Abstract
Understanding plant species distribution patterns along environmental gradients is fundamental to managing ecosystems, particularly when habitats are fragmented due to intensive human land use pressure. The variation pattern of functional diversity of plant communities along the elevation gradient in the Dindin dry evergreen Afromontane forest was tested. Fifty four plots of 20 x 20 m (400 m2) were established at 200 m intervals starting 2,300–2,900 m a. s. l. and woody species composition, and environmental variables were recorded. Nine functional diversity indices based on functional distances were employed to esimate functional diversity. The mixed effect model was used to determine the effect of elevation, aspect and slope on functional diversity indices. The results showed that functional diversity in communities varied greatly; functional diversity revealed a decrease with increasing elevation and a‘‘humped’’ pattern, with peak diversity appearing at middle elevation. Functional diversity was significantly correlated with elevation, slope, and aspect. Functional diversity was significantly correlated with species richness and evenness. Environmental filtering was important to the functional diversity pattern; the nine indices were all successful in the analysis of functional diversity in the plant community with different effectiveness, and modified functional attribute diversity, plot-based functional diversity, community based functional diversity, functional richness, and community weight mean of woody density performed better than the other four indices in this study.
Highlights
Afromontane forests are distributed across the African highlands (Linder, 2014; Abiem et al, 2020)
The effect of elevation and slope was significant on Modified functional attributes diversity (MFAD) and Functional diversity community based dendrogram index (FDc), whereas slope and aspect were significantly affecting Functional divergence (FDiv)
The results revealed that functional diversity varied significantly in plant communities of the Dindin dry evergreen Afromontane forest, which indicated that functional diversity was a suitable indicator for quantifying relationships of function, and the environment in communities (Mason et al, 2005)
Summary
Afromontane forests are distributed across the African highlands (Linder, 2014; Abiem et al, 2020). Found above 1500 m in elevation, they extend from the Arabian Peninsula south along the East African Rift to the Drakensberg Mountains in the east Despite this distribution, Afromontane forests have a unique fauna and flora and harbour a high proportion of endemic species (Burgess et al, 2007; Abiem et al, 2020). Afromontane forests have a unique fauna and flora and harbour a high proportion of endemic species (Burgess et al, 2007; Abiem et al, 2020) They have significant carbon stocks (Spracklen & Righelato, 2014), provide watershed protection (Schröter et al, 2005) and other important ecosystem services (Conti & Díaz, 2013). Long term monitoring of these forests is crucial for understanding how they function and for predicting their dynamics along environmental changes, vital information for sustainable management and preservation of the local and global services they provide
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