Abstract
Ecological model is important. The relationship between biodiversity and disturbance gradient, however, makes it difficult to compare data from different studies and draw general conclusions. These results assessed the relationship between disturbance gradients and herbaceous species diversity in the typical hilly areas on varying spatial scales along the environmental gradient in Henan Province. Using community ecology techniques and quantitative measurements of disturbance, we detected a linear relationship between weighting values of disturbance intensity and herbaceous species diversity (Simpson), which were significantly correlated (P<0.01) in the differential ecosystem types along different disturbance gradient. Understanding a linear relationship between herbaceous species dynamics and their causes in the differential type’s landscapes is essential for further research of local ecosystem functions reaching the goal of ecosystem sustainable development in the context of biodiversity conservation. These results indicate that weighting values of disturbance are the most important environmental factors affecting the herbaceous species diversity in building a model of the ecosystem. This model may help policy makers formulate better ecological conservation and restoration plans with ecosystem. Key words: Model, herbaceous species diversity, disturbance gradient, significantly, the typical hilly areas.
Highlights
Ecosystems are typically filled with large numbers of plant species along environmental gradient, making species-centered studies of systemic processes and functions extremely difficult, if not outright impossible, to carry out (Liao et al, 2010; Liao et al, 2011a, 2011b)
The results show that disturbance is an important environmental factor affecting weed species diversity in anthropogenic activities in the typical hilly areas center / the typical hilly boundary areas / the ridge of the typical hilly areas
The results indicate that herb diversity (e.g. Simpson indicator) is expected to increase when weighting values of disturbance is reduced along disturbance gradients in the typical hilly areas of Henan Province (Figures 2 to 4)
Summary
Ecosystems are typically filled with large numbers of plant species along environmental gradient, making species-centered studies of systemic processes and functions extremely difficult, if not outright impossible, to carry out (Liao et al, 2010; Liao et al, 2011a, 2011b). The intermediate disturbance Hypothesis (IDH) suggests that species diversity will be maximal at intermediate. Levels of disturbance (Connell, 1978). Many experiments have assessed the relationship between plant species biodiversity and disturbance intensity from IDH perspective along different disturbance gradients in theoretical ecology (Biswas et al, 2010; Boutin et al, 2008; Leis et al, 2005). Leis et al (2005) found that disturbance up to intermediate levels can be used to maintain biodiversity by enriching the plant species pool. Biswas et al (2010) suggested that plant species richness and diversity, functional richness and diversity reached peaks at moderate disturbance intensity in riparian and upland plant communities. The relationship between plant species diversity and intermediate disturbance intensity has many
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