The elevational differentiation pattern of understory plant diversity and its relationship with soil factors are vital for diversity research of forests.We examined understory plant diversity and soil factors at different eleva-tions(400-600,600-800,800-1000,and 1000-1220 m)and their relationship in a sandstone peak forest in the Zhangjiajie National Forest Park.The results showed that:(1)species with the highest importance values in the shrub and herbaceous layers differed among elevations,with the richest understory species in the 1000-1220 m...