Fine-scale spatial patterns of Stellera chamaejasme population in degraded alpine grassland in upper reaches of Heihe, China

doi:10.3773/j.issn.1005-264x.2010.11.009

Abstract

Abstract:

Aims The formation and changes of patches has an important effect on population patterns. Our objectives are to determine 1) how patches are formed during the process of Stellera chamaejasme population dispersion, 2) what is the effect on pattern during forming and changing of the patch and 3) what roles the formation and changes of the patches play in population dispersion.
Methods We studied five 2 m × 2 m plots of different S. chamaejasme cover in the upper reaches of Heihe, China, using the point pattern method to analyze population pattern, size and density.
Important findings With increasing cover, the population density and territory density tended to increase, decrease, and then increase and the number of the S. chamaejasme population tended to increase and decrease in turn. In the study area, the pattern under 31%-40% cover at all scales was a random distribution. Under the cover of 41%-50%, 51%-60%, 61%-70% and 71%-80%, the distribution pattern was random—clumped—random or regular—random—clumped—random and the clumped density was different. It formed patches during the process of S. chamaejasme population dispersion, which was clumped for external and random or regular for internal S. chamaejasme population dispersion through which patches combine and annex.

Key words: northern slope of Qilian Mountains, patch, population dispersion, spatial distribution pattern, Stellera chamaejasme population

ZHAO Cheng-Zhang, GAO Fu-Yuan, WANG Xiao-Peng, SHENG Ya-Ping, SHI Fu-Xi. Fine-scale spatial patterns of Stellera chamaejasme population in degraded alpine grassland in upper reaches of Heihe, China[J]. Chin J Plant Ecol, 2010, 34(11): 1319-1326.

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URL: https://www.plant-ecology.com/EN/10.3773/j.issn.1005-264x.2010.11.009

https://www.plant-ecology.com/EN/Y2010/V34/I11/1319

Figures/Tables 4

Fig. 1 Projection drawing of Stellera chamaejasme plant in plot. A, Subcoverage of 31%-40%. B, Subcoverage of 41%-50%. C, Subcoverage of 51%-60%. D, Subcoverage of 61%-70%. E, Subcoverage of 71%-80%.

Fig. 2 Patch characteristics of Stellera chamaejasme population. a, subcoverage of 31%-40%; b, subcoverage of 41%-50%; c, subcoverage of 51%-60%; d, subcoverage of 61%-70%; e, subcoverage of 71%-80%.

Table 1 The size composition of Stellera chamaejasme population patches

分盖度 Subcoverage	株级/株 Class/Plant
分盖度 Subcoverage	I	II	III	IV	V
31%-40%	58	11	3	0	0
41%-50%	77	13	3	1	0
51%-60%	128	15	4	2	0
61%-70%	90	18	5	2	1
71%-80%	126	15	4	4	2

Fig. 3 Results of point pattern analysis for Stellera chamaejasme population. A, Subcoverage of 31%-40%. B, Subcoverage of 41%-50%. C, Subcoverage of 51%-60%. D, Subcoverage of 61%-70%. E, Subcoverage of 71%-80%.

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