A PHYTOCOENOLOGICAL STUDY ON THE EMERGENT VEGETATION IN FUTOU LAKE Ⅰ. THE STRUCTURE OF COM. ZIZANIA LATIFOLIA

The structural feature of Com. Zizania latifolia was described in detail. The community was characterised by its rich flora and growth forms. As a consociation, the dominant species Zizania latifolia determined the environment in the community mainly. The distribution of different populations in the community showed zonation. Owing to the existence of mieroenvironments, there were a lot of microcoenoses in it. The shoots of Z. latifolia showed pattern, they were contagious. The patterns at different scales could be attributed to the branching characters of its rhizom system. The vertical structure was also analysed, usually only one vegetation stratum (emergent) could be distinguished in most area of the community. Its production structure had some unique characters. A preliminary investigation uncovered its subterraneous stratification.