The response of plant diversity to human dominance in the meta-watershed ecosystem of Southwest China. (October 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Li, Chaojun; Lou, Hezhen; Yang, Shengtian; Pan, Zihao; Zhang, Yujia; Zhang, Jun; Li, Xi
• Is Part Of: Ecological indicators. Volume 143(2022)
• Publication Date: 2022-10
• Subjects: Plant diversity -- Human dominance -- Meta-watershed ecosystem -- Remote sensing -- Karst; Environmental monitoring -- Periodicals; Environmental management -- Periodicals; Environmental impact analysis -- Periodicals; Environmental risk assessment -- Periodicals; Sustainable development -- Periodicals; 333.71405
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ecolind.2022.109389
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1470-160X

Abstract

Highlights: Intensified urban development threatened forest and riparian plant diversity. Socioeconomic and water conservancy development deteriorated plant diversity. Riparian plants were more susceptible to artificial development than forest plants. Human dominance destroys ecosystem services provision in meta-watershed ecosystems. Abstract: Plant diversity is essential to maintain terrestrial ecosystem stability and balance, but it is highly susceptible to environmental changes that are generally dominated by human activities. In the natural habitat, plant growth and distribution patterns are known to be regulated by abiotic environments such as water, temperature, and nutrient. However, how growing human dominance impacts plant diversity at the watershed scale remains unclear. From the view of the meta-watershed ecosystem, this study constructed indicators to examine the plant diversity responses in karst watersheds of different urban development intensities. The results revealed that the growing urban development intensity deteriorated plant diversity and riparian plant diversity in the meta-watershed ecosystem. Both socioeconomic and water conservancy development had noticeable adverse effects on plant diversity. The riparian plants were more susceptible to artificial development than forest plants. The predicted results of various development scenarios suggest that, by the middle of the 21st century, plant diversity and food production in the watershed will meet a crisis unless forest protection policies are applied, and large-scale urban expansion is curbed. In the meta-watershed ecosystem, growing human dominance increasingly destroys plant diversity and the ecosystem supply. Policies and measures are urgently needed to reverse the potential deteriorating trend of the ecosystem, maintain the stability of the ecosystem, and promote the sustainable development of human society.