Species diversity of vegetation in relation to biomass and environmental factors in the upper area of the Shule River

Abstract

Abstract: The relationship of species diversity with biomass and environmental factors is a hot topic in ecological and environmental sciences. Cryospheric science includes important research concerning the ecological effects of permafrost degeneration. This study provided an analysis of changes in species diversity, community coverage and biomass in relation to elevation gradient, soil physicochemical properties, and depth of permafrost active layer for 21 plots of nine vegetation types in the upper Shule River area of the northeastern Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. There were “Single-hump Type” relationships between species diversity and community coverage as well as biomass, confirming the “Moderate Inflation” theory between species diversity and elevation gradient. In the 0 to 40 cm layers of soils containing high contents of organic matter and total nitrogen, medium levels of available nutrients and with decreases in pH, total potassium and total phosphorus, the community coverage and biomass increased while species diversity initially increased but then decreased. At that time, sedge plants of high feeding value increased, while weed plants decreased. Quantitative analysis revealed that as permafrost degraded, the thickness of the active layer and soil pH both increased, while the contents of organic matter, total nitrogen, available phosphorus and available nitrogen all significantly decreased while total potassium and available potassium increased to a lesser extent but then reduced in the active layer (0-40 cm). As a result there was a gradual change in vegetation composition from wetland plants to mesoxerophytes, and later, to xerophytes. Sequentially, the successive stages changed from alpine marsh meadow to alpine meadow, to “black-soil-beach” grassland and alpine steppe, and eventually to desertified grassland. Along with this process, community coverage and biomass decreased, and sedge plants of high feeding value diminished as a functional group. However, grass, legumes and weeds in plant communities initially increased but then decreased, and species diversity showed the same trend.

CLC Number:

Q945.79
S32

CHEN Sheng-yun, LIU Wen-jie, YE Bai-sheng, YANG Guo-jing, YI Shu-hua, WANG Fa-gang, QIN Xiang, REN Jia-wen, QIN Da-he. Species diversity of vegetation in relation to biomass and environmental factors in the upper area of the Shule River[J]. Acta Prataculturae Sinica, 2011, 20(3): 70-83.

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