Composition of plant life forms of subtropical shrubland in China and its correlation with temperature and precipitation

doi:10.17521/cjpe.2016.0212

Abstract

Abstract:

Aims Shrubland is one of the most important vegetation types in subtropical region, but studies on its life-form composition and geographic patterns are scarce. In this paper, we addressed the following questions: what are the characteristics of the composition of plant life forms of subtropical shrublands in China? And what are the relation-ships between the life form compositions, geographic patterns of subtropical shrublands and hydrothermal factors?
Methods A total of 688 plots, designed with the stratified random sampling method, were systematically set and investigated in subtropical shrublands in China. Life forms were identified based on Raunkiaer’s (1934) life form systems. Life form spectrums were compiled at each sampling site and within the whole shrubland, respectively. Partial correlation analysis was applied to reveal the latitudinal, longitudinal and altitudinal patterns of each life form. Pearson’s correlation analysis was adopted to evaluate the relationships between each life form and hydrothermal factors. Further, redundancy analysis (RDA) was used to distinguish the effect of temperature and precipitation on geographical variations of life forms.
Important findings (1) In subtropical shrublands in China, 56.37% of the total species were woody species, among which 33.88% were deciduous species and 22.49% were evergreen species. The remaining 43.63% of the total species were herbaceous species, dominated by 35.15% perennials. Generally, phaenerophytes (Ph) was the most dominant component, while the second dominant one was hemicryptophytes (H). The life form spectrum showed a pattern of Ph (55.74%) > H (31.03%) > T (therophytes 8.80%) > Cr (cryptophytes 4.08%) > Ch (chamaephytes 1.34%). (2) Plant life forms mainly exhibited longitudinal and altitudinal patterns. With the increase of longitude, the percentage of Ph tended to increase while H, Cr and T tended to decrease. Furthermore, an increase in altitude would lead to an increase in H and Cr but a decrease in Ph, Ch and T. (3) Among all the investigated climatic factors, the mean temperature of the warmest month (MWT) and the mean precipitation of the coldest month (MCP) had the greatest impact on Ph, H, Cr and T. With an increase of MWT and MCP, Ph would increase while H, Cr and T would decrease. Taken together, MWT and MCP could explain 41.97% of the variation of life form spectrum, among which 28.35% was attributed to their joint-effect. The results suggested that Ph and H were mainly influenced by both temperature and precipitation, and that Cr was more sensitive to temperature gradients. Besides, T was more sensitive to precipitation, and Ch showed little fluctuation along hydrothermal gradients. In conclusion, MWT and MCP are the most important hydrothermic factors that determine the geographic patterns of life forms in subtropical shrublands in China.

http://jtp.cnki.net/bilingual/detail/html/ZWSB201701005

Key words: plant life-form spectra, geographic patterns, sensitivity, environmental gradients, RDA ordination

Jia-Xiang LI, Gao-Ming XIONG, Wen-Ting XU, Yue-Lin LI, Zhi-Jun LU, Chang-Ming ZHAO, Zong-Qiang XIE. Composition of plant life forms of subtropical shrubland in China and its correlation with temperature and precipitation[J]. Chin J Plant Ecol, 2017, 41(1): 147-156.

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https://www.plant-ecology.com/EN/Y2017/V41/I1/147

Figures/Tables 7

References 39

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生长型 Growth form	常绿 Evergreen	落叶 Deciduous	多年生 Perennial	一年生 Annual	合计 Total
乔木 Tree	128 (6.87)	154 (8.27)			282 (15.14)
灌木 Shrub	268 (14.39)	411 (22.06)			679 (36.45)
亚灌木 Sub-shrub		13 (0.70)			13 (0.70)
木质藤本 Woody vine	23 (1.23)	53 (2.84)			76 (4.08)
草质藤本 Herbaceous vine			31 (1.66)	8 (0.43)	39 (2.09)
草本植物 Herb			624 (33.49)	150 (8.05)	774 (41.54)
合计 Total	419 (22.49)	631 (33.87)	655 (35.15)	158 (8.48)	1 863 (100.00)

生长型 Growth form	常绿 Evergreen	落叶 Deciduous	多年生 Perennial	一年生 Annual	合计 Total
乔木 Tree	128 (6.87)	154 (8.27)			282 (15.14)
灌木 Shrub	268 (14.39)	411 (22.06)			679 (36.45)
亚灌木 Sub-shrub		13 (0.70)			13 (0.70)
木质藤本 Woody vine	23 (1.23)	53 (2.84)			76 (4.08)
草质藤本 Herbaceous vine			31 (1.66)	8 (0.43)	39 (2.09)
草本植物 Herb			624 (33.49)	150 (8.05)	774 (41.54)
合计 Total	419 (22.49)	631 (33.87)	655 (35.15)	158 (8.48)	1 863 (100.00)

生活型 Life-form	纬度 Latitude (°)	经度 Longitude (°)	海拔 Altitude (m)
高位芽植物 Phanerophyte	-0.13^***	0.42^***	-0.18^***
地上芽植物 Chamaephyte	-0.05	-0.26^***	-0.25^***
地面芽植物 Hemicryptophyte	0.08^*	-0.27^***	0.25^***
隐芽植物 Cryptophyte	0.00	0.02	0.39^***
一年生植物 Therophyte	0.15^***	-0.33^***	-0.17^***

生活型 Life-form	纬度 Latitude (°)	经度 Longitude (°)	海拔 Altitude (m)
高位芽植物 Phanerophyte	-0.13^***	0.42^***	-0.18^***
地上芽植物 Chamaephyte	-0.05	-0.26^***	-0.25^***
地面芽植物 Hemicryptophyte	0.08^*	-0.27^***	0.25^***
隐芽植物 Cryptophyte	0.00	0.02	0.39^***
一年生植物 Therophyte	0.15^***	-0.33^***	-0.17^***

气候指标 Climate factor	Ph	Ch	H	Cr	T
年平均气温 Mean annual temperature (MAT, ℃)	0.56^***	0.14^***	-0.54^***	-0.50^***	-0.13^***
最冷月平均气温 Mean temperature of the coldest month (MCT, ℃)	0.42^***	0.17^***	-0.43^***	-0.40^***	-0.08^*
最热月平均气温 Mean temperature of the warmest month (MWT, ℃)	0.65^***	0.07	-0.60^***	-0.55^***	-0.19^***
年降水量 Mean annual precipitation (MAP, mm)	0.60^***	-0.03	-0.51^***	-0.37^***	-0.31^***
最冷月降水量 Mean precipitation of the coldest month (MCP, mm)	0.65^***	-0.10^**	-0.54^***	-0.37^***	-0.36^***
最热月降水量 Mean precipitation of the warmest month (MWP, mm)	-0.25^***	0.05	0.18^***	0.25^***	0.13^***
生长季降水量 Mean precipitation of growing season (MGP, mm)	0.59^***	0.02	-0.53^***	-0.37^***	-0.28^***