Diversity of Communities Dominated by GlycyrrhizaUralensis, an Endangered Medicinal Plant Species, Alonga Precipitation Gradient in China

中國瀕危藥用植物烏拉爾甘草群落之多樣性沿降水梯度的變化

張金屯(Jin-Tun Zhang) ； 許彬(Bin Xu) ； 李敏(Min Li)

《Botanical Studies》 52卷4期 (2011/10) Pp. 493-501

摘要

烏拉爾甘草是重要的國家瀕危保護藥用植物，在中國有巨大的市場需求。它主要分佈在半乾旱和乾旱地區，其棲息環境在過去40 年中退化嚴重。該物種及其群落的保護已成為當務之急。本研究的目的是揭示中國北方從東到西烏拉爾甘草群落與環境因數間的關係沿降水梯度的變化。取自100 個 5 m × 5 m 樣方的物種資料和環境資料用TWINSPAN 分類、DCA 和CCA 排序、物種多樣性指數進行了分析。TWINSPAN 將100 個樣方分為12 個植物群落類型，這些是中國以甘草佔優勢的主要群落。DCA 和 CCA 排序結果表明，植被分佈與土壤和氣候因數均有顯著的相關性。土壤氮、磷、鉀、有機質，年均氣溫、相對濕度、年均降水量、年均最高溫和年平均最低溫對這些群落的結構和分佈有重要影響，其中降水量是解釋植被空間格局的最重要因數。物種豐富度、多樣性和均勻度在群落之間有明顯的差異，它們的變化與環境梯度有顯著的相關性。最後對於烏拉爾甘草及其群落的進一步保護進行了討論。

關鍵字

藥用資源 ； 甘草 ； 生物多樣性 ； 生態恢復 ； 半乾旱和乾旱地區

並列摘要

Glycyrrhiza uralensis is an endangered and nationally-protected medicinal plant species in China with great market demand. It is mainly distributed in arid and semi-arid regions and its habitats have rapidly degraded over the last 40 years. Conservation of this species and its communities has become urgent. We aimed to reveal the relationships between G. uralensis and environmental variables along an east to west precipitation gradient in northern China. Floristic and environmental data from 100 5 m × 5 m quadrats were analyzed using TWINSPAN, DCA, CCA and species diversity indices. TWINSPAN recognized twelve vegetation communities, which were the communities most dominated by G. uralensis in China. DCA and CCA results showed that the vegetation patterns were significantly correlated with both soil and climatic variables. Soil N, P, K, organic matter, annual mean temperature, relative humidity, annual mean precipitation, annualmean highest temperature and annual mean lowest temperature were significant to these communities, and precipitation was the most important factor explaining the spatial patterns of vegetation. Species richness, diversity and evenness varied obviously among communities and were significantly correlated with environmental gradients. Further measures for conservation of G. uralensis and its communities are discussed.”Glycyrrhiza uralensis” is an endangered and nationally-protected medicinal plant species in China with great market demand. It is mainly distributed in arid and semi-arid regions and its habitats have rapidly degraded over the last 40 years. Conservation of this species and its communities has become urgent. We aimed to reveal the relationships between G. uralensis and environmental variables along an east to west precipitation gradient in northern China. Floristic and environmental data from 100 5 m × 5 m quadrats were analyzed using TWINSPAN, DCA, CCA and species diversity indices. TWINSPAN recognized twelve vegetation communities, which were the communities most dominated by G. uralensis in China. DCA and CCA results showed that the vegetation patterns were significantly correlated with both soil and climatic variables. Soil N, P, K, organic matter, annual mean temperature, relative humidity, annual mean precipitation, annual mean highest temperature and annual mean lowest temperature were significant to these communities, and precipitation was the most important factor explaining the spatial patterns of vegetation. Species richness, diversity and evenness varied obviously among communities and were significantly correlated with environmental gradients. Further measures for conservation of G. uralensis and its communities are discussed.

並列關鍵字

Biodiversity ； Ecological restoration ； Licorice ； Medicinal resources ； Semi-arid and arid region