The relationships between environment and plant communities in the middle part of Taihang Mountain Range, North China

Abstract

The Taihang Mountain Range is located at E112°50′–114°30′, N35°20′–39°30′ in North China. This study aimed to reveal relationships between plant communities, soil variables and topographic variables. Floristic data and environmental data from sixty-eight quadrats of 10 m × 20 m along an elevation gradient from 1050 to 2180 m were analysed by TWINSPAN, DCA and CCA. Eight vegetation formations were recognized, all secondary successional stages following the original broad-leaved deciduous forests’ distraction by human activities. The results showed that the community patterns are related to both soil variables and topographic variables. Among the soil variables, soil N, P, K and organic matter were found to be the most important factors forcing the spatial patterns of plant communities. The vegetation patterns were also significantly correlated with the topographic variables, elevation, slope and aspect. Interactions between the environmental variables were significant. It is concluded that further measures...