植物种群的自然稀疏规律——-3/2还是-4/3?

由密度导致的植物种群的自然稀疏现象,是植物种群生态学研究的热点.但关于植物自然稀疏规律(种群密度和个体平均质量的幂律关系)的机理,却有两类截然不同的理论解释,分别对应着-3/2和-4/3幂律.作者重点介绍这两类自然稀疏幂律的代表性理论模型: Yoda的-3/2自疏法则和基于WBE模型的-4/3自疏规律,以及它们各自的理论基础.由于研究方法等原因,目前的数据尚不足以否定一条自疏上限线的存在,也不能令人信服地推翻-3/2而确立-4/3幂值的自疏规律.

Self-Thinning Law in Plant Populations: -3/2 vs -4/3

Yoda's -3/2 power rule or law of self-thinning based on the isometric scaling growth of plant,as well as a-4/3 law of self-thinning based on the energy equivalence ecological theory and the allometric relationship between metabolic rate and body mass of individuals are reviewed.Although the existence of a general self-thinning trajectory with a slope of-3/2 is questioned extensively,there is no evidence to reject the-3/2 power rule as the upper limit boundary line,below which all size-density trajectories possibly occur,and to accept the-4/3 power rule as the substitute.The authors suggest a re-evaluating of the-3/2 as well as-4/3 power law of self-thinning,from the first principles to the representation.