The Fushan Long-Term Ecological Site was established in 1992. It is the first LTER site in Taiwan. The site is managed by Taiwan Forestry Research Institute. It is characterized by steep slopes (averaging 35%), and frequent rainfall. FEF is very moist with relative humidity above 90% most of the time throughout the year. The forest is characterized as a moist subtropical mixed evergreen forest without an observable dormant season. The dominant tree species include Castanopsis carlesii, Machilus thunbergii, Engelhardtia roxburghiana. Shrubs were mostly Ardisia quinquegona,Blastus cochinchinensis and Lasianthus fordii. The forest is multistoried with scattered tree ferns and shrubs, and with an herbaceous ground cover of 20% on the ridge, 70% on slopes, and 80% in the valley.