Spatial distribution of plant diversity and functional groups in the Liaohe estuary

doi:10.17520/biods.2014251

Abstract

Abstract:

Liaohe estuary is a typical coastal wetland in Northeast China. Over the past decades, vegetation in this area suffered great change due to human disturbance. The spatial distribution of plant diversity and functional groups was examined in this coastal wetland. Results showed that species richness and Shannon-Wiener index were higher in supratidal zones than in intertidal zones. Compared to supratidal zones, intertidal zones had a higher ratio of halophytes and hygrophytes, but a lower ratio of neutral plants, glycophytes, mesophytes, and xerophytes. Species richness, Shannon-Wiener index, and the ratio of neutral plants, glycophytes, mesophytes, and xerophytes increased with the increasing distances from the coastline, while halophytes and hygrophytes decreased. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) indicated that plant communities mainly composed of neutral plants and glycophytes in supratidal zones, such as Phragmites australis, Cirsium setosum and Lagedium sibiricum, and halophytes mainly distributed in intertidal zones, such as Suaeda salsa, Scirpus planiculmis and Typha angustifolia. Salinity and water table appear to be the key factors in determining plant diversity and functional groups in the Liaohe estuary.

Key words: coastal wetlands, Shannon-Wiener index, halophyte, hygrophyte

Youzhi Li, Lijuan Cui, Xu Pan, Yu Ning, Wei Li, Xiaoming Kang, Kai Li, Baodi Sun, Jingjing Yu. Spatial distribution of plant diversity and functional groups in the Liaohe estuary[J]. Biodiv Sci, 2015, 23(4): 471-478.

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URL: https://www.biodiversity-science.net/EN/10.17520/biods.2014251

https://www.biodiversity-science.net/EN/Y2015/V23/I4/471

Figures/Tables 5

Fig. 1 Distribution of field investigation plots in Liaohe estuary wetlands

Table 1 ANOVA of plant diversity and species functional types in Liaohe estuary wetlands (mean ± SE)

		潮上带 Supralittoral zone	潮间带 Intertidal zone	自由度 df	F
多样性指数 Diversity indices	物种丰富度 Species richness	2.73 ± 0.17	1.25 ± 0.10	21	61.11^***
多样性指数 Diversity indices	Shannon-Wiener指数 Shannon-Wiener index	0.58 ± 0.04	0.04 ± 0.02	21	165.59^***
盐分功能型比例 Percentage of functional types by salt (%)	盐生植物 Halophyte	32.00 ± 2.23	84.10 ± 8.30	21	23.14^***
	中性植物 Neutral plants	59.25 ± 3.50	15.13 ± 8.38	21	15.12^**
	甜土植物 Glycophyte	8.75 ± 2.51	0.77 ± 0.76	21	13.42^**
水分功能型比例 Percentage of functional types by water (%)	湿生植物 Hygrophyte	64.29 ± 4.70	99.23 ± 1.04	21	81.89^***
	中生植物 Mesophyte	22.50 ± 5.21	0.77 ± 0.77	21	27.52^***
	旱生植物 Xerophyte	13.21 ± 3.49	0	21	24.04^***

Fig. 2 Regression between plant diversity and the distance between investigation plots and coastline

Fig. 3 Regression between percentage of plant functional types and the distance between investigation plots and coastline

Fig. 4 PCA analysis between investigation plots and plant species. The numbers of 1-61 in figure indicated field plots. s1, Phragmites australis; s2, Cirsium setosum; s3, Lagedium sibiricum; s4, Glycine soja; s5, Suaeda glauca; s6, Kochia scoparia; s7, Chenopodium acuminatum; s8, Cynanchum chinense; s9, Scirpus planiculmis; s10, Imperata cylindrica; s11, Apocynum venetum; s12, Equisetum hyemale; s13, Calamagrostis epigeios; s14, Artemisia annua; s15, Polygonum sibiricum; s16, Chenopodium album; s17, Suaeda salsa; s18, Artemisia igniaria; s19, Rumex microcarpus; s20, Typha angustifolia; s21, Echinochloa crusgalli; s22, Deyeuxia arundinacea; s23, Carex scabrifolia.

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