Level of habitat fragmentation determines its non-linear relationships with plant species richness, frequency and density at desertified grasslands in Inner Mongolia, China

作     者：Zhimin Liu Wenkai Shou Jianqiang Qian Jing Wu Carlos Alberto Busso Xianzhang Hou 

作者机构：Institute of Applied EcologyChinese Academy of Sciences72 Wenhua RoadShenhe DistrictShenyang 110016China Faculty of ForestryLiaoning Forestry Vocation-Technical College186 Fengyang RoadSujiatun DistrictShenyang 110164China Departamento de Agronomia-CERZOS(CONICET)Universidad Nacional del Sur8000 Bahia BlancaProvincia de Buenos AiresArgentina 

出 版 物：《Journal of Plant Ecology》 (植物生态学报（英文版）)

年 卷 期：2018年第11卷第6期

页      面：866-876页

核心收录：

学科分类：0710[理学-生物学] 0830[工学-环境科学与工程（可授工学、理学、农学学位）] 1002[医学-临床医学] 0901[农学-作物学] 0902[农学-园艺学] 10[医学] 0713[理学-生态学] 

基　　金：This study was financially supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China(31600443 41501573)。 

主　　题：density frequency functional group habitat fragmentation rare species species richness 

摘      要：Aims This study aimed to examine the changes in plant species richness,frequency and density along a habitat fragmentation gradient(with varied degrees of habitat fragmentation[DHFs])in a desertified grass-land of Horqin Sandy Land,northeastern Inner Mongolia,China.Methods In this study,six landscape plots(500×500 m each)along a habi-tat fragmentation gradient were established.A new fragmentation index was formulated to study the effects of habitat fragmentation on biodiversity indices(species richness,frequency and density).Regression analyses(linear-or non-linear regression)were con-ducted to assess the changes in species richness,frequency and density along the habitat fragmentation gradient at plant commu-nity,functional group and species scales,respectively.Important Findings There was a non-linear relationship(following a quadratic function)between total species richness and the DHF.Total species richness reached its peak when the DHF was 0.2,beyond which species richness decreased along the fragmentation gradient.Plant func-tional groups showed their specific responses to habitat fragmenta-tion,and some non-linear relationships and thresholds existed.The relative richness of rare species also showed a non-linear response to habitat fragmentation,with the threshold being DHF=0.6.Species became rarer(both some common species and rare spe-cies)with the intensifying habitat fragmentation.Our study dem-onstrates the importance of the non-linear relationships and plant functional groups in exploring the effects of habitat fragmentation on biodiversity and implementing effective biological conservation in sand dunes.