Effects of slope categories of differing aspect and position on plant community diversity in alpine shrubland in the Qilian Mountains

doi:10.11686/cyxb2024088

Abstract

Abstract:

This research investigated the effects of slope categories defined by slope aspect （shady， semi-shady and semi-sunny slope） and slope position （upper， middle and lower position） on the diversity of alpine shrub community in Qilian Mountains， so as to provide a scientific basis for accurate zoning and management or utilization of alpine shrub vegetation in this region. For the above-mentioned slope categories， the community composition and structure， light intensity， and soil physicochemical characteristics of alpine shrubland were systematically measured， a piecewise structural equation model was used to analyze processes influencing shrub community diversity， and path coefficients of slope aspect and position effects were determined. The results showed that the height， cover， aboveground and belowground biomass of herb and shrub were highest at the lower slope position （P<0.05）， while the β diversity was highest on the shady slope and lowest on semi-sunny slope （P<0.05）. Shannon-Wiener diversity index， richness index and Pielou evenness index of herb， shrub and community decreased from the lower slope position to upper slope position. The light intensity and soil physicochemical characteristics were significantly higher at the lower slope position than at the upper slope position. The piecewise structural equation model showed that slope aspect and slope position affected the diversity of herbs mainly through factors such as light intensity and soil organic matter content， while they affected the diversity of shrubs mainly through factors such as light intensity， soil water content and soil available nitrogen content. For the smaller scale topographic variation investigated， slope aspect and slope position affected the distribution pattern of plant community diversity mainly through factors such as light intensity， soil water content， soil organic matter content and available nitrogen content. Therefore， when collecting data for precise zoning and to plan ecological restoration of degraded grassland in alpine shrubland， it is important to consider the change of plant community microhabitat conditions and the variation of vegetation distribution patterns which are induced by slope aspects and positions arising from small-scale topographic variation.

Key words: alpine shrub, plant diversity, slope aspect, slope position

Wen-hu WANG, Shi-lin WANG, Guo-ling LIANG, Wen LI, Wen-xia CAO. Effects of slope categories of differing aspect and position on plant community diversity in alpine shrubland in the Qilian Mountains[J]. Acta Prataculturae Sinica, 2025, 34(1): 17-28.

Figures/Tables 7

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坡向 Aspect	坡位 Position	优势种 Dominant species	草本高度 Herb height （cm）	草本盖度 Herb coverage （%）	灌木高度 Shrub height （cm）	灌木盖度 Shrub coverage （%）	地上生物量 Aboveground biomass （g·m^-2）	地下生物量 Underground biomass （g·m^-2）
阴坡 Shady slope	上Upper	头花杜鹃R. capitatum，黑褐穗苔草C. atrofusca，矮生嵩草K. humilis	4.54±0.48b	69.50±3.52c	58.97±1.41c	71.00±3.48b	183.35±8.00c	1442.47±30.13b
	中Middle	绣线菊Spiraea salicifolia，千里香杜鹃R. thymifolium，黑褐穗苔草C. atrofusca	6.95±0.48b	89.00±1.58b	74.68±3.25b	83.75±0.85a	223.75±9.01b	1750.79±85.99b
	下Lower	金露梅P. fruticosa，川滇柳S. rehderiana，珠芽蓼P. viviparum	9.52±0.16a	98.25±1.18a	108.61±2.21a	91.75±2.28a	435.98±12.40a	2311.91±229.15a
半阴坡 Semi-shady slope	上Upper	火绒草L. leontopodioides，狭叶锦鸡儿C. stenophylla，矮生嵩草K. humilis	1.55±0.13b	54.50±4.25b	58.19±4.93b	68.75±2.83c	138.77±10.95c	1304.54±21.98c
	中Middle	银露梅P. fruticosa，狭叶锦鸡儿C. stenophylla，火绒草L. leontopodioides	2.83±0.18b	68.25±1.93a	81.02±5.55a	76.50±1.50b	211.40±8.77b	1482.08±11.53b
	下Lower	沙棘H. rhamnoides，鲜黄小檗Berberis diaphana，蕨麻Potentilla anserina	8.15±0.66a	74.50±0.50a	87.77±4.31a	92.75±1.11a	339.19±13.03a	1710.59±64.47a
半阳坡 Semi-sunny slope	上Upper	鬼箭锦鸡儿C. jubata，矮生嵩草K. humilis，冷地早熟禾P. crymophila	4.01±0.29b	65.25±3.77c	68.23±4.31b	74.25±0.85b	143.99±3.89c	1862.74±14.35b
	中Middle	头花杜鹃R. capitatum，冷地早熟禾P. crymophila，鬼箭锦鸡儿C. jubata	6.96±0.41a	76.25±1.31b	80.38±1.06a	80.00±1.47a	171.40±2.45b	2051.56±10.98ab
	下Lower	山生柳S. oritrepha，珠芽蓼P. viviparum，垂穗披碱草E. nutans	8.17±0.39a	87.00±2.38a	85.27±2.28a	83.00±1.15a	192.34±6.33a	2228.70±97.08a

坡向 Aspect	坡位 Position	优势种 Dominant species	草本高度 Herb height （cm）	草本盖度 Herb coverage （%）	灌木高度 Shrub height （cm）	灌木盖度 Shrub coverage （%）	地上生物量 Aboveground biomass （g·m^-2）	地下生物量 Underground biomass （g·m^-2）
阴坡 Shady slope	上Upper	头花杜鹃R. capitatum，黑褐穗苔草C. atrofusca，矮生嵩草K. humilis	4.54±0.48b	69.50±3.52c	58.97±1.41c	71.00±3.48b	183.35±8.00c	1442.47±30.13b
	中Middle	绣线菊Spiraea salicifolia，千里香杜鹃R. thymifolium，黑褐穗苔草C. atrofusca	6.95±0.48b	89.00±1.58b	74.68±3.25b	83.75±0.85a	223.75±9.01b	1750.79±85.99b
	下Lower	金露梅P. fruticosa，川滇柳S. rehderiana，珠芽蓼P. viviparum	9.52±0.16a	98.25±1.18a	108.61±2.21a	91.75±2.28a	435.98±12.40a	2311.91±229.15a
半阴坡 Semi-shady slope	上Upper	火绒草L. leontopodioides，狭叶锦鸡儿C. stenophylla，矮生嵩草K. humilis	1.55±0.13b	54.50±4.25b	58.19±4.93b	68.75±2.83c	138.77±10.95c	1304.54±21.98c
	中Middle	银露梅P. fruticosa，狭叶锦鸡儿C. stenophylla，火绒草L. leontopodioides	2.83±0.18b	68.25±1.93a	81.02±5.55a	76.50±1.50b	211.40±8.77b	1482.08±11.53b
	下Lower	沙棘H. rhamnoides，鲜黄小檗Berberis diaphana，蕨麻Potentilla anserina	8.15±0.66a	74.50±0.50a	87.77±4.31a	92.75±1.11a	339.19±13.03a	1710.59±64.47a
半阳坡 Semi-sunny slope	上Upper	鬼箭锦鸡儿C. jubata，矮生嵩草K. humilis，冷地早熟禾P. crymophila	4.01±0.29b	65.25±3.77c	68.23±4.31b	74.25±0.85b	143.99±3.89c	1862.74±14.35b
	中Middle	头花杜鹃R. capitatum，冷地早熟禾P. crymophila，鬼箭锦鸡儿C. jubata	6.96±0.41a	76.25±1.31b	80.38±1.06a	80.00±1.47a	171.40±2.45b	2051.56±10.98ab
	下Lower	山生柳S. oritrepha，珠芽蓼P. viviparum，垂穗披碱草E. nutans	8.17±0.39a	87.00±2.38a	85.27±2.28a	83.00±1.15a	192.34±6.33a	2228.70±97.08a

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