TITLE:
Study on Plant Diversity of Mountain Areas of Yangmeikeng and Chiao, Shenzhen, China
AUTHORS:
Hong Liang, Yuyuan Huang, Shizhen Lin, Kangsai Zhao, Yufeng Zou, Xinfan Yu, Lijun Yang, Wang Xu, Zhu Ming, Zhibin Zhou
KEYWORDS:
Diversity, Community, Family, Genus, Species, Ecosystem
JOURNAL NAME:
American Journal of Plant Sciences,
Vol.7 No.17,
December
30,
2016
ABSTRACT: In this study, Yangmeikeng mountain area with a long-term natural restoration status
(communities 1, 2, and 3) and Chiao mountain area with an artificially disturbed
status (communities 4 and 5) in Shenzhen in China were subjected to plant community
composition and diversity statistical analysis on the basis of the following indices:
plant height; density; tree layer DBH; coverage; number of family, genus, and species;
calculated diversity indices; richness; similarity coefficients of family, genus and
species; and species evenness. The diversity levels of each index in each community
were compared, and the relationships of family, genus, and species in the communities
with one another were determined. The integrated diversity levels in the two
areas were also analyzed. Results showed that the composition status of three communities,
especially communities 2 and 3, which were located at high elevation, in
Yangmeikeng with the long-term natural restoration status was better. The diversity
values were also evidently higher. The vegetation composition in Yangmeikeng was
also greater than that in Chiao. The integration status of numerous diversity indices,
such as evenness and richness, was higher than that of the latter. These data could be
used as a basis for arguments regarding the status of natural and artificial forest biodiversities.
Many species in the community in artificial forests were shrubs and
herbs. The richness and proportion of tree species were distinctly low. Thus, shrubs
and herbs were the main components of the artificial interference community. The
number and richness of the tree species in natural or long-term natural restoration
forests were higher than those of the former. The family diversity Df of the three
communities in Yangmeikeng was slightly lower than that of the two communities in
Chiao. By contrast, the genus diversity Dg, family richness, and genus richness in
Yangmeikeng were higher than those in Chiao. In terms of α-diversity and similarity
coefficient, family, genus, and species were not directly related to one another.
Therefore, species, genus, and family composition should be combined with their diversity status in the statistical and biodiversity analysis of a community. Synthetic
diversity indices should be further analyzed to evaluate the diversity status of a
community objectively.