Patterns of plant diversity within and among three tropical cloud forest communities in Hainan Island

doi:10.17521/cjpe.2016.0021

Abstract

Abstract: Aims

We explored α and β species diversity, functional diversity and phylogenetic diversity distribution patterns in three tropical cloud forests along environmental gradients in air temperature and precipitation.

Methods

We sampled plots in three tropical cloud forests which are located in the west (Bawangling, 21 plots, BWL), the southwest (Jianfengling, 12 plots, JFL), and the central of Hainan Island (Limushan, 15 plots, LMS). We collected species data and functional trait data including plant height, specific leaf area, chlorophyll content, leaf thickness and wood density. We assessed the differences within- and among-community species diversity, functional diversity and phylogenetic diversity in these three tropical cloud forests using the Kruskal-Wallis test.

Important findings

The tropical cloud forests in JFL had the highest species abundance and richness whereas the lowest in LMS. However, the Bray-Curtis and Jaccard dissimilarity coefficients showed the opposite distribution patterns (i.e. the highest in LMS whereas the lowest in BWL). Distinct distribution patterns in species diversity across the three tropical cloud forests may be explained by the air temperature and relative humidity. The functional evenness (FEve) within communities was the highest while functional richness (FRic), Rao’s quadratic entropy (RaoQ) and the mean pairwise trait distance among communities were the lowest in JFL, indicating that habitat filtering plays an important role in community assembly. BWL had the highest RaoQ and mean pairwise trait distance among communities, and the lowest FEve, which demonstrated that limiting similarity would be prevalent in forest communities assembled. LMS had the highest FRic within communities and mean nearest trait distance among communities, leading to a limiting similarity influencing forest communities. BWL had the highest Faith phylogenetic diversity (PD) within communities and mean nearest phylogenetic distance among communities, reflecting an overdispersed pattern in phylogenetic structures. LMS had the lowest PD and mean pairwise phylogenetic distance within and among communities, suggesting that a clustered pattern in phylogenetic structures. The mean pairwise phylogenetic distance within and across communities were the highest in JFL while the mean nearest phylogenetic distance within communities was the lowest, indicating that phylogenetic clustering and overdispersion patterns co-occur in this forest. We conclude that both plant species interactions and environmental filtering determine the distribution patterns of plant species diversity, functional diversity and phylogenetic diversity both within and among three tropical cloud forests in Hainan Island.

http://jtp.cnki.net/bilingual/detail/html/ZWSB201605005

Key words: species diversity, functional diversity, phylogenetic diversity, tropical cloud forest, Hainan Island

Xi-Xi WANG, Wen-Xing LONG, Xiao-Bo YANG, Meng-Hui XIONG, Yong KANG, Jin HUANG, Xu WANG, Xiao-Jiang HONG, Zhao-Li ZHOU, Yong-Quan LU, Jing FANG, Shi-Xing LI. Patterns of plant diversity within and among three tropical cloud forest communities in Hainan Island[J]. Chin J Plant Ecol, 2016, 40(5): 469-479.

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Figures/Tables 6

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研究样地 Study site	海拔 Elevation (m)	经度 Longitude (E)	纬度 Latitude (N)	坡度 Slope (°)	样方数 No. of plots	样方面积 Plot area (m²)	优势种 Dominant species
尖峰岭 Jianfengling	1 187.17-1 397.19	108.87°	18.72°	10-65	12	4 800	罗浮锥 Castanopsis fabri, 丛花厚壳桂 Cryptocarya densiflora, 美丽新木姜子 Neolitsea pulchella, 黄叶树 Xanthophyllum hainanense
霸王岭 Bawangling	1 313.24-1 385.24	109.21°	19.08°	2-45	21	8 400	蚊母树 Distylium racemosum, 赤楠 Syzygium buxifolium, 九节 Psychotria asiatica, 黄杞 Engelhardia rox- burghiana
黎母山 Limushan	1 363.73-1 403.32	109.76°	19.18°	3-42	15	6 000	野茶 Camellia sinensis var. assamica, 岭南青冈 Cyclob- alanopsis championii, 罗浮锥 Castanopsis fabri, 细枝柃 Eurya loquaiana

研究样地 Study site	海拔 Elevation (m)	经度 Longitude (E)	纬度 Latitude (N)	坡度 Slope (°)	样方数 No. of plots	样方面积 Plot area (m²)	优势种 Dominant species
尖峰岭 Jianfengling	1 187.17-1 397.19	108.87°	18.72°	10-65	12	4 800	罗浮锥 Castanopsis fabri, 丛花厚壳桂 Cryptocarya densiflora, 美丽新木姜子 Neolitsea pulchella, 黄叶树 Xanthophyllum hainanense
霸王岭 Bawangling	1 313.24-1 385.24	109.21°	19.08°	2-45	21	8 400	蚊母树 Distylium racemosum, 赤楠 Syzygium buxifolium, 九节 Psychotria asiatica, 黄杞 Engelhardia rox- burghiana
黎母山 Limushan	1 363.73-1 403.32	109.76°	19.18°	3-42	15	6 000	野茶 Camellia sinensis var. assamica, 岭南青冈 Cyclob- alanopsis championii, 罗浮锥 Castanopsis fabri, 细枝柃 Eurya loquaiana

性状 Trait	霸王岭 Bawangling		黎母山 Limushan		尖峰岭 Jianfengling
性状 Trait	K	p	K	p	K	p
植株高度 Plant height (H)	0.228	0.114	0.068	0.014	0.050	0.162
比叶面积 Specific leaf area (SLA)	0.294	0.059	0.098	0.006	0.037	0.282
叶绿素含量 Chlorophyll content (Chl)	0.223	0.042	0.225	0.001	0.053	0.073
叶厚度 Leaf thickness (LTh)	0.255	0.048	0.141	0.001	0.044	0.151
木材密度 Wood density (WD)	0.358	0.004	0.095	0.014	0.023	0.505

性状 Trait	霸王岭 Bawangling		黎母山 Limushan		尖峰岭 Jianfengling
性状 Trait	K	p	K	p	K	p
植株高度 Plant height (H)	0.228	0.114	0.068	0.014	0.050	0.162
比叶面积 Specific leaf area (SLA)	0.294	0.059	0.098	0.006	0.037	0.282
叶绿素含量 Chlorophyll content (Chl)	0.223	0.042	0.225	0.001	0.053	0.073
叶厚度 Leaf thickness (LTh)	0.255	0.048	0.141	0.001	0.044	0.151
木材密度 Wood density (WD)	0.358	0.004	0.095	0.014	0.023	0.505

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