Vertical distribution of liverwort communities and their relationship with environmental factors in a karst sinkhole in south-western China. Issue 47 (25th December 2019)
- Record Type:
- Journal Article
- Title:
- Vertical distribution of liverwort communities and their relationship with environmental factors in a karst sinkhole in south-western China. Issue 47 (25th December 2019)
- Main Title:
- Vertical distribution of liverwort communities and their relationship with environmental factors in a karst sinkhole in south-western China
- Authors:
- Li, Chengyi
Zhang, Zhaohui
Li, Xiaofang
Wu, Jin
Wang, Zhihui - Abstract:
- ABSTRACT: Understanding the relationships between the vertical distribution of liverwort communities and associated environmental factors is vital for biodiversity conservation in karst sinkholes. The abundance index, α and β diversity indices were used to analyse the characteristics of liverwort communities in the Monkey-Ear Sinkhole (280 m deep, entrance diameter 300 m, width 280 m). A Generalised Linear Model was used to study the vertical distribution of liverwort communities, and the relationships between their vertical distribution and environmental factors were analysed with Canonical Correspondence Analysis. Forty-two liverwort taxa from 22 genera in 19 families were identified in the sinkhole. The liverwort assemblages were dominated by the families Plagiochilaceae and Lejeuneaceae. The α and β diversity appeared to fluctuate randomly among the four depths sampled. The highest degree of environmental heterogeneity was found at the lower-middle section of the sinkhole; liverwort community diversity at the base was much higher than that found at the upper, middle or lower-middle sections. The environment at the base of the sinkhole was more complex than at the other three depths, providing a range of habitats that facilitated the coexistence of multiple liverwort communities. The abundance of species, genera and families in liverwort communities followed the sequence: base > upper section > middle section > lower – middle section. There were significant differences inABSTRACT: Understanding the relationships between the vertical distribution of liverwort communities and associated environmental factors is vital for biodiversity conservation in karst sinkholes. The abundance index, α and β diversity indices were used to analyse the characteristics of liverwort communities in the Monkey-Ear Sinkhole (280 m deep, entrance diameter 300 m, width 280 m). A Generalised Linear Model was used to study the vertical distribution of liverwort communities, and the relationships between their vertical distribution and environmental factors were analysed with Canonical Correspondence Analysis. Forty-two liverwort taxa from 22 genera in 19 families were identified in the sinkhole. The liverwort assemblages were dominated by the families Plagiochilaceae and Lejeuneaceae. The α and β diversity appeared to fluctuate randomly among the four depths sampled. The highest degree of environmental heterogeneity was found at the lower-middle section of the sinkhole; liverwort community diversity at the base was much higher than that found at the upper, middle or lower-middle sections. The environment at the base of the sinkhole was more complex than at the other three depths, providing a range of habitats that facilitated the coexistence of multiple liverwort communities. The abundance of species, genera and families in liverwort communities followed the sequence: base > upper section > middle section > lower – middle section. There were significant differences in liverwort communities at the four depths. In the sinkhole, liverwort communities fell into three distribution groups: wide, moderate or narrow distribution along the vertical direction. The communities with a broad distribution, found from the upper section to the base, were affected by a combination of light, humidity and temperature, and were classified as mixed factor dependent ; those with a moderate distribution found mostly in the mid and lower-middle sections were primarily dependent on temperature and humidity, and were classified as temperature and humidity dependent ; and those with a narrow distribution found at the base of the sinkhole were mainly influenced by humidity, and were classified as humidity dependent . … (more)
- Is Part Of:
- Journal of natural history. Volume 53:Issue 47/48(2019)
- Journal:
- Journal of natural history
- Issue:
- Volume 53:Issue 47/48(2019)
- Issue Display:
- Volume 53, Issue 47/48 (2019)
- Year:
- 2019
- Volume:
- 53
- Issue:
- 47/48
- Issue Sort Value:
- 2019-0053-NaN-0000
- Page Start:
- 2975
- Page End:
- 2989
- Publication Date:
- 2019-12-25
- Subjects:
- Liverwort communities -- karst sinkhole -- biodiversity -- vertical distribution -- environmental factors
Natural history -- Periodicals
508 - Journal URLs:
- http://www.tandf.co.uk/journals/titles/00222933.asp ↗
http://www.tandfonline.com/toc/tnah20/current ↗
http://www.tandfonline.com/ ↗ - DOI:
- 10.1080/00222933.2020.1759723 ↗
- Languages:
- English
- ISSNs:
- 0022-2933
- Deposit Type:
- Legaldeposit
- View Content:
- Available online (eLD content is only available in our Reading Rooms) ↗
- Physical Locations:
- British Library DSC - 5021.200000
British Library DSC - BLDSS-3PM
British Library HMNTS - ELD Digital store - Ingest File:
- 22731.xml