Biodiv Sci ›› 2016, Vol. 24 ›› Issue (4): 489-494.  DOI: 10.17520/biods.2015238

Special Issue: 中国西南干旱河谷的植物多样性

• Bioinventory • Previous Articles    

Desert vegetation in dry valleys of the upstream of Jinsha River

Yunqin Li1, Fan Du2,*(), Jian Wang2, Ruinian Li2, Yang Liu2   

  1. 1 Yunnan Academy of Forestry, Kunming 650201 .
    2 Faculty of Forestry, Southwest Forestry University, Kunming 650224
  • Received:2015-09-11 Accepted:2016-04-26 Online:2016-04-20 Published:2016-05-11
  • Contact: Du Fan

Abstract:

In order to understand the vegetation characteristics of dry valleys in the upstream of Jinsha River, a field survey was conducted by using transect and sampling surveys with 93 plots from September to October of 2011. Results showed that: (1) There were 111 vascular plant species belonging to 95 genera in 51 families, including 6 ferns belonging to 4 genera in 4 families, and 84 species of dicotyledon belonging to 71 genera in 40 families, 21 species of monocotyledon belonging to 20 genera in 7 families. (2) Five main life forms: Nanophanerophyte, Hemicryptophyte, Chamaephyte, Therophyte and Geophyte, can be recognized, of which Hemicryptophyte was the most dominant, occupying 32.43% and Nanophanerophyte accounted for 27.93% of the total. The dominant leaf size belonged to nanophyll and microphyll, accounted for 60% and 22%, respectively. (3) 93 sampling plots can be classified into 5 community types using a two-way Indicators Species Analysis. The species richness of herbs were higher than shrubs, and the richness of the Formation Vitex microphylla+Leptodermis pilosa var. microphylla was the greatest and also distributed most widely. (4) The vegetation in the dry valleys of the upstream of Jinsha River can be regarded as subtropical desert.

Key words: upstream of Jinsha River, dry valley, desert vegetation, life form, community physiognomy