Relationships between herbaceous diversity and biomass in two habitats in arid Mediterranean rangeland

Abstract

Plant diversity patterns vary across the landscape. This study was conducted to answer the question: what is the pattern of species diversity ( α and β) along an abstract productivity/cover gradient at two topographical positions (Wadi (a depression with overland flow) and hilltop) of a Mediterranean herbaceous plant community in Jordan? Results indicated that the less productive hilltop localities exhibited higher species richness than the more productive Wadi localities. Species richness exhibited a unimodal relationship with aboveground biomass within Wadis whereas a positive linear relationship was revealed for hilltops. Within Wadis, abundant species did not show a significant relationship with productivity while common and rare species showed a unimodal relationship. Within hilltops, abundant, common, and rare species showed a linear relationship with biomass. β-diversity, measured as species dissimilarity, showed significant negative relationship to biomass within hilltops, whereas a positive relationship was observed within Wadis. Wilson–Shmida index ( β T) had a unimodal function with increased differences in productivity whereas Morisita–Horn index ( C mh) showed a reverse unimodal relationship. Examination of the species richness–biomass relationship among species groups (abundant, common, and rare) suggested that abundant species maybe more important on low productivity sites whereas common and rare species maybe more important on high productivity sites.