Floral traits of woody plants and their habitat differentiations in a northern tropical karst forest

doi:10.17520/biods.2015229

Abstract

Abstract:

The diversification of floral traits is the outcome of evolution by natural selection, and the variation in floral traits between species has a certain correlation with the plant habitats. The northern tropical karst seasonal rain forests have a great habitat heterogeneity, a complex structure of plant community, and abundant endemic components. Analyzing the relationship between the variation of plant traits and their habitats in those forests is helpful to understand species coexistence, coevolution and their adaptations to habitats, and to provide clues for revealing the ecological adaptability of plants and the maintenance mechanisms of biodiversity in karst forests. We conducted a preliminary study at a 15 ha plot of the northern tropical karst seasonal rain forest in Nonggang to examine the differences in floral traits among species and how these traits varied with habitats, when a relatively large number of woody plants bloomed synchronously, with a total of 21 species being found flowering. We divided the 21 species into three preferred habitat types (peak, slope and valley) according to the spatial distribution of species and their habitat associations, and analysed the differentiations among their floral traits. We also divided 21 species into three clustering groups of floral traits, and had a comparison between the habitat types and the clustering groups. The results showed that species dominance had a significantly negative correlation with flower size and flower color vividness, which indicated that it should be a favored trait for trees to have small flower size or unattractive flower color in the community. Only the flower color lightness was significantly different among the three types, while other flower traits were not significantly different. However, there was weak consistency between the three types and the three main groups, with 57.14% species overlapped , which showed that habitats had something to do with flower traits differentiations. In conclusion, we believe that the floral traits are closely related to the dominance of species and habitats in the northern tropical karst forest. Moreover, floral traits might be more deeply affected by habitats than pollination in this region.

http://jtp.cnki.net/bilingual/detail/html/SWDY201602004

Key words: flower size, flower color, trait combination, habitat, adaption, species dominance

Yuliang Jiang, Kundong Bai, Yili Guo, Bin Wang, Dongxing Li, Xiankun Li, Zhishang Liu. Floral traits of woody plants and their habitat differentiations in a northern tropical karst forest[J]. Biodiv Sci, 2016, 24(2): 148-156.

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URL: https://www.biodiversity-science.net/EN/10.17520/biods.2015229

https://www.biodiversity-science.net/EN/Y2016/V24/I2/148

Figures/Tables 5

References 37

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种名 Species		花序类型 Inflorescence type	花序位置 Position of inflorescence	花径 Flower diameter (mean+SD) (mm)	花长 Flower length (mean+SD) (mm)	芳香 Scent	花蜜 Nectar	花瓣色值 Color value (R, G, B)	偏好生境 Preferred habitat
1	中国无忧花 Saraca dives	伞状圆锥花序 Panicle	腋生 Axillary	25.92 ± 3.61	66.39 ± 3.72	0	0	248, 162, 13	谷底 Valley
2	田方骨 Goniothalamus donnaiensis	单生 Solitary	腋生 Axillary	17.65 ± 3.93	61.49 ± 10.14	1	0	239, 178, 193	谷底 Valley
3	山桂花 Bennettiodendron leprosipes	总状伞形花序 Umbel	顶生 Apicillary	7.17 ± 1.05	3.63 ± 0.52	0	0	208, 255, 55	谷底 Valley
4	南方紫金牛 Ardisia thyrsiflora	复亚伞形圆锥花序 Panicle	腋生 Axillary	7.94 ± 0.79	6.70 ± 0.64	0	0	253, 158, 214	谷底 Valley
5	劲直刺桐 Erythrina stricta	总状花序 Raceme	腋生 Axillary	13.76 ± 1.94	50.39 ± 1.69	0	0	250, 31, 29	谷底 Valley
6	广西棋子豆 Archidendron guangxiensis	头状圆锥花序 Panicle	腋生 Axillary	13.97 ± 1.35	10.56 ± 0.73	0	0	252, 251, 247	谷底 Valley
7	裂果卫矛 Euonymus dielsianus	聚伞花序 Cymes	腋生 Axillary	10.37 ± 0.48	2.17 ± 0.36	0	0	247, 237, 140	谷底 Valley
8	三角车 Rinorea bengalensis	密伞花序 Umbel	腋生 Axillary	2.54 ± 0.21	4.05 ± 0.16	0	0	244, 249, 226	山坡 Slope
9	苹婆 Sterculia monosperma	圆锥花序 Panicle	腋生 Axillary	7.29 ± 2.45	5.39 ± 0.58	0	0	255, 237, 249	山坡 Slope
10	米扬噎 Streblus tonkinensis	单生或头状花序 Solitary or Capitulum	腋生 Axillary	4.14 ± 0.28	3.36 ± 0.48	0	0	249, 245, 244	山坡 Slope
11	茎花山柚 Champereia manillana	复穗状花序 Spike	茎生 Cauline	2.93 ± 0.51	2.32 ± 0.14	0	0	181, 254, 139	山坡 Slope
12	海南大风子 Hydnocarpus hainanensis	总状花序 Raceme	腋生 axillary	8.34 ± 0.70	7.14 ± 0.31	1	1	238, 255, 200	山坡 Slope
13	广西澄广花 Orophea anceps	单生 Solitary	腋生 Axillary	6.08 ± 0.59	2.07 ± 0.32	0	0	239, 198, 196	山坡 Slope
14	割舌树 Walsura robusta	圆锥花序 Panicle	腋生 axillary	3.34 ± 0.41	4.65 ± 0.33	0	0	255, 246, 247	山坡 Slope
15	白头树 Garuga forrestii	圆锥花序 Panicle	腋生 Axillary	6.80 ± 1.02	4.80 ± 0.33	0	0	236, 255, 151	山坡 Slope
16	鱼骨木 Canthium dicoccum	聚伞花序 Cymes	腋生 Axillary	4.41 ± 0.56	4.72 ± 0.64	1	0	253, 254, 248	山顶 Peak
17	毛叶铁榄 Sinosideroxylon pedunculatum	总状花序 Raceme	腋生 Axillary	5.53 ± 0.76	6.50 ± 0.33	0	1	254, 255, 120	山顶 Peak
18	假桂乌口树 Tarenna attenuata	聚伞花序 Cymes	顶生 Apicillary	9.28 ± 0.98	9.17 ± 1.90	1	0	236, 253, 151	山顶 Peak
19	黄梨木 Boniodendron minus	聚伞圆锥花序 Panicle	顶生 Apicillary	3.82 ± 0.20	2.80 ± 0.19	1	0	255, 255, 255	山顶 Peak
20	细叶谷木 Memecylon scutellatum	伞形花序 Umbel	腋生 Axillary	2.93 ± 0.16	2.46 ± 0.08	0	0	224, 255, 148	山顶 Peak
21	米念芭 Tirpitzia ovoidea	聚伞花序 Cymes	腋生 Axillary	25.34 ± 1.05	31.03 ± 1.48	0	0	255, 255, 255	山顶 Peak

种名 Species		花序类型 Inflorescence type	花序位置 Position of inflorescence	花径 Flower diameter (mean+SD) (mm)	花长 Flower length (mean+SD) (mm)	芳香 Scent	花蜜 Nectar	花瓣色值 Color value (R, G, B)	偏好生境 Preferred habitat
1	中国无忧花 Saraca dives	伞状圆锥花序 Panicle	腋生 Axillary	25.92 ± 3.61	66.39 ± 3.72	0	0	248, 162, 13	谷底 Valley
2	田方骨 Goniothalamus donnaiensis	单生 Solitary	腋生 Axillary	17.65 ± 3.93	61.49 ± 10.14	1	0	239, 178, 193	谷底 Valley
3	山桂花 Bennettiodendron leprosipes	总状伞形花序 Umbel	顶生 Apicillary	7.17 ± 1.05	3.63 ± 0.52	0	0	208, 255, 55	谷底 Valley
4	南方紫金牛 Ardisia thyrsiflora	复亚伞形圆锥花序 Panicle	腋生 Axillary	7.94 ± 0.79	6.70 ± 0.64	0	0	253, 158, 214	谷底 Valley
5	劲直刺桐 Erythrina stricta	总状花序 Raceme	腋生 Axillary	13.76 ± 1.94	50.39 ± 1.69	0	0	250, 31, 29	谷底 Valley
6	广西棋子豆 Archidendron guangxiensis	头状圆锥花序 Panicle	腋生 Axillary	13.97 ± 1.35	10.56 ± 0.73	0	0	252, 251, 247	谷底 Valley
7	裂果卫矛 Euonymus dielsianus	聚伞花序 Cymes	腋生 Axillary	10.37 ± 0.48	2.17 ± 0.36	0	0	247, 237, 140	谷底 Valley
8	三角车 Rinorea bengalensis	密伞花序 Umbel	腋生 Axillary	2.54 ± 0.21	4.05 ± 0.16	0	0	244, 249, 226	山坡 Slope
9	苹婆 Sterculia monosperma	圆锥花序 Panicle	腋生 Axillary	7.29 ± 2.45	5.39 ± 0.58	0	0	255, 237, 249	山坡 Slope
10	米扬噎 Streblus tonkinensis	单生或头状花序 Solitary or Capitulum	腋生 Axillary	4.14 ± 0.28	3.36 ± 0.48	0	0	249, 245, 244	山坡 Slope
11	茎花山柚 Champereia manillana	复穗状花序 Spike	茎生 Cauline	2.93 ± 0.51	2.32 ± 0.14	0	0	181, 254, 139	山坡 Slope
12	海南大风子 Hydnocarpus hainanensis	总状花序 Raceme	腋生 axillary	8.34 ± 0.70	7.14 ± 0.31	1	1	238, 255, 200	山坡 Slope
13	广西澄广花 Orophea anceps	单生 Solitary	腋生 Axillary	6.08 ± 0.59	2.07 ± 0.32	0	0	239, 198, 196	山坡 Slope
14	割舌树 Walsura robusta	圆锥花序 Panicle	腋生 axillary	3.34 ± 0.41	4.65 ± 0.33	0	0	255, 246, 247	山坡 Slope
15	白头树 Garuga forrestii	圆锥花序 Panicle	腋生 Axillary	6.80 ± 1.02	4.80 ± 0.33	0	0	236, 255, 151	山坡 Slope
16	鱼骨木 Canthium dicoccum	聚伞花序 Cymes	腋生 Axillary	4.41 ± 0.56	4.72 ± 0.64	1	0	253, 254, 248	山顶 Peak
17	毛叶铁榄 Sinosideroxylon pedunculatum	总状花序 Raceme	腋生 Axillary	5.53 ± 0.76	6.50 ± 0.33	0	1	254, 255, 120	山顶 Peak
18	假桂乌口树 Tarenna attenuata	聚伞花序 Cymes	顶生 Apicillary	9.28 ± 0.98	9.17 ± 1.90	1	0	236, 253, 151	山顶 Peak
19	黄梨木 Boniodendron minus	聚伞圆锥花序 Panicle	顶生 Apicillary	3.82 ± 0.20	2.80 ± 0.19	1	0	255, 255, 255	山顶 Peak
20	细叶谷木 Memecylon scutellatum	伞形花序 Umbel	腋生 Axillary	2.93 ± 0.16	2.46 ± 0.08	0	0	224, 255, 148	山顶 Peak
21	米念芭 Tirpitzia ovoidea	聚伞花序 Cymes	腋生 Axillary	25.34 ± 1.05	31.03 ± 1.48	0	0	255, 255, 255	山顶 Peak

	花径 Flower diameter	花长 Flower length	花色鲜艳度 Color vividness	花色明度 Color lightness	每花序花数 No. of flowers per inflorescence	花数量 No. of flowers per flowering individual
花长 Flower length	0.740**
花色鲜艳度 Color vividness	0.151	0.087
花色明度 Color lightness	-0.273	-0.034	-0.127
每花序花数 No. of flowers per inflorescence	0.023	0.089	0.096	0.344
花数量 No. of flowers per flowering individual	-0.130	0.063	-0.066	0.276	0.703**
物种多度 Species abundance	-0.587**	-0.418*	-0.404*	0.151	-0.095	-0.001
物种重要值 Importance value	-0.422*	-0.210	-0.123	0.103	0.158	0.275

	花径 Flower diameter	花长 Flower length	花色鲜艳度 Color vividness	花色明度 Color lightness	每花序花数 No. of flowers per inflorescence	花数量 No. of flowers per flowering individual
花长 Flower length	0.740**
花色鲜艳度 Color vividness	0.151	0.087
花色明度 Color lightness	-0.273	-0.034	-0.127
每花序花数 No. of flowers per inflorescence	0.023	0.089	0.096	0.344
花数量 No. of flowers per flowering individual	-0.130	0.063	-0.066	0.276	0.703**
物种多度 Species abundance	-0.587**	-0.418*	-0.404*	0.151	-0.095	-0.001
物种重要值 Importance value	-0.422*	-0.210	-0.123	0.103	0.158	0.275

		基于偏好生境 Based on preferred habitat types			物种总数 Total number of species
		山顶 Peak	山坡 Slope	谷底 Valley	物种总数 Total number of species
基于花性状聚类 Based on clustering groups of floral traits	第1组 Group 1	3	2	0	5
	第2组 Group 2	3	6	4	13
	第3组 Group 3	0	0	3	3
物种总数 Total number of species		6	8	7	21