%A ZHANG Ling, FANG Jing-Yun
%T Composition and dominant species of soil seed bank along an altitudinal gradient in Mt. Taibai, Qinling Mountains
%0 Journal Article
%D 2004
%J Biodiv Sci
%R 10.17520/biods.2004015
%P 123-130
%V 12
%N 1
%U {https://www.biodiversity-science.net/CN/abstract/article_8316.shtml}
%8 2004-01-20
%X We analyzed patterns of species composition and dominance in the soil seed bank along the southern slope of Mt. Taibai, Qinling Mountains. The results are summarized as follows: (1) in terms of seed number, dominant families varied along the altitudinal gradient. According to species number, there were 4 dominant families in the seed banks between 1600 m and 2600 m a.s.l., which was higher than those of other altitudes. Rosaceae was the family with the richest species in the seed bank; (2) Betula utilis occurred in 16 out of 21 plots. The dominance of Betula utilis and Abies fargesii showed a unimodal pattern along the altitudinal gradient, and (3) combining analysis of life form composition and dominant species, trees played a dominant role in the composition of seed banks, while shrub species did not significantly influence species and individual composition of seed banks in Mt. Taibai.