Mechanisms for the construction of plant communities in the Gurbantunggut Desert, China

作者：Kefan Zhao, Yong Zeng, Yonghui Wang, Xuefeng Yang, Peng Wang, Yuejia Liang, Jia He · 发表于：Ecological Indicators · 年份：2023 · DOI：10.1016/j.ecolind.2023.110615 · 被引用次数：20 · 研究领域：Ecology and Vegetation Dynamics Studies、Plant and animal studies、Ecosystem dynamics and resilience

Analysis of the phylogenetic structure of a community based on the phylogenetic relationships among species in the community can reflect the ecological process of community composition and determine the mechanism of plant community construction. In this study, we analyzed the characteristics of the phylogenetic structure and diversity of plant communities in the Gurbantunggut Desert and their interactions with soil factors and explored the mechanisms of species maintenance in the communities. The results showed that the ecological traits of plants were conserved, habitat filtering was the primary process affecting plant communities, and the diversity of phylogeny was ranked as fixed dunes > semifixed dunes > mobile dunes. At different slope positions within the dune, there is greater phylogenetic diversity at the bottom and lower slope, and habitat filtering dominates community construction, with the dominant role of habitat filtering in the community diminishing as the slope position rises. The phylogenetic diversity of plant communities of different life types is ranked as short-lived plants > small trees and shrubs > annual and perennial herbs. On the bottom and lower slopes, short-lived plants and annual and perennial herbaceous communities are mainly influenced by habitat filtering. Habitat filterability decreased with increasing slope position. On the upper slopes and at the top, competitive exclusion effects between small trees and shrubs dominated. Our analysis shows ...