Effects of Topographical and Edaphic Factors on the Distribution of Plant Communities in two Subtropical Karst Forests,Southwestern China

• Published in: Journal of mountain science 2013-02, Vol.10 (1), p.95-104
• Main Authors: Zhang, Zhong-hua, Hu, Gang, Ni, Jian
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Earth and Environmental Science; Earth Sciences; Ecology; Elevation; Environment; Environmental factors; Forest communities; Forest ecosystems; Forests; Geography; Indicator species; Karst; Ordination; Plant communities; Plant species; Rocks; Soil properties; Soil sciences; Topography; Vegetation; Vegetation mapping; Woody plants; 中亚热带; 中国西南地区; 喀斯特森林; 国家级自然保护区; 土壤因素; 地形因素; 植物群落类型; 除趋势典范对应分析
• ISSN: 1672-6316; 1993-0321; 1008-2786
• DOI: 10.1007/s11629-013-2429-7

Relationships between topography,soil properties and the distribution of plant communities on two different rocky hillsides are examined in two subtropical karst forests in the Maolan National Natural Reserve,southwestern China.Surveys of two 1-ha permanent plots at each forest,and measurements of four topographic and thirteen edaphic factors on the slopes were performed.Twoway Indicator Species Analysis（TWINSPAN） and Detrended Canonical Correspondence Analysis（DCCA） were used for the classification of plant communities and for vegetation ordination with environmental variables.One hundred 10m×10m quadrats in each plot were classified into four plant community types.A clear altitudinal gradient suggested that elevation was important in community differentiation.The topography and soil explained 51.06% and 54.69% of the variability of the distribution of plant species in the two forest plots,respectively,indicating both topographic factors（eg.elevation,slope and rock-bareness rate） and edaphic factors（e.g.total P,K and exchangeable Ca） were the important drivers of the distribution of woody plant species in subtropical karst forest.However,our results suggested that topographical factors were more important than edaphic ones in affecting local plant distribution on steep slopes with extensive rock outcrops,while edaphic factors were more influential on gentle slope and relatively thick soil over rock in subtropical karst forest.Understanding relationships between vegetation and environmental factors in karst forest ecosystems would enable us to apply these findings in vegetation management strategies and restoration of forest communities.