Composition and environmental interpretation of the communities of Sassafras tzumu, a protected species, at Zhejiang province in eastern China

Abstract Studying the community composition and environmental characterization is an urgent need for species conservation and forest restoration. Sassafras tzumu (Hemsl.) Hemsl is a protected plant species in southern China. We aimed to assess the relationship between S. tzumu and environmental variables using data from the Noncommercial Forest Ecological Monitoring Plots (NCFEMPs) system in Zhejiang Province. Among the investigated NCFEMPs, we found 96 plots (20 × 20 m) containing S. tzumu species. The species composition and associated environmental data from 96 plots were analyzed using two-way indicator species analysis (TWINSPAN) and canonical correspondence analysis (CCA). The TWINSPAN results showed there were eight types of S. tzumu associations. Each association had its own composition and environmental characteristics. The CCA results showed that the elevation and slope aspect were the major variables that determined the spatial patterns of S. tzumu communities. Our results will be of great theoretical and practical significance for protected species management and conservation.