Tree height and tree species richness are both essential to characterize forest structure. Previous research showed that maximum tree height is a strong predictor of tree species richness at forests on a large scale. However, it is unknown whether this relationship exists in a forest at small scales. Here the intensively surveyed data from 1 ha of forest plot in northern Alabama was used to exam this relationship at small scales (e.g., 1 m × 1 m, 2 m × 2 m, …, and 50 m × 50 m). The results indicated that there was no significant correlation between the maximum tree height and tree species richness across small scales. Majority trees with the highest tree height at the small scales were oaks and hickories, which are dominant trees in this forest community through succession. A weak negative spatial autocorrelation existed in tree heights. Tree height distribution across the small scales followed power-laws but with varied scaling exponents. These scaling exponents were significantly correlated with tree species richness when the scales were no less than 1000 m², which was equivalent to have about 15 tree species in the study area. The results may explain the complicated relationship between tree species diversity and tree height. This study may provide implications for forest structure management and conservation.

树高和树种丰富度对于表征森林结构都是必不可少的。先前的研究表明，最大树高是大范围森林中树木物种丰富度的有力预测指标。但是，尚不知道这种关系是否在小规模的森林中存在。在这里，使用阿拉巴马州北部1公顷森林地块的密集调查数据，以小比例（例如1 m×1 m，2 m×2 m，…和50 m×50 m）检验这种关系。结果表明，在小尺度上，最大树高与树种丰富度之间没有显着相关性。在小范围内具有最高树高的多数树是橡树和山胡桃木，它们是该森林群落中演替后的优势树。树高存在弱的负空间自相关。小尺度上的树高分布遵循幂律，但尺度指数变化。当尺度不小于1000 m时，这些尺度指数与树木物种丰富度显着相关。²，相当于研究区域中约有15种树木。结果可能解释了树种多样性与树高之间的复杂关系。这项研究可能对森林结构的管理和保护提供启示。