The study aimed to analyze the niche dynamics of the populations of vegetation communities in natural restoration succession process on sloping land with purple soils in Hengyang basin by the quantitative analysis method. First

by using the space series to replace time courses

four typical sample plots standing for four different successive stages were chosen. Then each investigation quadrate was used as the synthetic resource state including multi-dimension resources. The niche breadths of all the populations in different succession stages and the niche overlaps among all the populations in the same succession stage were measured using the formula given by Levins and Pianka and their ecological senses were further analyzed. Results showed that (1) In each stage

community was dominated by the dominant species with the largest niche breaths

which reveals their stronger capacity to adapt to environment and higher efficiency to utilize resources. (2) The dynamics of niche breadths of the populations in community process properly manifested the dynamics of corresponding populations and habitats

especially the replacement between dominant species. (3) In general

the niche overlaps were higher between the species that have greater niche breadths than between those that have relatively narrow niche breadths. The niche overlaps were also higher between two species that have more similar ecological characteristics. (4) With succession process

the average niche overlap of populations in communities increased first

reached tiptop in middle anaphase

and then decreased little in anaphase

which is mainly caused by interspecific and intraspecific competitions of populations in communities. This study

to some degree

may enrich and broaden the vegetation ecology and restoration ecology of the area and provide a theoretical basis for the vegetation recovery and reconstruction of ecosystem on sloping land with purple soils in Hengyang basin.