Understory Herbaceous Plant Community Diversity in Semi-Arid Open-Pit Mines Under Different Restoration Models
摘要:
[Objectives] To analyze species composition, floristic characteristics, species diversity, and phylogenetic diversity of understory herbaceous communities under 15 woody restoration models. [Methods] This study was conducted using permanent monitoring plots in the Pingshuo open-pit mine spoil heaps. We analyzed the species composition, floristic characteristics, species diversity, and phylogenetic diversity of understory herbaceous communities under 15 woody restoration models after ten years of recovery, aiming to explore how restoration models regulate the coexistence mechanisms of understory herbs. [Results] A total of 49 herbaceous plant species belonging to 35 genera across 17 families were recorded across the 15 restoration models. The Asteraceae, Fabaceae, and Poaceae were the dominant families, while Artemisia, Plantago, and Poa were the dominant genera; the dominant species were Elymus dahuricus, Bromus inermis, and Poa sphondylodes. Different restoration models significantly regulated the distribution of herbaceous genera/families and the composition of dominant species. Different restoration models significantly regulated the distribution of herbaceous genera and families as well as the composition of dominant species. Cosmopolitan families and North Temperate genera were dominant, while at the species level, the floristic differentiation was characterized by the Mediterranean West Asia East Asia disjunction type and the Sino Japanese type. Species and phylogenetic diversity in mixed-species forests were significantly higher than those in pure forests (P < 0.05). [Conclusions] Pure forests exhibited phylogenetic clustering, whereas mixed-species forests exhibited phylogenetic overdispersion. The mixed forest of Pinus tabuliformis, Caragana korshinskii, and Hippophae rhamnoides was identified as the optimal restoration model overall, showing balanced and excellent performance in family and genus richness, species diversity, and phylogenetic diversity. The pure Caragana korshinskii forest was the poorest model, characterized by low species richness and poor stability. The mixed forest of Robinia pseudoacacia, P. tabuliformis, and H. rhamnoides can serve as a priority supplementary model for enhancing species diversity, while the mixed forest of P. tabuliformis and H. rhamnoides is suitable for scenarios emphasizing species synergy.
关键词:
Semi-arid mining area, Ecological restoration model, Understory herbaceous plant community, Biodiversity