| Orginal Article |
|
|
|
|
| Spatial pattern of plant species diversity and the influencing factors in a Gobi Desert within the Heihe River Basin, Northwest China |
| Pingping ZHANG1,2, Ming’an SHAO1,2,3,*, Xingchang ZHANG1,2 |
1 Institute of Soil and Water Conservation, Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100, China
2 State Key Laboratory of Soil Erosion and Dryland Farming on the Loess Plateau, Institute of Soil and Water Conservation, Chinese Academy of Sciences and Ministry of Water Resources, Yangling 712100, China
3 Key Laboratory of Ecosystem Network Observation and Modeling, Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China |
|
|
|
Abstract Understanding the spatial pattern of plant species diversity and the influencing factors has important implications for the conservation and management of ecosystem biodiversity. The transitional zone between biomes in desert ecosystems, however, has received little attention in that regard. In this study, we conducted a quantitative field survey (including 187 sampling plots) in a 40-km2 study area to determine the spatial pattern of plant species diversity and analyze the influencing factors in a Gobi Desert within the Heihe River Basin, Northwest China. A total of 42 plant species belonging to 16 families and 39 genera were recorded. Shrub and semi-shrub species generally represented the major part of the plant communities (covering 90% of the land surface), while annual and perennial herbaceous species occupied a large proportion of the total recorded species (71%). Patrick richness index (R), Shannon-Wiener diversity index (H'), Simpson’s dominance index (D), and Pielou’s evenness index (J) were all moderately spatially variable, and the variability increased with increasing sampling area. The semivariograms for R and H' were best fitted with Gaussian models while the semivariograms for D and J were best fitted with exponential models. Nugget-to-still ratios indicated a moderate spatial autocorrelation for R, H', and D while a strong spatial autocorrelation was observed for J. The spatial patterns of R and H' were closely related to the geographic location within the study area, with lower values near the oasis and higher values near the mountains. However, there was an opposite trend for D. R, H', and D were significantly correlated with elevation, soil texture, bulk density, saturated hydraulic conductivity, and total porosity (P<0.05). Generally speaking, locations at higher elevations tended to have higher species richness and diversity and the higher elevations were characterized by higher values in sand and gravel contents, bulk density, and saturated hydraulic conductivity and also by lower values in total porosity. Furthermore, spatial variability of plant species diversity was dependent on the sampling area.
|
|
Received: 23 June 2016
Published: 10 May 2017
|
|
Corresponding Authors:
|
|
|
| [1] | Abrams P A.1995. Monotonic or unimodal diversity-productivity gradients: what does competition theory predict?. Ecology, 76(7): 2019-2027. | | [2] | Adams J M, Zhang Y J.2009. Is there more insect folivory in warmer temperate climates? A latitudinal comparison of insect folivory in eastern North America. Journal of Ecology, 97(5): 933-940. | | [3] | Arekhi S, Heydari M, Pourbabaei H.2010. Vegetation-environmental relationships and ecological species groups of the Ilam Oak forest landscape, Iran. Caspian Journal of Environmental Sciences, 8(2): 115-125. | | [4] | Burgess T M, Webster R.1980a. Optimal interpolation and isarithmic mapping of soil properties. I. The semi-variogram and punctual kriging. European Journal of Soil Science, 31(2): 315-331. | | [5] | Burgess T M, Webster R.1980b. Optimal interpolation and isarithmic mapping of soil properties. II. Block kriging. European Journal of Soil Science, 31(2): 333-341. | | [6] | Cambardella C A, Moorman T B, Parkin T B, et al.1994. Field-scale variability of soil properties in central Iowa soils. Soil Science Society of America Journal, 58(5): 1501-1511. | | [7] | Chandy S, Gibson D.2009. Scale dependency of species composition and environmental variables in the strata of a deciduous forest. Community Ecology, 10(1): 121-130. | | [8] | Chigani H K, Khajeddin S J, Karimzadeh H R.2012. Soil-vegetation relationships of three arid land plant species and their use in rehabilitating degraded sites. Land Degradation & Development, 23(1): 92-101. | | [9] | Collins B, Wein G.1998. Soil heterogeneity effects on canopy structure and composition during early succession. Plant Ecology, 138(2): 217-217. | | [10] | Costanza J K, Moody A, Peet R K.2011. Multi-scale environmental heterogeneity as a predictor of plant species richness. Landscape Ecology, 26(6): 851-864. | | [11] | Danin A.1976. Plant species diversity under desert conditions. Oecologia, 22(3): 251-259. | | [12] | Du H Q, Zhou G M, Fan W Y, et al.2010. Spatial heterogeneity and carbon contribution of aboveground biomass of moso bamboo by using geostatistical theory. Plant Ecology, 207(1): 131-139. | | [13] | Fibich P, Lep? J, Novotny V, et al.2016. Spatial patterns of tree species distribution in New Guinea primary and secondary lowland rain forest. Journal of Vegetation Science, 27(2): 328-339. | | [14] | Fu B J, Liu S L, Ma K M, et al.2004. Relationships between soil characteristics, topography and plant diversity in a heterogeneous deciduous broad-leaved forest near Beijing, China. Plant and Soil, 261(1-2): 47-54. | | [15] | Grime J P.1979. Plant Strategies and Vegetation Processes. Chinchester: John Wiley. | | [16] | Gundale M J, Fajardo A, Lucas R W, et al.2011. Resource heterogeneity does not explain the diversity-productivity relationship across a boreal island fertility gradient. Ecography, 34(5): 887-896. | | [17] | He Z B, Zhao W Z.2004. Spatial pattern of two dominant shrub populations at transitional zone between oasis and desert of Heihe River Basin. Chinese Journal of Applied Ecology, 15(6): 947-952. (in Chinese) | | [18] | He Z B, Zhao W Z, Chang X X, et al.2006. Scale dependence in desert plant diversity. Biodiversity and Conservation, 15(9): 3055-3064. | | [19] | Huerta-Martínez F M, Vázquez-García J A, García-Moya E, et al.2004. Vegetation ordination at the southern Chihuahuan Desert (San Luis Potosi, Mexico). Plant Ecology, 174(1): 79-87. | | [20] | Irl S D H, Harter D E V, Steinbauer M J, et al.2015. Climate vs. topography-spatial patterns of plant species diversity and endemism on a high-elevation island. Journal of Ecology, 103(6): 1621-1633. | | [21] | Klute A, Dirksen C.1986. Hydraulic conductivity of saturated soils. In: Klute A. Methods of Soil Analysis. Madison,WI: ASA and SSSA, 694-700. | | [22] | Kong L J, Shen J Q.2003. Analysis on species diversity of plant communities in the southeastern Tenggeli Desert. Journal of Ningxia Agricultural College, 24(4): 25-28, 41. (in Chinese) | | [23] | Li L, Zhou X Y, Huang Z L, et al.2006. Study on the relationship between α diversity of plant community and environment on Dinghushan. Acta Ecologica Sinica, 26(7): 2301-2307. (in Chinese) | | [24] | Li X R, Zhang Z S, Zhang J G, et al.2004. Association between vegetation patterns and soil properties in the southeastern Tengger Desert, China. Arid Land Research and Management, 18(4): 369-383. | | [25] | Liu X F, Zhu X F, Pan Y Z, et al.2016. Vegetation dynamics in Qinling-Daba Mountains in relation to climate factors between 2000 and 2014. Journal of Geographical Sciences, 26(1): 45-58. | | [26] | Lomolino M V.2001. Elevation gradients of species-density: historical and prospective views. Global Ecology and Biogeography, 10(1): 3-13. | | [27] | Lundholm J T, Larson D W.2003. Relationships between spatial environmental heterogeneity and plant species diversity on a limestone pavement. Ecography, 26(6): 715-722. | | [28] | Maestre F T, Cortina J, Bautista S, et al.2003. Small-scale environmental heterogeneity and spatiotemporal dynamics of seedling establishment in a semiarid degraded ecosystem. Ecosystems, 6(7): 630-643. | | [29] | Matheron G.1963. Principles of geostatistics. Economic Geology, 58(8): 1246-1266. | | [30] | Mittelbach G G, Steiner C F, Scheiner S M, et al.2001. What is the observed relationship between species richness and productivity? Ecology, 82(9): 2381-2396. | | [31] | Mu?oz-Reinoso J C, Novo F G.2005. Multiscale control of vegetation patterns: the case of Do?ana (SW Spain). Landscape Ecology, 20(1): 51-61. | | [32] | Nelson D W, Sommers L E.1982. Total carbon, organic carbon and organic matter. In: Page A L, Miller R H, Keeney D R. Methods of Soil Analysis, Part 2, Chemical and Microbiological Properties. Madison,WI: ASA and SSSA, 534-580. | | [33] | Peet R K.1981. Forest vegetation of the Colorado front range. Vegetatio, 45(1): 3-75. | | [34] | Pellissier L, Fiedler K, Ndribe C, et al.2012. Shifts in species richness, herbivore specialization, and plant resistance along elevation gradients. Ecology and Evolution, 2(8): 1818-1825. | | [35] | Reynolds H L, Mittelbach G G, Darcy-hall T L, et al.2007. No effect of varying soil resource heterogeneity on plant species richness in a low fertility grassland. Journal of Ecology, 95(4): 723-733. | | [36] | Ricotta C, Avena G.2003. On the relationship between Pielou’s evenness and landscape dominance within the context of Hill’s diversity profiles. Ecological Indicators, 2(4): 361-365. | | [37] | Rodríguez-Casta?eda G, Dyer L A, Brehm G, et al.2010. Tropical forests are not flat: how mountains affect herbivore diversity. Ecology Letters, 13(11): 1348-1357. | | [38] | Schneider K, Leopold U, Gerschlauer F, et al.2011. Spatial and temporal variation of soil moisture in dependence of multiple environmental parameters in semi-arid grasslands. Plant and Soil, 340(1-2): 73-88. | | [39] | Slaton M R.2015. The roles of disturbance, topography and climate in determining the leading and rear edges of population range limits. Journal of Biogeography, 42(2): 255-266. | | [40] | Su Y Z, Yang R.2008. Background concentrations of elements in surface soils and their changes as affected by agriculture use in the desert-oasis ecotone in the middle of Heihe River Basin, North-west China. Journal of Geochemical Exploration, 98(3): 57-64. | | [41] | Sutherland W J.1999. Manual of Ecology Survey Methods. Beijing Scientific and Technical Documents Publishing House. | | [42] | Thuiller W, Lavorel S, Araújo M B, et al.2005. Climate change threats to plant diversity in Europe. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 102(23): 8245-8250. | | [43] | Unger P W.1971. Soil profile gravel layers: II. Effect on growth and water use by a hybrid forage sorghum. Soil Science Society of America Journal, 35(6): 980-983. | | [44] | Vázquez García J A, Givnish T J.1998. Altitudinal gradients in tropical forest composition, structure, and diversity in the Sierra de Manantlán. Journal of Ecology, 86(6): 999-1020. | | [45] | Wallace C S A, Watts J M, Yool S R.2000. Characterizing the spatial structure of vegetation communities in the Mojave Desert using geostatistical techniques. Computers & Geosciences, 26(4): 397-410. | | [46] | Wang C T, Cao G M, Wang Q L, et al.2007. Characteristics of artificial grassland plant communities with different establishment duration and their relationships with soil properties in the source region of three rivers in China. Chinese Journal of Applied Ecology, 18(11): 2426-2431. (in Chinese) | | [47] | Wang G H, Zhou G S, Yang L M, et al.2003. Distribution, species diversity and life-form spectra of plant communities along an altitudinal gradient in the northern slopes of Qilianshan Mountains, Gansu, China. Plant Ecology, 165(2): 169-181. | | [48] | Wang J H, Zhou S W, Ren P Z.1996. Studies on the species diversity of plant communities and their ecotopes in the northeastern Ulan Buh Desert. Journal of Desert Research, 16(3): 258-265. (In Chinese) | | [49] | Wilson J B, Sykes M T.1988. Some tests for niche limitation by examination of species diversity in the Dunedin area, New Zealand. New Zealand Journal of Botany, 26(2): 237-244. | | [50] | Wilson J B, Lee W G, Mark A F.1990. Species diversity in relation to ultramafic substrate and to altitude in southwestern New Zealand. Vegetatio, 86(1): 15-20. | | [51] | Xu Y J, Chen Y N, Li W H, et al.2011. Distribution pattern of plant species diversity in the mountainous Region of Ili River Valley, Xinjiang. Environmental Monitoring and Assessment, 177(1-4): 681-694. | | [52] | Yang Y H, Chen Y N, Li W H.2009. Relationship between soil properties and plant diversity in a desert riparian forest in the lower reaches of the Tarim River, Xinjiang, China. Arid Land Research and Management, 23(4): 283-296. | | [53] | Yost R S, Uehara G, Fox R L.1982. Geostatistical analysis of soil chemical properties of large land areas. I. Semi-variograms. Soil Science Society of America Journal, 46(5): 1028-1032. | | [54] | Zare-Mehrjardi M, Taghizadeh-Mehrjardi R, Akbarzadeh A.2010. Evaluation of geostatistical techniques for mapping spatial distribution of soil pH, salinity and plant cover affected by environmental factors in Southern Iran. Notulae Scientia Biologicae, 2(4): 92-103. | | [55] | Zhang L J, Yue M, Zhang Y D, et al.2003. Characteristics of plant community species diversity of oasis desert ecotone in Fukang, Xinjiang. Scientia Geographica Sinica, 23(3): 329-334. (in Chinese) | | [56] | Zhang P P, Shao M A.2015. Spatio-temporal variability of surface soil water content and its influencing factors in a desert area, China. Hydrological Sciences Journal, 60(1): 96-110. | | [57] | Zhang R, Liu T, Zhang J L, et al.2016. Spatial and environmental determinants of plant species diversity in a temperate desert. Journal of Plant Ecology, 9(2): 124-131. | | [58] | Zhang Y J, Adams J, Zhao D H.2011. Does insect folivory vary with latitude among temperate deciduous forests? Ecological Research, 26(2): 377-383. | | [59] | Zhao Y Y, Wang Y J, Wang Y Q, et al.2009. Plant biodiversity of different water conservation forest models and their relationship with soil properties in northern water source area of Chongqing city, southwestern China. Ecology and Environmental Sciences, 18(6): 2260-2266. (in Chinese) | | [60] | Zuo X A, Zhao H L, Zhao X Y, et al.2008. Plant distribution at the mobile dune scale and its relevance to soil properties and topographic features. Environmental Geology, 54(5): 1111-1120. | | [61] | Zuo X A, Zhao X Y, Zhao H L, et al.2012. Scale dependent effects of environmental factors on vegetation pattern and composition in Horqin Sandy Land, Northern China. Geoderma, 173-174: 1-9. |
|
|
Viewed |
|
|
|
Full text
|
|
|
|
|
Abstract
|
|
|
|
|
Cited |
|
|
|
|
| |
Shared |
|
|
|
|
| |
Discussed |
|
|
|
|
