PJB-2008-120
RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN SOIL CHARACTERISTICS AND HALOPHYTIC VEGETATION IN COASTAL REGION OF NORTH CHINA
WEI-QIANG LI1, LIU XIAO-JING1*, M. AJMAL KHAN2 AND BILQUEES GUL3
Abstract
Plant-soil relationship of saline coastal plain of north China was studied. Principle component analysis (PCA) and cluster analysis were used to generate a hypothesis that the distribution pattern of halophytic vegetation was influenced by the variation in soil properties. The hypothesis was tested by canonical correlation analysis (CCA). PCA results showed that salinity, pH, moisture and available nitrogen were the major soil factors responsible for variations in the pattern of vegetation. For vegetation, primarily richness, cover, plant height, and biomass, were the main factors. The results of cluster analysis were consistent with field investigation, and CCA showed results similar to PCA. Canonical correlation coefficient between soil parameters and vegetation factors was 0.731. The relationship of soil salinity with vegetation biomass, and that of soil salinity with available nitrogen were both negative. Biomass was the main vegetation factor in indicating soil salinity.
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