Chin J Plant Ecol ›› 2022, Vol. 46 ›› Issue (1): 114-122.DOI: 10.17521/cjpe.2021.0223

Special Issue: 青藏高原植物生态学:植被生态学 青藏高原植物生态学:数据论文

• Data Paper • Previous Articles    

Characteristics of Juniperus community types in the Three-River-Source Region

Qin ZHU1, Pan NING1, Lin HOU1,*(), Jia-Tian HAO2, Yun-Yun HU2   

  1. 1College of Forestry, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, China
    2Northwest Surveying and Planning Institute of National Forestry and Grassland Administration, Xi’an 710048, China
  • Received:2021-06-11 Accepted:2021-09-28 Online:2022-01-20 Published:2022-04-13
  • Contact: Lin HOU

Abstract:

Aims Juniperus community is an important component of natural forest resources in the Three-River-Source Region, which is significant in maintaining biodiversity and ecological security on the Qingzang Plateau. Yet, the information on the characteristics of the Juniperus community is lacking due to their special geographical location and varied topography. In this study, the main vegetation types of Juniperus community were investigated, and the main characteristics of each community type were described quantitatively by analyzing data from 53 plots. Methods Based on the analysis of forest resources inventory data in the Three-River-Source Region, the representative distribution area of Juniperus was selected to set up 7 sites, a total of 53 plots. Through the investigation of field communities and plot properties, the importance of each species was quantified and calculated. The principle of life form and dominance methods in Vegetation of China were used to determine community types. Important findings (1) The Juniperus plant community in the Three-River-Source Region was divided into 6 alliances, and then further divided into 15 associations. (2) In total, 142 species of seed plants were recorded, which was belonged to 34 families and 90 genera. Among them, Compositae was the major family, accounting for 16.20% of the total species. (3) The vertical structure of the community was obvious, in which the dominant species in the tree layer was single. The dominant species in the shrub layer were Berberis diaphana, Potentilla glabra and shrubby Juniperus tibetica. The herb layer were dominated by Carex and Pedicularis. (4) Among the geographical elements of seed plant species, the Temperate distribution accounted for 52.59% of the total species, while the rest was Chinese endemic species accounting for 47.41%. Temperate Asian, East Asian and Central Asian were the dominated areal-types in the Temperate distribution. Furthermore, the floristic elements of Hengduanshan flora and Tanggut flora were mixed formed the unique characteristic areal-type in the region.

Key words: plant community type, Juniperus, Three-River-Source Region, areal-type, species composition