Potential distribution of Qinghai spruce and assessment of its growth status in the upper reaches of the Heihe River in the Qilian Mountains of China

doi:10.3724/SP.J.1258.2011.00605

Abstract

Abstract:

Aims Study of the spatial distributions of species is important to biogeography. Studies can provide the foundation for ecological conservation and restoration. Therefore, our objective is to estimate Qinghai spruce’s (Picea crassifolia) potential distribution and assess its growth status in the upper reaches of the Heihe River in the Qilian Mountains of China.

Methods We built a biogeographical model of Qinghai spruce in environmental resource space at three dimensions based on concepts of Hutchinson’s n-dimensional hypervolume and relationships between species and resource utilization. The model requires data on species distribution and environmental variables important in the growth of the species. Data on the distribution of Qinghai spruce were obtained using Landsat TM data with supervised classification and decision-trees technology. The three most important environmental variables, i.e., mean growing season air temperature, mean annual precipitation and solar radiation, were spatialized with GIS technology.

Important findings The optimal combination of the three environmental variables (mean growing season air temperature, mean annual precipitation and solar radiation) in the area of Qinghai spruce distribution is 9 °C, 360 mm and 1.9 × 10³ kW·h·m^-2, respectively. The model is built to estimate Qinghai spruce’s potential distribution in a large area and to assess the species’ growth status at corresponding geographical positions. Our model provides a universal function that incorporates multiple environmental variables to estimate the species’ potential distribution and growth status in other regions.

Key words: fundamental niche, Picea crassifolia, potential distribution, resource utilization

PENG Shou-Zhang, ZHAO Chuan-Yan, XU Zhong-Lin, WANG Chao, LIU Yi-Yue. Potential distribution of Qinghai spruce and assessment of its growth status in the upper reaches of the Heihe River in the Qilian Mountains of China[J]. Chin J Plant Ecol, 2011, 35(6): 605-614.

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URL: https://www.plant-ecology.com/EN/10.3724/SP.J.1258.2011.00605

https://www.plant-ecology.com/EN/Y2011/V35/I6/605

Figures/Tables 11

Fig. 1 Location and digital elevation model (DEM) of study area and distribution of sampling plots.

Fig. 2 Distribution of grids for both study area and Picea crassifolia area with the gradient of average air temperature in growing season.

Fig. 3 Distribution of grids for both study area and Picea crassifolia forest area with the gradient of average annual precipitation.

Fig. 4 Distribution of grids for both study area and Picea crassifolia area with the gradient of solar radiation.

Fig. 5 Fitting of Picea crassifolia’s distribution frequency with gradient of solar radiation.

Fig. 6 Fitting of Picea crassifolia distribution frequency with the gradients of average annual precipitation and average air temperature in growing season.

Fig. 7 Fitting of Picea crassifolia distribution frequency with the gradients of average annual precipitation and solar radiation.

Fig. 8 Scatter plots of Picea crassifolia distribution frequency with the gradients of average annual precipitation, average air temperature in growing season and solar radiation.

Fig. 9 Potential distribution of Picea crassifolia and its growth status in the study area.

Fig. 10 Ratio of grids occupied by Picea crassifolia to total grids in different elevation zones.

Fig. 11 Scatter plots between estimated growth status and basal area of Picea crassifolia.

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