PJB-2018-566
COMPARISON OF PCA INDEX WITH OTHER COMMON INDICES FOR MEASURING FUNCTIONAL DIVERSITY IN LARCH FORESTS ALONG AN ELEVATIONAL GRADIENT
Naiqi Song
Abstract
Functional diversity is important to ecological processes in communities and may relate to environmental gradients. PCA index and other four common indices were used to analyze the change pattern of functional diversity of Larix principis-rupprechtii forests along an altitudinal gradient in the Pangquangou National Nature Reserve. Thirty-six quadrats of 10 m × 20 m from 1800 m to 2600 m were set up and species composition, functional traits and environmental variables were measured. The results showed that PCA index was very effective in the analysis of functional diversity of the plant community and was significantly correlated with other common indices. Functional diversity of larch forests was high and varied greatly, and functional diversity was linearly decreased with the increasing elevation. Functional diversity was significantly correlated with species richness and heterogeneity. Elevation was a key environmental variable influencing functional diversity and species diversity of larch forests in this reserve.
To Cite this article:
Download
