Structural and spatial patterns of vegetation are essential to understanding the coexistence and competition among species in a community. In Taiwan, subalpine krummholz vegetation comprises 2 dominant species, Juniperus morrisonicola and Rhododendron pseudochrysanthum. We wanted to determine how these 2 species coexisted within a community on a high mountain in Taiwan. In total, characteristics of 403 individuals of these 2 species were examined at the Xue Mountain Glacial Cirque no. 1. Ripley's K function and a competition index were used to assess the coexistence relationship with intraspecific and interspecific competition between these 2 species. The spatial pattern revealed that trees at distances of 0-2 m had a random pattern, those at distances of 2-3 and 5-13 m had an aggregated pattern, and those at distances of > 13 m also had a random pattern. The sample species' competition index and traits were negatively correlated, indicating that the species with a greater diameter at the base were taller or had larger canopy and may thus have faced less competitive pressure. J. morrisonicola had a competitive advantage over R. pseudochrysanthum.
These 2 species had different life strategies and supported each other through a mosaic distribution
and a vertical canopy structure. Thus, they could coexist in a low-temperature, strong-wind,
sunlight-intense, resource-deficient subalpine environment.