Studies on plant diversity are usually based on the total number of species in a community.However,few studies have examined species richness(SR)of different plant life forms in a community along largescale environmen...Studies on plant diversity are usually based on the total number of species in a community.However,few studies have examined species richness(SR)of different plant life forms in a community along largescale environmental gradients.Particularly,the relative importance(RIV)of different plant life forms in a community and how they vary with environmental variables are still unclear.To fill these gaps,we determined plant diversity of ephemeral plants,annual herbs,perennial herbs,and woody plants from 187 sites across drylands in China.The SR patterns of herbaceous plants,especially perennial herbs,and their RIV in plant communities increased with increasing precipitation and soil nutrient content;however,the RIV of annual herbs was not altered along these gradients.The SR and RIV of ephemeral plants were affected mainly by precipitation seasonality.The SR of woody plants had a unimodal relationship with air temperature and exhibited the highest RIV and SR percentage in plant communities under the harshest environments.An obvious shift emerged in plant community composition,SR and their critical impact factors at 238.5 mm of mean annual precipitation(MAP).In mesic regions(>238.5 mm),herbs were the dominant species,and the SR displayed a relatively slow decreasing rate with increasing aridity,which was mediated mainly by MAP and soil nutrients.In arid regions(<238.5 mm),woody plants were the dominant species,and the SR displayed a relatively fast decreasing rate with increasing aridity,which was mediated mainly by climate variables,especially precipitation.Our findings highlight the importance of comparative life form studies in community structure and biodiversity,as their responses to gradients differed substantially on a large scale.展开更多
Mountains are important reservoirs of biodiversity and endemism on a global scale, but little is known about the altitudinal configuration of this diversity and its driving factors in arid mountains. We explored varia...Mountains are important reservoirs of biodiversity and endemism on a global scale, but little is known about the altitudinal configuration of this diversity and its driving factors in arid mountains. We explored variations in composition, diversity, cover,and life forms of vascular plants along a complete altitudinal gradient(1300-4000 m a.s.l) in Sierra de Velasco, an arid mountain in northwestern Argentina.We evaluated the influence of environmental variables on plant diversity and cover. Field sampling was conducted in the northern sector of the Sa. de Velasco,on the western slope in eight 50 m wide altitudinal bands at 400 m elevation intervals. We used rectangular plots(20 × 4 m;n:10/altitudinal band) to register the vascular plants of all the growth forms, and linear transects(20 m long.;n:30/altitudinal band) to quantify the vegetation cover using the point intercept method. Diversity was calculated using hill numbers.Data analysis included non-metric multidimensional scaling(NMDS), indicator species analysis,generalized linear models(GLMs), and variance partitioning analysis. A total of 232 species from 51families and 158 genera were registered. Species composition showed greater similarity at intermediate elevations. Plant diversity and cover exhibited a unimodal distribution, peaking at intermediate elevations(2100-2500 m). In contrast, life forms' distribution showed divergent patterns. Therophytes and succulents predominated at low altitudes,phanerophytes and hemicryptophytes at medium altitudes, and chamaephytes and geophytes at high altitudes. The altitudinal patterns of plant diversity and cover were primarily driven by climatic factors.Conservation efforts in the Sierra de Velasco should focus on the middle and upper zones due to their high biodiversity and vulnerability to climate change.展开更多
Antioxidant systems are vital in life activities of macrophytes.Species with diff erent life forms need to cope with distinct environments by modifying physiological characters,especially antioxidant systems.In order ...Antioxidant systems are vital in life activities of macrophytes.Species with diff erent life forms need to cope with distinct environments by modifying physiological characters,especially antioxidant systems.In order to find diff erences among life forms and consequence of lake eutrophication,we studied three antioxidant enzymes activity(superoxide dismutase(SOD),ascorbate oxidase(APX)and catalase(CAT))and total soluble phenolics(TP)content in leaves of 26 macrophyte species in September 2013 in Lake Erhai,China.We found that antioxidation varied accordingly with life forms.The activities of SOD and APX in emergent macrophytes(EM)and floating-leaved macrophytes(FM)were much lower than those of submerged macrophytes(SM).On the contrary,TP content was much higher in EM and FM species.There was a negative correlation between TP and antioxidant enzyme activities(CAT and APX).The results suggested that EM and FM species rely on phenolics might to adapt to adverse environments(higher herbivores predation pressure and UV radiation intensity),while SM species more rely on antioxidant enzymes possibly due to lower demand for antioxidation and/or lack of light and inorganic C availability for phenolics synthesis.We also found FM species represent highest fitness in term of antioxidant system,which would lead to overgrowth of FM species and littoral zone bogginess during lake eutrophication.Finally,it is necessary to carry out the verification experiment under the control condition in the later stage,especially for the dominant ones in eutrophic lakes,to understand the exact adaptive mechanisms of them.展开更多
A study was conducted to identify plant species,diversity,life form and relevant species to Mediterranean climate,Irano-Torunian and Sahara-Sindian in Postband region（N 27°58＇4＂-28°2＇16＂,E 53°17＇3...A study was conducted to identify plant species,diversity,life form and relevant species to Mediterranean climate,Irano-Torunian and Sahara-Sindian in Postband region（N 27°58＇4＂-28°2＇16＂,E 53°17＇34＂-53°22＇30＂）.In total,95 species belonging to 29 families and 69 genera of flora were surveyed and identified from December 2006 to June 2008.Composite and Gramineae were important families in terms of species frequency.According to Raunkiaer＇s system and using X^2 tests,the life-form spectrum showed that therophytes accounted for 47% of all species,and hemicryptophytes for 31%,phanerophytes for 12%,chamaeophyte for 7%,and cryptophytes for 3%.In geographical distribution,29% species with the most frequency belonged to Irano-Torunian region.Results show that therophytes were more than normal spectrum and phaneropytes were less than normal spectrum,which was in agreement with data obtained in arid climate.展开更多
Plant life form diversity and its direct gradient analysis on a larger scale climate change gradient were tested, based on the data from Northeast China Transect platform. The results showed that the species numbers, ...Plant life form diversity and its direct gradient analysis on a larger scale climate change gradient were tested, based on the data from Northeast China Transect platform. The results showed that the species numbers, life form richness and life form diversity were relative higher at the eastern forests and the ecotone between typical vegetation, while those on the meadow grasslands and typical steppes were lower. Although plant life forms can reflect the climate variations, life form diversity is not consistent with the major global gradient along the NECT.展开更多
In floristic research,the grid mapping method is a crucial and highly effective tool for investigating the flora of specific regions.This methodology aids in the collection of comprehensive data,thereby promoting a th...In floristic research,the grid mapping method is a crucial and highly effective tool for investigating the flora of specific regions.This methodology aids in the collection of comprehensive data,thereby promoting a thorough understanding of regional plant diversity.This paper presents findings from a grid mapping study conducted in the Surkhan-Sherabad botanical-geographic region(SShBGR),acknowledged as one of the major floristic areas in southwestern Uzbekistan.Using an expansive dataset of 14,317 records comprised of herbarium specimens and field diary entries collected from 1897 to 2023,we evaluated the stages and seasonal dynamics of data accumulation,species richness(SR),and collection density(CD)within 5 km×5 km grid cells.We further examined the taxonomic and life form composition of the region's flora.Our analysis revealed that the grid mapping phase(2021–2023)produced a significantly greater volume of specimens and taxonomic diversity compared with other periods(1897–1940,1941–1993,and 1994–2020).Field research spanned 206 grid cells during 2021–2023,resulting in 11,883 samples,including 6469 herbarium specimens and 5414 field records.Overall,fieldwork covered 251 of the 253 grid cells within the SShBGR.Notably,the highest species diversity was documented in the B198 grid cell,recording 160 species.In terms of collection density,the E198 grid cell produced 475 samples.Overall,we identified 1053 species distributed across 439 genera and 78 families in the SShBGR.The flora of this region aligned significantly with the dominant families commonly found in the Holarctic,highlighting vital ecological connections.Among our findings,the Asteraceae family was the most polymorphic,with 147 species,followed by the continually stable and diverse Poaceae,Fabaceae,Brassicaceae,and Amaranthaceae.Besides,our analysis revealed a predominance of therophyte life forms,which constituted 52%(552 species)of the total flora.The findings underscore the necessity for continual data collection efforts to further enhance our understanding of the biodiversity in the SShBGR.The results of this study demonstrated that the application of grid-based mapping in floristic studies proves to be an effective tool for assessing biodiversity and identifying key taxonomic groups.展开更多
The future distribution of invading species depends on the climate space available and certain life history traits that facilitate invasion.Here,to predict the spread potential of plant species introduced in North Ame...The future distribution of invading species depends on the climate space available and certain life history traits that facilitate invasion.Here,to predict the spread potential of plant species introduced in North America north of Mexico(NAM),we compiled distribution and life history data(i.e.,seed size,life form,and photosynthetic pathways)for 3021 exotic plant species introduced to NAM.We comparatively examined the species’range size and climate space in both native and exotic regions and the role of key life history traits.We found that large climate space for most exotic plants is still available in NAM.The range sizes in global exotic regions could better predict the current range sizes in NAM than those in global native regions or global native plus exotic regions.C3 species had larger ranges on average than C4 and CAM plants,and herbaceous species consistently showed stronger relationships in range size between native and exotic regions than woody species,as was the case within the C3 species group.Seed size was negatively related to range size both in native regions and in NAM.However,seed size surprisingly showed a positive correlation with global exotic range size and no correlation with the current actual global(native plus exotic)range size.Our findings underline the importance of species’native distribution and life history traits in predicting the spread of exotic species.Future studies should continue to identify potential climate space and use underappreciated species traits to better predict species invasions under changing climate.展开更多
Understanding how dominant plants respond to nitrogen(N)addition is critical for accurately predicting the potential effects of N deposition on ecosystem structure and functionality.Biomass partitioning serves as a va...Understanding how dominant plants respond to nitrogen(N)addition is critical for accurately predicting the potential effects of N deposition on ecosystem structure and functionality.Biomass partitioning serves as a valuable indicator for assessing plant responses to environmental changes.However,considerable uncertainty remains regarding how biomass partitioning shifts with increasing N inputs in sandy ecosystems.To address this gap,we conducted a greenhouse N fertilization experiment in April 2024,using seeds from 20 dominant plant species in the Horqin Sandy Land of China representing 5 life forms:annual grasses,annual forbs,perennial grasses,perennial forbs,and shrubs.Six levels of N addition(0.0,3.5,7.0,14.0,21.0,and 49.0 g N/(m2•a),referred to as N0,N1,N2,N3,N4,and N5,respectively)were applied to investigate the effects of N inputs on biomass partitioning.Results showed that for all 20 dominant plant species,the root biomass:shoot biomass(R:S)consistently declined across all N addition treatments(P<0.050).Concurrently,N addition led to a 23.60%reduction in root biomass fraction,coupled with a 12.38%increase in shoot biomass fraction(P<0.050).Allometric partitioning analysis further indicated that N addition had no significant effect on the slopes of the allometric relationships(leaf biomass versus root biomass,stem biomass versus root biomass,and shoot biomass versus root biomass).This suggests that plants can adjust resource investment—such as allocating more resources to shoots—to optimize growth under favorable conditions without disrupting functional trade-offs between organs.Among different life forms,annual grasses,perennial grasses,and annual forbs exhibited increased allocation to aboveground biomass,enhancing productivity and potentially altering community composition and competitive hierarchies.In contrast,perennial forbs and shrubs maintained stable biomass partitioning across all N addition levels,reflecting conservative resource allocation strategies that support long-term ecosystem resilience in nutrient-poor environments.Taken together,these findings deepen our understanding of how nutrient enrichment influences biomass allocation and ecosystem dynamics across different plant life forms,offering practical implications for the management and restoration of degraded sandy ecosystems.展开更多
Within the semi-desert landscape of northern Libya, two sub-humid escarpments occur: Al-Akhdar in the east and Nafusa (Jabal Al-Gharbi) in the west. This study compares plant communities in the two regions, which are ...Within the semi-desert landscape of northern Libya, two sub-humid escarpments occur: Al-Akhdar in the east and Nafusa (Jabal Al-Gharbi) in the west. This study compares plant communities in the two regions, which are along an elevation gradient, in terms of species composition and diversity, frequency of different Raunkiaer life forms, and reproductive phenology. The two regions differed in species composition and life-form frequency between regions and between elevation zones within each region. Patterns were associated with the lower rainfall and lower moisture-holding capacity of soils at Nafusa, resulting in more xeric conditions. Only 13% of species were shared between the two regional landscapes. Species diversity, life-form frequency, and duration of the flowering-fruiting phenophase were all affected by elevation above sea level. The duration of flowering and fruiting in spring and fall was associated with environmental conditions, although there were different thresholds in the two regions. There was both a spring and fall episode of flowering at Nafusa, but only spring flowering at Al-Akhdar. It is anticipated that there will be a gradual shift of plant communities to higher elevations and loss of certain sensitive species in response to ongoing climate change.展开更多
In order to study the characteristics of species composition, richness and aboveground biomass of natural grasslands, and then ifnd out the relations between species richness and aboveground productivity of the commun...In order to study the characteristics of species composition, richness and aboveground biomass of natural grasslands, and then ifnd out the relations between species richness and aboveground productivity of the communities and possible mechanisms to form the relations, four typical grassland communities （Artemisia capillaries （AC）, Thymus quinquecostatus （TQ）, Stipa bungeana （SB） and Stipa grandis （SG）） along with a succession sequence in hilly-gully regions of the Loess Plateau, China, were investigated by ifeld survey and laboratory analysis. The results were summarized as follows：Different succession stages had different species compositions as well as different proportions of plant life forms and photosynthetic types, and Asteraceae, Poaceae and Leguminosae were their dominant species as well as their dominant perennial herb species;and different succession stages had signiifcantly different species richness and aboveground biomasses. There were many relation patterns （linear positive correlation, unrelated relations and unimodal relations） between the species richness and aboveground biomass in different succession stages and a signiifcant unimodal relation between the species richness and aboveground biomass in all the grassland communities and the highest species diversity appeared at a moderate level of productivity. The results suggest the unimodal relations in all the grassland communities are accumulative results of the relations in each succession stage.展开更多
The species-area relationship （SAR） is one of the most fundamental concepts in community ecology and is helpful for biodiversity conservation. However, few studies have systematically addressed this topic for differ...The species-area relationship （SAR） is one of the most fundamental concepts in community ecology and is helpful for biodiversity conservation. However, few studies have systematically addressed this topic for different alpine grassland types on the Tibetan Plateau, China. We explored whether the plant composition of different functional groups affects the manner in which species richness inereases with increasing area at scales ≤ 1.0 m^2. We also compared species richness （S） within and across forbs, legumes, sedges and grasses, with sampling subplot area （A） increasing from 0.0625 m^2 to 1.0 m^2 between alpine meadow and steppe communities. We applied a logarithmic function （S = b0 ＋ b1 ln A） to determine the slope and intercept of SAR curves within and across functional groups. The results showed that the logarithmic relationship holds true between species richness and sampling area at these small scales. Both the intercept and slope of the logarithmic forbs-area curves are significantly higher than those for the three other functional groups （P 〈 0.05）. Forb accounts for about 91.9 % of the variation in the intercept and 75.0% of the variation in the slope of the SAR curve when all functional groups＇ data were pooled together. Our results indicated that the different SAR patterns should be linked with species dispersal capabilities, environmental filtering, and life form composition within alpine grassland communities. Further studies on the relationship between species diversity and ecosystem functions should specify the differential responses of different functional groups to variations in climate and anthropogenic disturbances.展开更多
A summary of the homogeneous 5D universe model is expressed in the Dirac second-order quantized representation for the magnetic monopoles, identified in terms of the Higgs Bosons, and through systematic ordered excita...A summary of the homogeneous 5D universe model is expressed in the Dirac second-order quantized representation for the magnetic monopoles, identified in terms of the Higgs Bosons, and through systematic ordered excitations of the Higgs vacuum obtained the non-homogeneous 4D Lorentz manifolds filled with masses, corresponding to making space dimension reduction projections, and thus realization of Newtonian gravity, followed by the 3D space symmetry breaking into 2D × 1D that produces the Perelmann-entropy and Ricci-Flow mappings, resulting in the realization of Poincare spheres, represented by nucleus such as Carbon 12, all the way to stars, and matter filled discs, such as stars in galaxies and 2D carbon-based molecular structures like nitrogenous bases. Finally, the forming of RNAs and DNAs, then life forms.展开更多
Ohud mountain is one of the main important historic sites in the Arab Peninsula,and it is distinguishable over the rest of the mountains in the region.No extensive floristic survey has been carried out on Ohud mountai...Ohud mountain is one of the main important historic sites in the Arab Peninsula,and it is distinguishable over the rest of the mountains in the region.No extensive floristic survey has been carried out on Ohud mountain because of the rugged topography of this mountain.The current study investigates the floristic diversity and the correspondence of environmental factors of the phytogeographical distribution of plants,based on the floristic analysis of the present region.The research question is about the relationships between the species diversity and the human impacts of populated area at lowlands around Ohud mountain.A total of 59 species belonging to 56 genera and 28 families were recorded.Asteraceae had the highest contribution,about 12%of the total plant species.The analysis of the life forms demonstrated the prevalence of therophytes(68%)followed by chamaephytes(24%),indicating the adaptation of these life forms to hyperarid conditions.The chorological analysis indicated the predominance of the bi-regional taxa over the other phytochoria.Most of the recorded plant species belong to Saharo-Arabian and Sudano-Zambezian(24%)phytochoria.TWINSPAN analysis was performed to detect the indicator species of different vegetation groups and confirmed by detrended correspondence analysis(DCA or DECORANA).It is concluded that species richness and diversity revealed clear variation along the mountain and among the studied sites.Plant species diversity and richness were more pronounced in the intermediate portion of the elevation gradients across the mountain,with a decrease in the high altitudinal belts.The decrease was also recorded at the lower altitudes,where human impacts clearly affected vegetation;leading to a decrease in alpha diversity.In addition,the beta diversity among moderately highlands and lowlands was considerably high indicating the heterogeneous species composition among the studied sites along mountain elevations.The general pattern of vegetation groups distribution is controlled by a number of environmental factors;such as latitude,longitude,elevation,organic matter and some anions and cations.A Canonical Correspondence Analysis(CCA)ordination revealed that the vegetation structure has a strong association with the latitude of the mountain followed by organic matter and Magnesium.It is recommended that the populated area should be subjected to restoration of mountain ecosystem that might be degraded by human activities.展开更多
Coexisting floating-leaved and submerged plants experience similar environmental changes but may evolve different patterns of genetic variation.To compare local-scale genetic variation,we collected samples of floating...Coexisting floating-leaved and submerged plants experience similar environmental changes but may evolve different patterns of genetic variation.To compare local-scale genetic variation,we collected samples of floating-leaved Nymphoides peltata and submerged Myriophyllum spicatum coexisting in a disturbed urban lake in China.At the subpopulation level,using microsatellites,M.spicatum had higher clonal diversity than N.peltata.M.spicatum had 28.4%multilocus genotypes(MLGs)shared between subpopulations,but N.peltata had only one MLG shared between two adjacent subpopulations.N.peltata displayed more genetic variation between subpopulations than within subpopulations,but the reverse was true for M.spicatum.Principal components and Bayesian cluster analyses showed that individuals from each subpopulation of N.peltata tended to have relatively close genetic relationships.For M.spicatum,individuals from each subpopulation were genetically scattered with those from other subpopulations.Our results imply that in unpredictable adverse environments M.spicatum may be less subjected to local-deme extinction than N.peltata because of genetically diverse clones at the subpopulation level.This characteristic means that following adverse events,M.spicatum may rapidly restore subpopulation distributions via recolonization and intense gene flow among subpopulations.展开更多
Species-area relationships(SARs),also known as species-area curves,are fundamental scaling tools for biodiversity research.Sampling design and taxonomic groups affect the widely cited forms of species-area curves.Howe...Species-area relationships(SARs),also known as species-area curves,are fundamental scaling tools for biodiversity research.Sampling design and taxonomic groups affect the widely cited forms of species-area curves.However,the influence of sampling design and related environmental heterogeneity on SAR curves is rarely considered.Here,we investigated the SAR among different plant life forms(herbaceous plants,shrubs,and trees)in a 25.2-ha ForestGEO plot,the Wanglang Plot,in Sichuan,southwestern China,using a non-contiguous quadrat sampling method and power-law model.We compared the estimated parameters(the intercept c and the slope z)of the power-law models among different plant life forms,tested whether the SAR curve forms varied with sampling starting location,and assessed the effect of environmental heterogeneity accumulating with sampling area on curve variation.We found a wider range of variations in the SARs.The estimated c,z-values of power SAR were higher for the herbaceous plants than for the woody plants.A wider variation of SARs for the herbaceous plants than those for the woody plants.The selection of sampling starting location affected the SAR curve forms because of the roles of soil and topographic heterogeneity.We concluded that environmental heterogeneity regulates SAR curves sampled from different starting locations through spatial distribution of plant life forms.Thus,we recommend considering the design of sampling starting location when constructing SAR curves,especially in a heterogeneous habitat with unrandom distribution patterns of species.展开更多
A phytosociological study of a weed community dominated by Hydrocotyle mannii and Centella asiatica was carried out in Kampala, the capital city of Uganda from 2000 to 2002. The Zurich-Montpellier School of Phytosocio...A phytosociological study of a weed community dominated by Hydrocotyle mannii and Centella asiatica was carried out in Kampala, the capital city of Uganda from 2000 to 2002. The Zurich-Montpellier School of Phytosociology method was used with special emphasis on floristic and synecological structure as well as on dynamic aspects. This community was found to grow on shady moist roadsides and is about 15 cm high. In total, 54 species were recorded; most of them are annual, anemochorous and widespread. The Hydrocotyle mannii and Centella asiatica community is described as a new weed association： Hydocotylo-Centelletum asiaticae Mosango ass. nova.. Hydrocotyle mannii, Centella asiatica, Dichondra repens and Sida veronicifolia have been recognized as the character species of this association. The Hydrocotylo-Centelletum is a pioneer association. It has been ascribed to the alliance Eleusinion indicae Leonard 1950 which includes plant communities growing on shady roadsides. In terms of ecological succession, it appears to be evolving to the Asystasia gangetica herbaceous fallow association which belongs to the alliance Panicion maximi. It belongs to the order Ruderali-Euphorbietalia Schmitz 1971 and the class Ruderali-Manihotetea Leonard in Taton 1949.展开更多
Seed germination profoundly impacts plant community composition within the plant life cycle.Snow is an important source of water for seed germination in the temperate deserts of Central Asia.Understanding how seed ger...Seed germination profoundly impacts plant community composition within the plant life cycle.Snow is an important source of water for seed germination in the temperate deserts of Central Asia.Understanding how seed germination responds to variations in snow cover in relation to seed traits and plant ecological characteristics can help predict plant community sustainability and stability in Central Asia under a scenario climate change.This study investigated the seed germination of 35 plant species common to the Gurbantunggut Desert in Central Asia under the three snow treatments:(1)snow addition;(2)ambient snow;and(3)snow removal.Two-way analysis of variance(ANOVA)tests were performed to assess interactions among the impacts of snow treatments,seed traits and plant ecological characteristics on seed germination.Phylogenetic generalized least-squares(PGLS)model was used to test the relationships between seed traits and seed germination.The results demonstrated that snow variations had no significant impacts on seed germination overall.Seed germination under the snow addition treatment was similar with that under the ambient snow treatment,irrespective of seed traits and plant ecological characteristics.Snow removal only had negative impacts on seed germination for certain groups of seed traits and plant ecological characteristics.Seed mass positively affected seed germination,showing a linear increase of arcsin square root-transformed seed germination with log-transformed seed mass.Seed shape also profoundly impacted seed germination,with a higher germination percentage for elongated and flat seeds.Seed germination differed under different plant life forms,with semi-shrub species showing a significantly higher germination percentage.Most importantly,although snow treatments,seed traits and plant ecological characteristics had no interactive effects on seed germination overall,some negative impacts from the snow removal treatment were detected when seeds were categorized on the basis of seed mass and shape.This result suggests that variations of snow cover may change plant community composition in this temperate desert due to their impacts on seed germination.展开更多
Mycorrhizal fungi are essential for the growth and development of both epiphytic(growing on trees)and lithophytic(growing on rocks)orchids.Previous studies indicate that in lowland tropical areas,orchid mycorrhizal fu...Mycorrhizal fungi are essential for the growth and development of both epiphytic(growing on trees)and lithophytic(growing on rocks)orchids.Previous studies indicate that in lowland tropical areas,orchid mycorrhizal fungal compositions are correlated with the life form(i.e.,epiphytic,lithophytic,or terrestrial)of their host plants.We therefore tested if a similar correlation exists in an orchid distributed at higher elevations.Coelogyne corymbosa is an endangered ornamental orchid species that can be found as a lithophyte and epiphyte in subtropical to subalpine areas.Based on high-throughput sequencing of the fungal internal transcribed spacer 2(ITS2)-rDNA region of mycorrhizae of C.corymbosa,we detected 73 putative mycorrhizal fungal Operational Taxonomic Units(OTUs).The OTUs of two dominant lineages(Cantharellales and Sebacinales)detected from C.corymbosa are phylogenetically different from those of other species within the genus Coelogyne,indicating that different orchid species prefer specific mycorrhizal fungi.We also found that the Non-metric multidimensional scaling(NMDS)plots of orchid mycorrhizal fungi were not clustered with life form,the variations among orchid mycorrhizal fungal communities of different life forms were not significant,and most of the OTUs detected from epiphytic individuals were shared by the lithophytic plants,suggesting that orchid mycorrhizal associations of C.corymbosa were not affected by life form.These findings provide novel insights into mycorrhizal associations with endangered ornamental orchids.展开更多
基金supported by the National Key Research and Development Program of China(2023YFF0805602)National Natural Science Foundation of China(32225032,32001192,32271597)+1 种基金the Innovation Base Project of Gansu Province(2021YFF0703904)the Science and Technology Program of Gansu Province(24JRRA515,22JR5RA525,23JRRA1157).
文摘Studies on plant diversity are usually based on the total number of species in a community.However,few studies have examined species richness(SR)of different plant life forms in a community along largescale environmental gradients.Particularly,the relative importance(RIV)of different plant life forms in a community and how they vary with environmental variables are still unclear.To fill these gaps,we determined plant diversity of ephemeral plants,annual herbs,perennial herbs,and woody plants from 187 sites across drylands in China.The SR patterns of herbaceous plants,especially perennial herbs,and their RIV in plant communities increased with increasing precipitation and soil nutrient content;however,the RIV of annual herbs was not altered along these gradients.The SR and RIV of ephemeral plants were affected mainly by precipitation seasonality.The SR of woody plants had a unimodal relationship with air temperature and exhibited the highest RIV and SR percentage in plant communities under the harshest environments.An obvious shift emerged in plant community composition,SR and their critical impact factors at 238.5 mm of mean annual precipitation(MAP).In mesic regions(>238.5 mm),herbs were the dominant species,and the SR displayed a relatively slow decreasing rate with increasing aridity,which was mediated mainly by MAP and soil nutrients.In arid regions(<238.5 mm),woody plants were the dominant species,and the SR displayed a relatively fast decreasing rate with increasing aridity,which was mediated mainly by climate variables,especially precipitation.Our findings highlight the importance of comparative life form studies in community structure and biodiversity,as their responses to gradients differed substantially on a large scale.
文摘Mountains are important reservoirs of biodiversity and endemism on a global scale, but little is known about the altitudinal configuration of this diversity and its driving factors in arid mountains. We explored variations in composition, diversity, cover,and life forms of vascular plants along a complete altitudinal gradient(1300-4000 m a.s.l) in Sierra de Velasco, an arid mountain in northwestern Argentina.We evaluated the influence of environmental variables on plant diversity and cover. Field sampling was conducted in the northern sector of the Sa. de Velasco,on the western slope in eight 50 m wide altitudinal bands at 400 m elevation intervals. We used rectangular plots(20 × 4 m;n:10/altitudinal band) to register the vascular plants of all the growth forms, and linear transects(20 m long.;n:30/altitudinal band) to quantify the vegetation cover using the point intercept method. Diversity was calculated using hill numbers.Data analysis included non-metric multidimensional scaling(NMDS), indicator species analysis,generalized linear models(GLMs), and variance partitioning analysis. A total of 232 species from 51families and 158 genera were registered. Species composition showed greater similarity at intermediate elevations. Plant diversity and cover exhibited a unimodal distribution, peaking at intermediate elevations(2100-2500 m). In contrast, life forms' distribution showed divergent patterns. Therophytes and succulents predominated at low altitudes,phanerophytes and hemicryptophytes at medium altitudes, and chamaephytes and geophytes at high altitudes. The altitudinal patterns of plant diversity and cover were primarily driven by climatic factors.Conservation efforts in the Sierra de Velasco should focus on the middle and upper zones due to their high biodiversity and vulnerability to climate change.
基金Supported by the State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology(No.2016FBZ08)the Natural Science Foundation of Jiangxi Province(No.2015ZBBF6008)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.31200356)
文摘Antioxidant systems are vital in life activities of macrophytes.Species with diff erent life forms need to cope with distinct environments by modifying physiological characters,especially antioxidant systems.In order to find diff erences among life forms and consequence of lake eutrophication,we studied three antioxidant enzymes activity(superoxide dismutase(SOD),ascorbate oxidase(APX)and catalase(CAT))and total soluble phenolics(TP)content in leaves of 26 macrophyte species in September 2013 in Lake Erhai,China.We found that antioxidation varied accordingly with life forms.The activities of SOD and APX in emergent macrophytes(EM)and floating-leaved macrophytes(FM)were much lower than those of submerged macrophytes(SM).On the contrary,TP content was much higher in EM and FM species.There was a negative correlation between TP and antioxidant enzyme activities(CAT and APX).The results suggested that EM and FM species rely on phenolics might to adapt to adverse environments(higher herbivores predation pressure and UV radiation intensity),while SM species more rely on antioxidant enzymes possibly due to lower demand for antioxidation and/or lack of light and inorganic C availability for phenolics synthesis.We also found FM species represent highest fitness in term of antioxidant system,which would lead to overgrowth of FM species and littoral zone bogginess during lake eutrophication.Finally,it is necessary to carry out the verification experiment under the control condition in the later stage,especially for the dominant ones in eutrophic lakes,to understand the exact adaptive mechanisms of them.
文摘A study was conducted to identify plant species,diversity,life form and relevant species to Mediterranean climate,Irano-Torunian and Sahara-Sindian in Postband region（N 27°58＇4＂-28°2＇16＂,E 53°17＇34＂-53°22＇30＂）.In total,95 species belonging to 29 families and 69 genera of flora were surveyed and identified from December 2006 to June 2008.Composite and Gramineae were important families in terms of species frequency.According to Raunkiaer＇s system and using X^2 tests,the life-form spectrum showed that therophytes accounted for 47% of all species,and hemicryptophytes for 31%,phanerophytes for 12%,chamaeophyte for 7%,and cryptophytes for 3%.In geographical distribution,29% species with the most frequency belonged to Irano-Torunian region.Results show that therophytes were more than normal spectrum and phaneropytes were less than normal spectrum,which was in agreement with data obtained in arid climate.
文摘Plant life form diversity and its direct gradient analysis on a larger scale climate change gradient were tested, based on the data from Northeast China Transect platform. The results showed that the species numbers, life form richness and life form diversity were relative higher at the eastern forests and the ecotone between typical vegetation, while those on the meadow grasslands and typical steppes were lower. Although plant life forms can reflect the climate variations, life form diversity is not consistent with the major global gradient along the NECT.
基金supported by the grant from the State Programs"Grid Mapping of the Flora of Uzbekistan'during 2020–2024"the grant from the State Programs"Creation of the Digital Platform of the Plant World of Central Uzbekistan"during 2025–2029the State Research Project"Taxonomic Revision of Polymorphic Plant Families of the Flora of Uzbekistan"from the Institute of Botany,Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Uzbekistan (A-FA-2021-427)
文摘In floristic research,the grid mapping method is a crucial and highly effective tool for investigating the flora of specific regions.This methodology aids in the collection of comprehensive data,thereby promoting a thorough understanding of regional plant diversity.This paper presents findings from a grid mapping study conducted in the Surkhan-Sherabad botanical-geographic region(SShBGR),acknowledged as one of the major floristic areas in southwestern Uzbekistan.Using an expansive dataset of 14,317 records comprised of herbarium specimens and field diary entries collected from 1897 to 2023,we evaluated the stages and seasonal dynamics of data accumulation,species richness(SR),and collection density(CD)within 5 km×5 km grid cells.We further examined the taxonomic and life form composition of the region's flora.Our analysis revealed that the grid mapping phase(2021–2023)produced a significantly greater volume of specimens and taxonomic diversity compared with other periods(1897–1940,1941–1993,and 1994–2020).Field research spanned 206 grid cells during 2021–2023,resulting in 11,883 samples,including 6469 herbarium specimens and 5414 field records.Overall,fieldwork covered 251 of the 253 grid cells within the SShBGR.Notably,the highest species diversity was documented in the B198 grid cell,recording 160 species.In terms of collection density,the E198 grid cell produced 475 samples.Overall,we identified 1053 species distributed across 439 genera and 78 families in the SShBGR.The flora of this region aligned significantly with the dominant families commonly found in the Holarctic,highlighting vital ecological connections.Among our findings,the Asteraceae family was the most polymorphic,with 147 species,followed by the continually stable and diverse Poaceae,Fabaceae,Brassicaceae,and Amaranthaceae.Besides,our analysis revealed a predominance of therophyte life forms,which constituted 52%(552 species)of the total flora.The findings underscore the necessity for continual data collection efforts to further enhance our understanding of the biodiversity in the SShBGR.The results of this study demonstrated that the application of grid-based mapping in floristic studies proves to be an effective tool for assessing biodiversity and identifying key taxonomic groups.
文摘The future distribution of invading species depends on the climate space available and certain life history traits that facilitate invasion.Here,to predict the spread potential of plant species introduced in North America north of Mexico(NAM),we compiled distribution and life history data(i.e.,seed size,life form,and photosynthetic pathways)for 3021 exotic plant species introduced to NAM.We comparatively examined the species’range size and climate space in both native and exotic regions and the role of key life history traits.We found that large climate space for most exotic plants is still available in NAM.The range sizes in global exotic regions could better predict the current range sizes in NAM than those in global native regions or global native plus exotic regions.C3 species had larger ranges on average than C4 and CAM plants,and herbaceous species consistently showed stronger relationships in range size between native and exotic regions than woody species,as was the case within the C3 species group.Seed size was negatively related to range size both in native regions and in NAM.However,seed size surprisingly showed a positive correlation with global exotic range size and no correlation with the current actual global(native plus exotic)range size.Our findings underline the importance of species’native distribution and life history traits in predicting the spread of exotic species.Future studies should continue to identify potential climate space and use underappreciated species traits to better predict species invasions under changing climate.
基金supported by the National Grassland Technology Innovation Centre(Preparation)Project(CCPTZX2023B02-2)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(32071845)the Key Science and Technology Project of Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region(2021ZD001505).
文摘Understanding how dominant plants respond to nitrogen(N)addition is critical for accurately predicting the potential effects of N deposition on ecosystem structure and functionality.Biomass partitioning serves as a valuable indicator for assessing plant responses to environmental changes.However,considerable uncertainty remains regarding how biomass partitioning shifts with increasing N inputs in sandy ecosystems.To address this gap,we conducted a greenhouse N fertilization experiment in April 2024,using seeds from 20 dominant plant species in the Horqin Sandy Land of China representing 5 life forms:annual grasses,annual forbs,perennial grasses,perennial forbs,and shrubs.Six levels of N addition(0.0,3.5,7.0,14.0,21.0,and 49.0 g N/(m2•a),referred to as N0,N1,N2,N3,N4,and N5,respectively)were applied to investigate the effects of N inputs on biomass partitioning.Results showed that for all 20 dominant plant species,the root biomass:shoot biomass(R:S)consistently declined across all N addition treatments(P<0.050).Concurrently,N addition led to a 23.60%reduction in root biomass fraction,coupled with a 12.38%increase in shoot biomass fraction(P<0.050).Allometric partitioning analysis further indicated that N addition had no significant effect on the slopes of the allometric relationships(leaf biomass versus root biomass,stem biomass versus root biomass,and shoot biomass versus root biomass).This suggests that plants can adjust resource investment—such as allocating more resources to shoots—to optimize growth under favorable conditions without disrupting functional trade-offs between organs.Among different life forms,annual grasses,perennial grasses,and annual forbs exhibited increased allocation to aboveground biomass,enhancing productivity and potentially altering community composition and competitive hierarchies.In contrast,perennial forbs and shrubs maintained stable biomass partitioning across all N addition levels,reflecting conservative resource allocation strategies that support long-term ecosystem resilience in nutrient-poor environments.Taken together,these findings deepen our understanding of how nutrient enrichment influences biomass allocation and ecosystem dynamics across different plant life forms,offering practical implications for the management and restoration of degraded sandy ecosystems.
基金funded by Libyan Missions Department and Cairo University
文摘Within the semi-desert landscape of northern Libya, two sub-humid escarpments occur: Al-Akhdar in the east and Nafusa (Jabal Al-Gharbi) in the west. This study compares plant communities in the two regions, which are along an elevation gradient, in terms of species composition and diversity, frequency of different Raunkiaer life forms, and reproductive phenology. The two regions differed in species composition and life-form frequency between regions and between elevation zones within each region. Patterns were associated with the lower rainfall and lower moisture-holding capacity of soils at Nafusa, resulting in more xeric conditions. Only 13% of species were shared between the two regional landscapes. Species diversity, life-form frequency, and duration of the flowering-fruiting phenophase were all affected by elevation above sea level. The duration of flowering and fruiting in spring and fall was associated with environmental conditions, although there were different thresholds in the two regions. There was both a spring and fall episode of flowering at Nafusa, but only spring flowering at Al-Akhdar. It is anticipated that there will be a gradual shift of plant communities to higher elevations and loss of certain sensitive species in response to ongoing climate change.
基金funded by the Strategic Priority Research Program of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, China (XDA05050403)
文摘In order to study the characteristics of species composition, richness and aboveground biomass of natural grasslands, and then ifnd out the relations between species richness and aboveground productivity of the communities and possible mechanisms to form the relations, four typical grassland communities （Artemisia capillaries （AC）, Thymus quinquecostatus （TQ）, Stipa bungeana （SB） and Stipa grandis （SG）） along with a succession sequence in hilly-gully regions of the Loess Plateau, China, were investigated by ifeld survey and laboratory analysis. The results were summarized as follows：Different succession stages had different species compositions as well as different proportions of plant life forms and photosynthetic types, and Asteraceae, Poaceae and Leguminosae were their dominant species as well as their dominant perennial herb species;and different succession stages had signiifcantly different species richness and aboveground biomasses. There were many relation patterns （linear positive correlation, unrelated relations and unimodal relations） between the species richness and aboveground biomass in different succession stages and a signiifcant unimodal relation between the species richness and aboveground biomass in all the grassland communities and the highest species diversity appeared at a moderate level of productivity. The results suggest the unimodal relations in all the grassland communities are accumulative results of the relations in each succession stage.
基金supported by the Chinese Academy of Sciences (Grant Nos.XDB03030401,KZCXZ-XB3-08)the State Scholarship Fund of the China Scholarship Council (Grant No.201400260118)the International Postdoctoral Exchange Fellowship Program 2014 by the Office of China Postdoctoral Council (Grant No.20140041)
文摘The species-area relationship （SAR） is one of the most fundamental concepts in community ecology and is helpful for biodiversity conservation. However, few studies have systematically addressed this topic for different alpine grassland types on the Tibetan Plateau, China. We explored whether the plant composition of different functional groups affects the manner in which species richness inereases with increasing area at scales ≤ 1.0 m^2. We also compared species richness （S） within and across forbs, legumes, sedges and grasses, with sampling subplot area （A） increasing from 0.0625 m^2 to 1.0 m^2 between alpine meadow and steppe communities. We applied a logarithmic function （S = b0 ＋ b1 ln A） to determine the slope and intercept of SAR curves within and across functional groups. The results showed that the logarithmic relationship holds true between species richness and sampling area at these small scales. Both the intercept and slope of the logarithmic forbs-area curves are significantly higher than those for the three other functional groups （P 〈 0.05）. Forb accounts for about 91.9 % of the variation in the intercept and 75.0% of the variation in the slope of the SAR curve when all functional groups＇ data were pooled together. Our results indicated that the different SAR patterns should be linked with species dispersal capabilities, environmental filtering, and life form composition within alpine grassland communities. Further studies on the relationship between species diversity and ecosystem functions should specify the differential responses of different functional groups to variations in climate and anthropogenic disturbances.
文摘A summary of the homogeneous 5D universe model is expressed in the Dirac second-order quantized representation for the magnetic monopoles, identified in terms of the Higgs Bosons, and through systematic ordered excitations of the Higgs vacuum obtained the non-homogeneous 4D Lorentz manifolds filled with masses, corresponding to making space dimension reduction projections, and thus realization of Newtonian gravity, followed by the 3D space symmetry breaking into 2D × 1D that produces the Perelmann-entropy and Ricci-Flow mappings, resulting in the realization of Poincare spheres, represented by nucleus such as Carbon 12, all the way to stars, and matter filled discs, such as stars in galaxies and 2D carbon-based molecular structures like nitrogenous bases. Finally, the forming of RNAs and DNAs, then life forms.
文摘Ohud mountain is one of the main important historic sites in the Arab Peninsula,and it is distinguishable over the rest of the mountains in the region.No extensive floristic survey has been carried out on Ohud mountain because of the rugged topography of this mountain.The current study investigates the floristic diversity and the correspondence of environmental factors of the phytogeographical distribution of plants,based on the floristic analysis of the present region.The research question is about the relationships between the species diversity and the human impacts of populated area at lowlands around Ohud mountain.A total of 59 species belonging to 56 genera and 28 families were recorded.Asteraceae had the highest contribution,about 12%of the total plant species.The analysis of the life forms demonstrated the prevalence of therophytes(68%)followed by chamaephytes(24%),indicating the adaptation of these life forms to hyperarid conditions.The chorological analysis indicated the predominance of the bi-regional taxa over the other phytochoria.Most of the recorded plant species belong to Saharo-Arabian and Sudano-Zambezian(24%)phytochoria.TWINSPAN analysis was performed to detect the indicator species of different vegetation groups and confirmed by detrended correspondence analysis(DCA or DECORANA).It is concluded that species richness and diversity revealed clear variation along the mountain and among the studied sites.Plant species diversity and richness were more pronounced in the intermediate portion of the elevation gradients across the mountain,with a decrease in the high altitudinal belts.The decrease was also recorded at the lower altitudes,where human impacts clearly affected vegetation;leading to a decrease in alpha diversity.In addition,the beta diversity among moderately highlands and lowlands was considerably high indicating the heterogeneous species composition among the studied sites along mountain elevations.The general pattern of vegetation groups distribution is controlled by a number of environmental factors;such as latitude,longitude,elevation,organic matter and some anions and cations.A Canonical Correspondence Analysis(CCA)ordination revealed that the vegetation structure has a strong association with the latitude of the mountain followed by organic matter and Magnesium.It is recommended that the populated area should be subjected to restoration of mountain ecosystem that might be degraded by human activities.
基金Supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.31600325)。
文摘Coexisting floating-leaved and submerged plants experience similar environmental changes but may evolve different patterns of genetic variation.To compare local-scale genetic variation,we collected samples of floating-leaved Nymphoides peltata and submerged Myriophyllum spicatum coexisting in a disturbed urban lake in China.At the subpopulation level,using microsatellites,M.spicatum had higher clonal diversity than N.peltata.M.spicatum had 28.4%multilocus genotypes(MLGs)shared between subpopulations,but N.peltata had only one MLG shared between two adjacent subpopulations.N.peltata displayed more genetic variation between subpopulations than within subpopulations,but the reverse was true for M.spicatum.Principal components and Bayesian cluster analyses showed that individuals from each subpopulation of N.peltata tended to have relatively close genetic relationships.For M.spicatum,individuals from each subpopulation were genetically scattered with those from other subpopulations.Our results imply that in unpredictable adverse environments M.spicatum may be less subjected to local-deme extinction than N.peltata because of genetically diverse clones at the subpopulation level.This characteristic means that following adverse events,M.spicatum may rapidly restore subpopulation distributions via recolonization and intense gene flow among subpopulations.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Nos.31988102 and 31300450).
文摘Species-area relationships(SARs),also known as species-area curves,are fundamental scaling tools for biodiversity research.Sampling design and taxonomic groups affect the widely cited forms of species-area curves.However,the influence of sampling design and related environmental heterogeneity on SAR curves is rarely considered.Here,we investigated the SAR among different plant life forms(herbaceous plants,shrubs,and trees)in a 25.2-ha ForestGEO plot,the Wanglang Plot,in Sichuan,southwestern China,using a non-contiguous quadrat sampling method and power-law model.We compared the estimated parameters(the intercept c and the slope z)of the power-law models among different plant life forms,tested whether the SAR curve forms varied with sampling starting location,and assessed the effect of environmental heterogeneity accumulating with sampling area on curve variation.We found a wider range of variations in the SARs.The estimated c,z-values of power SAR were higher for the herbaceous plants than for the woody plants.A wider variation of SARs for the herbaceous plants than those for the woody plants.The selection of sampling starting location affected the SAR curve forms because of the roles of soil and topographic heterogeneity.We concluded that environmental heterogeneity regulates SAR curves sampled from different starting locations through spatial distribution of plant life forms.Thus,we recommend considering the design of sampling starting location when constructing SAR curves,especially in a heterogeneous habitat with unrandom distribution patterns of species.
文摘A phytosociological study of a weed community dominated by Hydrocotyle mannii and Centella asiatica was carried out in Kampala, the capital city of Uganda from 2000 to 2002. The Zurich-Montpellier School of Phytosociology method was used with special emphasis on floristic and synecological structure as well as on dynamic aspects. This community was found to grow on shady moist roadsides and is about 15 cm high. In total, 54 species were recorded; most of them are annual, anemochorous and widespread. The Hydrocotyle mannii and Centella asiatica community is described as a new weed association： Hydocotylo-Centelletum asiaticae Mosango ass. nova.. Hydrocotyle mannii, Centella asiatica, Dichondra repens and Sida veronicifolia have been recognized as the character species of this association. The Hydrocotylo-Centelletum is a pioneer association. It has been ascribed to the alliance Eleusinion indicae Leonard 1950 which includes plant communities growing on shady roadsides. In terms of ecological succession, it appears to be evolving to the Asystasia gangetica herbaceous fallow association which belongs to the alliance Panicion maximi. It belongs to the order Ruderali-Euphorbietalia Schmitz 1971 and the class Ruderali-Manihotetea Leonard in Taton 1949.
基金the National Natural Science Foundation of China(41571256,31670007)。
文摘Seed germination profoundly impacts plant community composition within the plant life cycle.Snow is an important source of water for seed germination in the temperate deserts of Central Asia.Understanding how seed germination responds to variations in snow cover in relation to seed traits and plant ecological characteristics can help predict plant community sustainability and stability in Central Asia under a scenario climate change.This study investigated the seed germination of 35 plant species common to the Gurbantunggut Desert in Central Asia under the three snow treatments:(1)snow addition;(2)ambient snow;and(3)snow removal.Two-way analysis of variance(ANOVA)tests were performed to assess interactions among the impacts of snow treatments,seed traits and plant ecological characteristics on seed germination.Phylogenetic generalized least-squares(PGLS)model was used to test the relationships between seed traits and seed germination.The results demonstrated that snow variations had no significant impacts on seed germination overall.Seed germination under the snow addition treatment was similar with that under the ambient snow treatment,irrespective of seed traits and plant ecological characteristics.Snow removal only had negative impacts on seed germination for certain groups of seed traits and plant ecological characteristics.Seed mass positively affected seed germination,showing a linear increase of arcsin square root-transformed seed germination with log-transformed seed mass.Seed shape also profoundly impacted seed germination,with a higher germination percentage for elongated and flat seeds.Seed germination differed under different plant life forms,with semi-shrub species showing a significantly higher germination percentage.Most importantly,although snow treatments,seed traits and plant ecological characteristics had no interactive effects on seed germination overall,some negative impacts from the snow removal treatment were detected when seeds were categorized on the basis of seed mass and shape.This result suggests that variations of snow cover may change plant community composition in this temperate desert due to their impacts on seed germination.
基金We thank Jia-Lin Huang and Jia-Wei Li for their kind help with field work.John Meadows and Raymond Porter are acknowledged for improvements of the manuscript.This study was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Nos.31670342 and 31700026)Yunnan Applied Basic Research Project(2019FB019)+1 种基金the Science and Technology Plan of Yunnan(2018BB010)the Scientific and Technological Leading Talent Project of Yunnan Province(2016HA005).
文摘Mycorrhizal fungi are essential for the growth and development of both epiphytic(growing on trees)and lithophytic(growing on rocks)orchids.Previous studies indicate that in lowland tropical areas,orchid mycorrhizal fungal compositions are correlated with the life form(i.e.,epiphytic,lithophytic,or terrestrial)of their host plants.We therefore tested if a similar correlation exists in an orchid distributed at higher elevations.Coelogyne corymbosa is an endangered ornamental orchid species that can be found as a lithophyte and epiphyte in subtropical to subalpine areas.Based on high-throughput sequencing of the fungal internal transcribed spacer 2(ITS2)-rDNA region of mycorrhizae of C.corymbosa,we detected 73 putative mycorrhizal fungal Operational Taxonomic Units(OTUs).The OTUs of two dominant lineages(Cantharellales and Sebacinales)detected from C.corymbosa are phylogenetically different from those of other species within the genus Coelogyne,indicating that different orchid species prefer specific mycorrhizal fungi.We also found that the Non-metric multidimensional scaling(NMDS)plots of orchid mycorrhizal fungi were not clustered with life form,the variations among orchid mycorrhizal fungal communities of different life forms were not significant,and most of the OTUs detected from epiphytic individuals were shared by the lithophytic plants,suggesting that orchid mycorrhizal associations of C.corymbosa were not affected by life form.These findings provide novel insights into mycorrhizal associations with endangered ornamental orchids.
