Pattern of functional diversity along an altitudinal gradient in the Baihua Mountain Reserve of Beijing, China

Abstract

Environmental gradients have been shown to be important to functional diversity of communities. The variation pattern of functional diversity of plant communities along an elevation gradient in the Baihua Mountain Reserve was tested. Sixty-one quadrats of 10 m × 20 m of plant communities were established along an altitudinal gradient and species composition, traits, and environmental variables were measured and recorded. Six functional diversity indices based on functional distances were used to calculate functional diversity. The results showed that functional diversity in communities varied greatly; functional diversity showed a “humped” pattern, with peak diversity appearing at middle elevation; functional diversity was significantly correlated with elevation, slope, aspect, litter thickness, and disturbance; functional diversity was significantly correlated with species diversity and evenness; environmental filtering was important to functional diversity pattern; the six indices were all successful in the analysis of functional diversity in plant community with different effectiveness and were significantly correlated with each other, and functional divergence, modified functional attribute diversity, and functional attribute diversity performed better than the other three indices in this study.