本文从林窗的形成、林窗内微环境特点、林窗内树木更新、以及树轮分析与干扰重建, 阐述了国内外在该领域的研究动态和取得的成果, 以期推动和促进我国的林窗研究工作。 根据欧美学者的研究报告, 林窗的面积不仅与林冠和树径的大小成正比, 而且与树木的倒伏方式有关;林窗的形成与特征主要受制造林窗树林的种类、树龄、海拔和气候带等因素的影响。 林窗内微环境特点随林窗的大小、形状、纬度及所处位置的不同而变化。 林窗是推动森林演替和更新的重要因素之一, 林窗的形成、大小影响和控制着林内树种的组成和树木的更新。 树轮分析可用于检测树木的生长释放, 研究表明, 在样本数量较大时, 树木生长释放对重建过去的森林干扰是很有用的。
 

The researches on forest canopy gaps throughout the world , focused on gap formation, microenviro nmental characteristics and plant regeneration , treering analysis and gap disturbance reconstruction , were briefly introduced , with the aim of promoting the canopy gap studies in China.According to the reports w hich are mainly from North America and Europe , the gap area is no t only positive related to canopy size and diameter of the tree trunk , but also related to the death way .The factors such as species , tree′s age, elevation and climate zone have great influence on canopy gap′s formation and their characteristics .The microenvironment within the canopy gaps changes w ith the different g ap′s area, shape , latitude and position , et al .The gap is one of the key factors driving the forest succession and regeneration .The canopy gap′s formation and their area will response and control the species composition and forest
regeneration .Tree ring analysis can be used to detect the tree′s growth release .Several case studies showed that the tree′s growth release, if there is enough specimen , is very useful for the forest disturbance reconstruction .