Karren Habitat as the Key in Influencing Plant Distribution and Species Diversity in Shilin Geopark, Southwest China

Kun Li, Mengyuan Zhang, Yilun Li, Xiaoyi Xing, Shuxin Fan, Yu Cao, Li Dong and Desheng Chen
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Kun Li: School of Landscape Architecture, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China
Mengyuan Zhang: School of Landscape Architecture, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China
Yilun Li: School of Landscape Architecture, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China
Xiaoyi Xing: School of Landscape Architecture, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China
Shuxin Fan: School of Landscape Architecture, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China
Yu Cao: School of Landscape Architecture, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China
Li Dong: School of Landscape Architecture, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China
Desheng Chen: Yunnan Yuntou Ecology and Environment Technology Co., Ltd., Kunming 650217, China

Sustainability, 2020, vol. 12, issue 14, 1-16

Abstract: Karst rocky desertification (KRD) is one of the biggest challenges in the karst ecological restoration of Southwest China, and a thorough understanding of the plant community characteristics in various karren habitats provides a basis for mitigating KRD and restoring the degraded ecosystem. To improve our knowledge of the detailed characteristics and impact mechanisms of karren habitats on the species distribution and species diversity patterns of woody and herbaceous plants to benefit sustainable management and planting design for revegetation establishment in the karst region, a field investigation was carried out in the natural restoration vegetation of Shilin Geopark. The results indicated that karren habitats apparently determine the species diversity and composition. At the arbor layer, the habitat with the highest α diversity was solution corridor (SC), and at the shrub layer, grikes (GR) were the karren habitats with the most diverse communities. At the herb layer, solution rock debris (SRD) showed the highest richness of herbaceous species. The karren habitat features and topographic factors significantly influence plant α diversity and distribution. Soil area (SA) and canopy density (CD) were the dominant factors influencing plant diversity at the arbor, shrub and herb layers, soil thickness (ST) was significantly effective at the arbor and herb layers. Karren habitat height (KHH), litter thickness (LT), and slope gradient (SG) were significantly influential at the herb layer. The impacts of the karren habitat width (KHW), slope aspect (SAS), and SG on woody species distribution were significant. Knowledge obtained from this study will be helpful guidance for future sustainable restored vegetation design and management with high biodiversity and regional characteristics in the karst area of Southwest China and other fragile karst ecosystems in the world.

Keywords: karren habitat; species distribution; alpha diversity; Shilin Geopark; karst ecosystems (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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