A Statistical Study On Diversity Patterns Of Plants Characterized By Different Life Forms On Nature Reserves In China

The distribution patterns and underlying mechanisms of species richness have been the focus of biogeography and biodiversity research.In this study,the plant species growing in the 162 nature reserves of China were classified based on Raunkiaer life forms.By statistical regression analyses,we established the the relationships between environmental factors and species richness of plant groups characterized by different life forms in the tropics and subtropics region,warm temperate region,mid and cold temperate region,and the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau region.We also reached the dominant factors and analyzed the effects of these dominant factors on the species richness patterns.The main results are shown as following:(1)In the tropics and subtropics region: the R~2 of phanerophytes(PH),chamaephytes(CH),hemicryptophyte(H),cryptophytes(CR)and therophytes(TH)models are 0.723,0.235,0.776,0.280,0.251.The phanerophytes(PH)is related to Max Temperature of Warmest Month,Growth Season Precipitation,Humidity Index,Mean Diurnal,Mean Temperature of Driest Quarter,Max Monthly Potential Evaporation,Annual Actual Evapotranspiration;The chamaephytes(CH)has relationship with Isothermality,Precipitation of Wettest Month;The hemicryptophyte(H)correlates with Precipitation of Coldest Quarter,Max Temperature of Warmest Month,Annual Precipitation,Precipitation of Wettest Quarter,Coldness Index,Precipitation Seasonality;The cryptophytes(CR)is connected with Annual Potential Evapotranspiration,Mean Temperature of Driest Quarter,Min Temperature of Coldest Month;The therophytes(TH)is in connection with Growth Season Precipitation.(2)In the warm temperate region: the R~2 of phanerophytes(PH),chamaephytes(CH),hemicryptophyte(H),cryptophytes(CR)and therophytes(TH)models are0.380,0.841,0.310,0.408,0.855;The phanerophytes(PH)is related to Precipitation Seasonality;The chamaephytes(CH)has relationship with Area,Rate of Annual Potential Evapotranspiration;The hemicryptophyte(H)correlates with Mean Temperature of Driest Quarter,Mean Temperature of Coldest Quarter;The cryptophytes(CR)is connected with Precipitation Seasonality,Range;The therophytes(TH)is in connection with Deviation of Annual Potential Evapotranspiration,Precipitation of Warmest Quarter,Max Monthly Potential Evaporation,Rate of Annual Potential Evapotranspiration,Humidity Index.(3)In the mid and cold temperate regionthe: the R~2 of phanerophytes(PH),chamaephytes(CH),hemicryptophyte(H),cryptophytes(CR)and therophytes(TH)models are 0.734,0.641,0.452,0.781,0.579;The phanerophytes(PH)is related to Precipitation of Warmest Quarter,Mean Diurnal,Range;The chamaephytes(CH)hasrelationship with Mean Diurnal,Precipitation Seasonality;The hemicryptophyte(H)correlates with Precipitation of Driest Month,Mean Annual Temperature;The cryptophytes(CR)is connected with Isothermality,Precipitation Seasonality;The therophytes(TH)is in connection with Humidity Index.(4)In the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau regionthe: the R~2 of phanerophytes(PH),chamaephytes(CH),hemicryptophyte(H),cryptophytes(CR)and therophytes(TH)models are 0.661,0.740,0.601,0.271,0.648.The phanerophytes(PH)is related to Precipitation of Driest Month;The chamaephytes(CH)has relationship with Min Temperature of Coldest Month,Range;The hemicryptophyte(H)correlates with Precipitation of Coldest Quarter;The cryptophytes(CR)is connected with Mean Annual Temperature;The therophytes(TH)is in connection with Precipitation of Driest Month,Area.In this study,we delineated the species richness patterns of plant groups characterized by different life forms,explored the potential mechanisms behind these patterns.These results will be helpful for understanding the geographical patterns of plant species richness in China and their hidden ecological processes,and will be guideful for the biodiversity conservation in China.