Vegetation patterns related to environmental factors in a Negev Desert watershed

Three strip transects, each ca 100 contiguous 0.5 × 1 m² quadrats, were sampled during the spring bloom of March 1981 across four surface structural units of a Negev Desert research watershed at Sede Boqer, Israel. Presence of all vascular plants was recorded. Data were subjected to detrended corres...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Vegetatio 1983-01, Vol.54 (3), p.153-165
Main Authors: Olsvig-Whittaker, L, Shackak, M, Yair, A
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Animal and plant ecology
Animal, plant and microbial ecology
Biological and medical sciences
Colluvium
Desert soils
Deserts
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
Ordination
Soil depth
Soil water
Species
Species diversity
Synecology
Terrestrial ecosystems
Vegetation
Watersheds
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Summary:Three strip transects, each ca 100 contiguous 0.5 × 1 m² quadrats, were sampled during the spring bloom of March 1981 across four surface structural units of a Negev Desert research watershed at Sede Boqer, Israel. Presence of all vascular plants was recorded. Data were subjected to detrended correspondence analysis (DCA ordination), and resulting spatial patterns of species distribution and abundance were compared. Large-scale gradients of vegetation were related to differences in soil moisture availability among the four structural units. Where micro-scale vegetation patterns were important, these correlated with rock and crevice microtopography. Species richness was influenced by high numbers of therophytes on the dry upper slope of the watershed and their reduced importance on the lower three units. Relationships between vegetational patterns and known ecosystem properties of the watershed are discussed.
ISSN:0042-3106
1573-5052
DOI:10.1007/bf00047104