Community structure and species diversity dynamics of a subtropical evergreen broad-leaved forest in China:2005 to 2020

Here,we characterize the temporal and spatial dynamics of forest community structure and species diversity in a subtropical evergreen broad-leaved forest in China.We found that community structure in this forest changed over a 15-year period.Specifically,renewal and death of common species was large,with the renewal of individuals mainly concentrated within a few populations,especially those of Aidia canthioides and Cryptocarya concinna.The numbers of individual deaths for common species were concentrated in the small and mid-diameter level.The spatial distribution of community species diversity fluctuated in each monitoring period,showing a more dispersed diversity after the 15-year study period,and the coefficient of variation on quadrats increased.In 2010,the death and renewal of the community and the spatial variation of species diversity were different compared to other survey years.Extreme weather may have affected species regeneration and community stability in our subtropical monsoon evergreen broad-leaved forests.Our findings suggest that strengthening the monitoring and management of the forest community will help better understand the long-and short-term causes of dynamic fluctuations of community structure and species diversity,and reveal the factors that drive changes in community structure.

Impacts of Human Activities and Season on Species Diversity and Abundance of Butterflies in Mpanga Kipengere Game Reserve and Surrounding Farmlands, Tanzania

Maintaining natural habitats is crucial for the preservation of insects and other species that indicate environmental changes. However, the Mpanga/Kipengere Game Reserve and its surrounding farmlands are facing disturbance due to human activities, which is putting many wildlife species, particularly larger mammals, at risk. To determine the impact of human activities on butterfly species diversity and abundance in the reserve and its surrounding areas, we conducted a study from November 2021 to October 2023. We collected butterfly data using transect walks and baited traps in two habitat types. Our study yielded 2799 butterfly Individuals ranging in 124 species divided into five families habitat, season, and anthropogenic factors are significant environmental variables influencing species diversity and abundance of butterflies. Therefore, it’s important to protect habitat and dry-season water for the conservation of invertebrates such as butterflies. Our study findings provide essential information for ecological monitoring and future assessment of the Mpanga/Kipengere Game Reserve ecosystem health.

Responses of arid plant species diversity and composition to environmental factors

An oasis is a unique natural landscape in arid and semi-arid areas,significant for regulating regional microclimates and hydrological processes in deserts.However,little is known regarding the response of natural oasis plants communities to various environmental factors.Nineteen sample plots(50 m×50 m)were selected in the Daliyabuyi Oasis in the Taklimakan Desert hinterland based on the location of groundwater monitoring wells and 76 vegetation quadrats(25 m×25 m)were established.A two-way indicator species analysis,Mantel test,detrended correspondence analysis,canonical correspondence analysis(CCA),and hierarchical partitioning were used to provide an in-depth analysis of community classification,species composition,and environmental interpretation of the oasis.A generalized linear model was used to verify the results which showed that the current oasis community could be divided into four types according to the dominant species,which is controlled by soil moisture.Measurement of species composition and distribution of communities showed significant differences between species diversity of individual community types.Variations in groundwater depth affects patterns of species diversity which is sensitive to richness,while the degree of surface water disturbance affects the pattern of species evenness.Moreover,the CCA ordination map showed that community distribution and diversity characteristics have their own preferences in habitat gradients.The study concluded that the species dominance of the community and the composition and distribution are not dominated by a single factor.There are differences in the scale and effect of different water resource types in maintaining community characteristics.

Assessing Forest Cover Distribution, Species Diversity, and Richness of the Buffer Zone for Strategic Forest Management Planning for Nimule National Park, South Sudan

Natural forest ecosystems play an essential role in the conservation of biodiversity of many plants and animals by providing them with habitat and suitable environments. Studies have shown that biodiversity-protected areas reduce the loss and degradation of natural habitats to various wild species of plants. This study examined the forest resources in five subzones by conducting tree/shrub species inventory to be able to develop an effective forest management plan for the Buffer Zone Forest Reserve for the sustainable conservation of flora and fauna of Nimule National Park. This is with the view to identify the main tree and shrub species;assess the composition, distribution, and abundance of various tree/shrub species;to determine the species diversity as well as the richness of these areas in terms of growth and performance where DBH and heights of trees/shrubs in the circular sample plots were measured. The results revealed the overall mean DBH and H of 13.83 cm and 6.61 m respectively. The highest number of trees was obtained in subzone B followed by D, while the least were found in subzone A. The overall mean tree/shrub density was 0.83 tons/ha. The mean total basal area and volume per hectare were 3252.74 m2/ha and 46,540.82 m3/ha respectively. The overall species abundance and distribution indicate Combretum spp, Cedrella spp., Grewia mollis, Acacia Sieberiana, Ziziphus abysinica, and Acacia seyal were the most dominant species, with over 12 species richness at the deposition side of the River Nile, 13 species at the western side of the Nile, the Administration site shows only 7 species, the lowland of Mt. Gordon show over 14 different species, whereas over 10 species were found on the top of Mt. Gordon. The overall mean diversity indices and evenness of H’, D, and E depicted 2.507, 0.871, and 0.840 respectively. These results yielded are relatively moderate. Therefore, conservation efforts are very necessary to improve and maintain the quality of vegetation cover.

Some of the Mechanisms for Coexistence of Tree Species Diversity in Tropical Forests: A Review of Effects of Tree Density Dependence

Tree communities contribute to maintenance of species diversity in tropical forests. Coexistence of many tree species is not without competition. Therefore, coexistence of tree species and size diversities occur sequentially or simultaneously in tropical natural forests. Understanding coexistence and competition mechanisms of tree species requires knowledge of interactions within and between species. However, many conservation efforts and strategies failed due to inability to identify and maintain functional coexistence mechanisms among tree species in the forest. Also, most trees died because of pressure on their habitats and not because of limiting growth resources. Hence, species identity, minimum distance and size of the neighbouring trees which are responsible for coexistence of competing trees in most tropical forests have not been explicitly reviewed. Therefore, this review evaluated some of the density dependent mechanisms for coexistence of tree species alpha diversity in tropical forests. Many interactive mechanisms are responsible for coexistence tree species in tropical forests. Inter- and intra-specific competitions are the most significant and both facilitate positive and negative density dependence. Therefore, switching from negative to positive density dependence may occur in some situations. Positive and negative density effects regulate species abundance and coexistence through conspecific and heterospecific structures. Aggregates of conspecific and heterospecific neighbours constitute forest spatial structure. Negative density interactions are mutually exclusive and basically ranged from effect of species identity of neighbours, distance to neighbours and tree size of the neighbours to reference trees in the community structures. Some mechanisms shorten distances for heterospecific than conspecific interactions. Conspecific structures improved survival and growth of rare tree species. Interactive mechanisms in tree community and population structures facilitate species diversity and size inequality, respectively.

Research on the Species Diversity of Flower-visiting Syrphidae in the Farmland of Hanzhong Area

[Objective] The aim was to explore the species diversity of flower-visiting Syrphidae in the farmland of Hanzhong area.[Method] Based on the sample collection and the sorting and identification of collected specimens and literature,the species and their seasonal changes of flower-visiting Syrphidae in the agroecosystem of Hanzhong area were systematically analyzed.[Result] 5 015 specimens of Syrphidae were cheaked in this study,and 141 species of 53 genera of 16 families in three subfamilies of flower-visiting species of Syrphidae were identified in farmland of Hanzhong area,in which 65 species were Syrphinae;72 species were Milesiinae;while four species were Microdontinae.The species of Syrphidae in this region were active in April,May,June and July.There were two dominant species in this region,including Episyrphus balteatus and Eristalis tenax.[Conclusion] This study had provided theoretical basis for the studies on the flower-visiting habit and fecundation of insects of Syrphidae in this area.

Distributional patterns of species diversity of main plant communities along altitudinal gradient in secondary forest region,Guandi Mountain,China

Fourteen plots were chosen along with the altitude of 1600-2600 m in Guandi Mountain, Shanxi Province, China to investigate all the trees in the plots, and the species diversity indexes were calculated for analyzing the effects of altitudinal gradient on plant species diversity. The results showed that the order of dominant species from low altitude to high altitude is as Quercus liaotungensis Koidz, Pinus tabulaeformis, Betula platyphylla, B. albo-sinensis, Picea wilsonii, P. Meyeri and Larix principis-rupprechtii. With altitude increasing, the average height and DBH of the arbor firstly increase and then decrease, the maximal height and DBH of the arbor present the unimodal variable trend, the maximal height of coniferous and broad-leaved trees firstly increases and then decreases, the maximal DBH of broad-leaf trees has no clear fluctuation, and the maximal DBH of the needle-leaf trees decreases gradually. Moreover, in middle altitudinal communities （the altitude of 1900-2200 m）, the maximal height and DBH of the needle-leaf trees are larger than these of broad-leaf trees. Both Shannon-wiener index and Margalef index of the communities present the unimodal variable trend, with a peak in the mid-altitude. Plant species diversity in the mid-altitude （1900-2200 m） is higher than that of the low altitude （1600-1900 m） and the high altitude （2200-2600 m）. In addition, the unimodal variable trend of α species diversity is clearly correlated with the altitudinal gradient. The change of plant species diversity is significantly correlated with the altitudinal gradient, and also related to the community structure, the community composition, the feature of species and the human disturbance.

Study on Species Diversity of Alpine Vegetation with Different Altitudes in Daban Mountain

[Objective] The aim of this study is to investigate species diversity of alpine vegetation in different altitudes of Daban mountain. [Method] Plant communities were surveyed in three different altitudes （3 025 m,3 405 m,3 813 m） of Daban mountain,the eastern Qilian,and the richness or diversity index of vegetation in three different altitudes was comparatively analyzed. [Result] The species richness decreased with the gradual increase of altitude,and species diversity of plant communities was relatively lower in medium altitude. Furthermore,community similarity also decreased with the increase of altitude,and β diversity of communities had a significant change. [Conclusion] Environmental factor change caused by different altitudes and human disturbance are important reasons for the change of species distribution pattern in different altitudes.

Patterns of species diversity and functional diversity of breeding birds in Hangzhou across an urbanization gradient

Given the rapid rise in human population and increasing urbanization,it is important to understand their potential impacts on biodiversity.From March 2007 to August 2007,we conducted bird surveys in 90 strip transects,each 3 km long and 100 m wide,along a gradient of urbanization in Hangzhou,China.This gradient spanned a range of urbanization levels including urban areas,rural-urban continuum areas,farming areas,mixed forest/farming areas and forested areas.We recorded 96 breeding bird species and classified them into nine functional groups based on nesting requirements.The nine functional groups consisted of canopy nesters,shrub nesters,canopy/shrub nesters,natural cavity nesters,building nesters,natural cavity/building nesters,ground nesters,water surface nesters and parasitic nesters.Species and functional diversities were estimated based on the Shannon-Wiener index.Environmental data of each transect as human disturbance,vegetation cover and building index were also measured,and a synthetic urbanization index of each transect was introduced based on these data.We used regression analyses to model the relationship of species abundance,species diversity,functional abundance and functional diversity with this synthetic index.The results show that urbanization significantly reduces species richness,species diversity,functional richness and functional diversity,but the specific patterns differed.The relationship between species abundance/species diversity and urbanization is linear.In contrast,the relationship between functional diversity and urbanization was quadratic.In other words,with increased urbanization,functional diversity declined only slightly at first but then dropped at an accelerating rate.This implies that,although moderate urbanization reduces species diversity of breeding birds,it affects functional diversity of breeding birds only slightly in Hangzhou.The regression analysis of species diversity and functional diversity suggests a quadratic relationship between species diversity and functional diversity,i.e.,a linear relationship between species diversity and functional diversity can only exist at low diversity levels across urbanization gradients and increasing species abundance does not lead to an increase in functional diversity at the highest diversity levels.

Dynamic change of arborous species diversity in natural secondary forests after selective cutting on the north slope of Changbai Mountain, Northeast China

The community characteristics of natural secondary forests on the north slope of Changbai Mountain after selective cutting were investigated, and the dynamics of arborous species diversity during the restoration period of 28 years were studied. The results showed that the arborous species richness (S) had little change and kept the range of 18-22 all along, the Simpson index (D) of the secondary layer and regeneration layer and whole stand had similar trends of change, but that of the canopy layer descended slowly in initial 15 years and had little change later, and the change of diversity index was not obvious and the Shannon-Wiener index (H? fluctuated in a very small scopes (H±10%).

Research on Species Diversity Characteristics of Chinese Endemic Plant Populus shanxiensis

[Objective] This study aimed at researching the species diversity of Populus shanxiensis community in Heichashan Mountain. [Method] Based on sampling methods, investigation in sampling spots was carried out according to the important indicator, the abundance index （N0）, Simpson index （λ）, Shannon-Weiner index （H＇） and homogeneity index （E1 and E5） were used for analysis. [Results] Species diversity index of Populus shanxiensis community was not only depended on the species compositions of communities, but also closely related to the important value of species. The order of abundance index and diversity index in each layer of Populus shanxiensis community was herb layershrub layertree layer, and the abundance index was positively related to the diversity index; while the variation trend of community homogeneity index was different from that of abundance index and diversity index, and the homogeneity had shown negative correlation with the dominance. [Conclusion] In this study, the growth status and conditions of Populus shanxiensis were further understood and researched, which had laid theoretical foundation for protecting the endangered species and provided basic information for the future studies of endangered species and related disciplines.

Assessment of Genetic Diversity of Yunnan,Tibetan,and Xinjiang Wheat Using SSR Markers

A total of 206 SSR （Simple Sequence Repeats） primer pairs were used to detect genetic diversity in 52 accessions of three unique wheat varieties of western China. A total of 488, 472, and 308 allelic variants were detected in 31 Yunnan, 15 Tibetan and 6 Xinjiang wheat accessions with an average of PIC values 0.2764, 0.3082, and 0.1944, respectively. Substantial differences in allelic polymorphisms were detected by SSR markers in all the 21 chromosomes, the 7 homoeologous groups, and the three genomes （A, B, and D） in Yunnan, Tibetan, and Xinjiang wheat. The highest and lowest allelic polymorphisms in all the 21 chromosomes were observed in 3B and 1D chromosomes, respectively. The lowest and highest allelic polymorphisms among the seven homoeologous groups was observed in 6 and 3 homoeologous groups, respectively. Among the three genomes, B genome showed the highest, A the intermediate, and D the lowest allelic polymorphism. The genetic distance （GD） indexes within Yunnan, Tibetan, and Xinjiang wheat, and between different wheat types were calculated. The GD value was found to be much higher within Yunnan and Tibetan wheat than within Xinjiang wheat, but the GD value between Yunnan and Tibetan wheat was lower than those between Yunnan and Xinjiang wheat, and between Tibetan and Xinjiang wheat. The cluster analysis indicated a closer relationship between Yunnan and Tibetan wheat than that between Yunnan and Xinjiang wheat or between Tibetan and Xinjiang wheat.

The Genus Epoligosita from Xinjiang,with Descriptions of Two New Species(Hymenoptera:Trichogrammatidae)

The genus Epoligosita Girault is briefly reviewed. Two new species and one new record species in China are described and illustrated. The specimens examined are deposited in the Life Science and Technology College, Xinjiang University, Urumqi, China and Biological Control Institute, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, China respectively.

Spatial pattern of plant species diversity and the influencing factors in a Gobi Desert within the Heihe River Basin, Northwest China

Understanding the spatial pattern of plant species diversity and the influencing factors has important implications for the conservation and management of ecosystem biodiversity. The transitional zone between biomes in desert ecosystems, however, has received little attention in that regard. In this study, we conducted a quantitative field survey （including 187 sampling plots） in a 40-km2 study area to determine the spatial pattern of plant species diversity and analyze the influencing factors in a Gobi Desert within the Heihe River Basin, Northwest China. A total of 42 plant species belonging to 16 families and 39 genera were recorded. Shrub and semi-shrub species generally represented the major part of the plant communities （covering 90% of the land surface）, while annual and perennial herbaceous species occupied a large proportion of the total recorded species （71%）. Patrick richness index （R）, Shannon-Wiener diversity index （H）, Simpson＇s dominance index （D）, and Pielou＇s evenness index （I） were all moderately spadaUy variable, and the variability increased with increasing sampling area. The semivariograms for R and H＇ were best fitted with Gaussian models while the semivariograms for D andJ were best fitted with exponential models. Nugget-to-still ratios indicated a moderate spatial autocorrelation for R, H＇, and D while a strong spatial autocorrelation was observed for J. The spatial patterns of R and H＇ were closely related to the geographic location within the study area, with lower values near the oasis and higher values near the mountains. However, there was an opposite trend for D. R, H＇, and D were significantly correlated with elevation, soil texture, bulk density, saturated hydraulic conductivity, and total porosity （P〈0.05）. Generally speaking, locations at higher elevations tended to have higher species richness and diversity and the higher elevations were characterized by higher values in sand and gravel contents, bulk density, and saturated hydraulic conductivity and also by lower values in total porosity. Furthermore, spatial variability of plant species diversity was dependent on the sampling area.

Volume fractal dimension of soil particles and relationships with soil physical-chemical properties and plant species diversity in an alpine grassland under different disturbance degrees

Fractal geometry is an important method in soil science,and many studies have used fractal theory to examine soil properties and the relationships with other eco-environmental factors.However,there have been few studies examining soil particle volume fractal dimension in alpine grasslands.To study the volume fractal dimension of soil particles （D） and its relationships with soil salt,soil nutrient and plant species diversity,we conducted an experiment on an alpine grassland under different disturbance degrees：non-disturbance （N0）,light disturbance （L）,moderate disturbance （M） and heavy disturbance （H）.The results showed that （1） Ds varied from 2.573 to 2.635 among the different disturbance degrees and increased with increasing degrees of disturbance.（2） Shannon-Wiener diversity index,Pielou＇s evenness index and Margalef richness index reached their highest values at the M degree,indicating that moderate disturbance is beneficial to the increase of plant species diversity.（3） In the L and M degrees,there was a significant positive correlation between D and clay content and a significant negative correlation between D and soil organic matter （SOM）.In the H degree,D was significantly and positively correlated with total salt （TS）.The results suggested that to a certain extent,D can be used to characterize the uniformity of soil texture in addition to soil fertility characteristics.（4） For the L degree,there was a significant negative correlation between D and the Shannon-Wiener diversity index; while for the M degree,there was a significant negative correlation between D and Pielou＇s evenness index.

Community Structure and Diversity of Ladybugs in Baihualing of Gaoligong Mountain Ⅱ——Seasonal Change Trends of Species Diversity

[ Objective] The paper was to explore the effect of seasonal changes on community diversity of ladybugs in Baihualing of Gaoligong Mountain. [ Meth- od] The seasonai change rule of community diversity of ladybugs in Baihualing of Gaoligeng Mountain was studied during April 2008 to January 2009. [ Result ] The species diversity of ladybugs from April to June in 2008 gradually increased, which reached the peak in June and September, and then declined gradually after October. The community similarities of ladybugs in the months with less difference in temperature and rainfall were relatively high. [ Conclusion] The study pro- vided theoretical basis for the further study on ladybugs in Baihualing of Gaoligong Mountain.

Effect of Snow-cover Duration on Plant Species Diversity of Alpine Meadows on the Eastern Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau

Although snow cover plays an important role in structuring plant diversity in the alpine zone, there are few studies on the relationship between snow cover and species diversity of alpine meadows on the eastern Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau. To assess the effect of snow cover on plant species diversity of alpine meadows, we used ten parallel transects of 60 m × 1 m for this study and described the changes in species diversity and composition associated with snow depth. With the division of snow depth into six classes, the highest species richness （S） and species diversity （H′） occurred with an intermediate snow depth, i.e., class Ⅲ and class Ⅳ, showing a unimodal curve with the increase in snow depth. The relationship between snow depth and plant diversity （both richness and Shannon index） could be depicted by quadratic equations. There was no evident relationship between diversity （both S and H′） and soil water content, which implied that other more important factors influenced species diversity. The patterns of diversity found in our study were largely attributed to freeze-thaw alteration, length of growing season and disturbances of livestock grazing. Furthermore, snow depth affected species composition, as evaluated by the Sorensen＇s index of similarity. In addition, almost all species limited to one snow depth class were found only in class Ⅲand class Ⅳ, indicating that intermediate snow depth was suitable for the survival and growth of many alpine species.

Vertical patterns in plant diversity and their relations with environmental factors on the southern slope of the Tianshan Mountains(middle section)in Xinjiang(China)

The investigation of distribution patterns of species diversity is significant for successful biodiversity conservation. The spatial patterns of vegetation and different life-forms species diversity along an elevation gradient in the middle section of the southern slope of the Tianshan Mountains in Xinjiang, China were explored, using the detrended canonical correspondence analysis （DCCA） and the generalized additive model （GAM） methods based on a field survey of 53 sampling plots. In this work 158 species of seed plants were recorded, including 141 herbaceous, 14 shrub, and 2 tree species, in which the woody plants are very limited. 53 sampling plots were classified into 9 major plant communities. The results indicate that the herb communities were the most sensitive to changes in elevation gradient. The diversity indices of the community as a whole presented bimodal patterns. The peak values for the species diversities were found in the transition region between mountain steppe desert and mountain desert steppe （2,200-2,300m）, and in the alpine grassland region （2,900-3,100m）, while maximum species diversities were in the areas of intermediate environmental gradient. The main environmental factors on the distribution patterns in plant diversity were the elevation, soft water, total nitroeen, available nitrogen, organic matter, and total salt. The response tendency of the four diversity indices for the whole community to the soil environment was the same as that of the herb layers.

Plant Species Diversity along an Altitudinal Gradient of Bhabha Valley in Western Himalaya

The present study highlights the rich species diversity of higher plants in the Bhabha Valley of western Himalaya in India. The analysis of species diversity revealed that a total of 313 species of higher plants inhabit the valley with a characteristic of moist alpine shrub vegetation. The herbaceous life forms dominate and increase with increasing altitude. The major representations are from the families Asteraceae, Rosaceae, Lamiaceae and Poaceae, suggesting thereby the alpine meadow nature of the study area. The effect of altitude on species diversity displays a hump-shaped curve which may be attributed to increase in habitat diversity at the median ranges and relatively less habitat diversity at higher altitudes. The anthropogenic pressure at lower altitudes results in low plant diversity towards the bottom of the valley with most of the species being exotic in nature. Though the plant diversity is less at higher altitudinal ranges, the uniqueness is relatively high with high species replacement rates. More than 90 % of variability in the species diversity could be explained using appropriate quantitative and statistical analysis along the altitudinal gradient. The valley harbours 18 threatened and 41 endemic species, most of which occur at higher altitudinal gradients due to habitat specificity.

Species diversity of Lachnum (Helotiales, Hyaloscyphaceae) from temperate China

Twenty-three temperate China species of Lachnum, Lachnum abnorme, L. angustum, L. brevipilosum, L. calosporum, L. calyculiforme, L. carneolum, L. ciliare, L. controversum, L. flavidulum, L. cf. fushanese, L. indicum, L. kumaonicum, L. lushanese, L. minutum, L. montanum, L. cf. pteridophyllum, L. pygmaeum, L. sclerotii var. sclerotii, L. sclerotii var. sichuanense, L. subpygmeaum, L. tenuissimum, L. virgineum and L. willisii are reported, whose main characteristics are given in a formula of the described species, some of which are discussed below.