and the
structure of diameter at breast height is shifting to larger size classes.