Abstract
It is important to understand the interactions between soil and plant in riparian zones to ensure ecosystem function. The effects of edaphic factors on plant composition and species diversity were investigated in the middle and lower reaches of the Hanjiang River (MLHR), China. A total of 154 species of herbs were recorded, and vegetation was divided into 32 clusters according to a two-way indicator species analysis (TWINSPAN). Cynodon dactylon and Paspalum distichum were the most common clusters, accounting for 22.7% and 12.5% of total samples, respectively. Hydric and mesic species were dominant in the first and second transects, with mesophytes dominating the third and fourth transects. First transects situated were mainly composed of perennials and annuals, respectively. Perennials in second transects were present in 83% of sites, and perennials in the third and fourth transects were present in 86% of the sites. Margalef richness index (Dma), Simpson dominance diversity index (D), Shannon–Wiener diversity index (H) and Pielou evenness index (Jsw) were higher in the first transects in some sites. The redundancy analysis (RDA) results indicated that soil moisture content was the dominant factor affecting hydrophilic vegetation types, and total nitrogen (TN) and soil organic matter (SOM) were the most critical factors affecting plant life history types and species diversities in this area.
Highlights
The riparian ecosystem is an important primary producer in a river ecosystem as ecotones between terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems [1]
Types
The proportion hydric and species and mesic species in the second transects was higher than mesophytes in the majority of sites; of sites species in the second transects was higher than mesophytes in the majority mesophytes recorded higher proportion in about half of thehalf sitesofinthe thesites third ophytesarecorded a higher proportion in about intransects the third transec and they werethey dominant in the fourth transects
Summary
The riparian ecosystem is an important primary producer in a river ecosystem as ecotones between terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems [1]. The majority of river riparian belts has been fragmented by anthropogenic activities, for example by the construction of embankments to prevent natural disasters such as floods [7,8], the construction of dams, and other water conservancy projects [9], as well as the expansion of urban and cultivated land areas [10]. As ecosystems in these riparian zones are very fragile, it is important to study the interrelationship between plants and the environment in this area [11]. Among the different environmental factors, soil is the basis of habitat heterogeneity, climate, and biology, controlling the ecological process of the ecosystem, and playing a key role in community distribution and characteristics [6]
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