Forest community analysis in the Songshan national nature reserve of China using self-organizing map

The forest communities in the Songshan National Nature Reserve (SNNR) of China were analyzed by using self-organizing map (SOM). Seven types of vegetation were defined by SOM, and represented the panorama of forest communities in the SNNR. The classification of samples and species contribution was consistent. SOM classification and the dominant species visualization in the forest community data in SNNR reflected the impact of the environmental factors, such as elevation, and slope.