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Rao J, Tang Q, Duan D, Xu Y, Wei J, Bao Y, He X, Collins AL. UAV-based modelling of vegetation recovery under extreme habitat stresses in the water level fluctuation zone of the Three Gorges Reservoir, China. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 934:173185. [PMID: 38740218 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.173185] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/26/2023] [Revised: 04/18/2024] [Accepted: 05/10/2024] [Indexed: 05/16/2024]
Abstract
Impoundment of the Three Gorges Reservoir on the upper Yangtze River has remarkably altered hydrological regime within the dammed reaches, triggering structural and functional changes of the riparian ecosystem. Up to date, how vegetation recovers in response to compound habitat stresses in the water level fluctuation zone remains inexplicitly understood. In this study, plant above-ground biomass (AGB) in a selected water level fluctuation zone was quantified to depict its spatial and temporal pattern using unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV)-derived multispectral images and screened empirical models. The contributions of multiple habitat stressors in governing vegetation recovery dynamics along the environmental gradient were further explored. Screened random forest models indicated relatively higher accuracy in AGB estimation, with R2 being 0.68, 0.79 and 0.62 during the sprouting, growth, and mature periods, respectively. AGB displayed a significant linear increasing trend along the elevational gradient during the sprouting and early growth period, while it showed an inverted U-shaped pattern during late growth and mature period. Flooding duration, magnitude and timing were found to exert greater negative effects on plant sprouting and biomass accumulation and acted as decisive factors in governing the elevation-dependent pattern of AGB. Localized spatial variations in AGB were modulated by other stressors such as sediment burial, soil erosion, soil moisture and nutrient content. Occurrence of episodic summer floods and vegetation distribution were responsible for an inverted U-shaped pattern of AGB during the late growth and mature period. Generally, AGB reached its peak in August, thereafter an obvious decline by an unprecedent dry-hot climatic event. The water level fluctuations with cumulative flooding effects exerted substantial control on AGB temporal dynamics, while climatic condition played a secondary role. Herein, further restorative efforts need to be directed to screening suitable species, maintaining favorable soil condition, and improving vegetation pattern to balance the many trade-offs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jie Rao
- Chongqing Jinfo Mountain Karst Ecosystem National Observation and Research Station, School of Geographical Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China
| | - Qiang Tang
- Chongqing Jinfo Mountain Karst Ecosystem National Observation and Research Station, School of Geographical Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China.
| | - Dingqi Duan
- Chongqing Jinfo Mountain Karst Ecosystem National Observation and Research Station, School of Geographical Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China
| | - Yuehang Xu
- Chongqing Jinfo Mountain Karst Ecosystem National Observation and Research Station, School of Geographical Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China
| | - Jie Wei
- Chongqing Observation and Research Station of Earth Surface Ecological Processes in the Three Gorges Reservoir Area, School of Geography and Tourism, Chongqing Normal University, Chongqing 401331, China
| | - Yuhai Bao
- Key Laboratory of Mountain Surface Processes and Ecological Regulation, Institute of Mountain Hazards and Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu 610299, China
| | - Xiubin He
- Key Laboratory of Mountain Surface Processes and Ecological Regulation, Institute of Mountain Hazards and Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu 610299, China
| | - Adrian L Collins
- Net Zero and Resilient Farming, Rothamsted Research, North Wyke, Okehampton EX20 2SB, UK
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Liu X, Arif M, Zheng J, Wu Y, Chen Y, Gao J, Liu J, Changxiao L. Assessing leaf physiological traits in response to flooding among dominant riparian herbs along the Three Gorges Dam in China. Ecol Evol 2024; 14:e11533. [PMID: 38911496 PMCID: PMC11192621 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.11533] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2024] [Revised: 04/25/2024] [Accepted: 05/23/2024] [Indexed: 06/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Dams worldwide have significantly altered the composition of riparian forests. However, research on the functional traits of dominant herbs experiencing flooding stress due to dam impoundment remains limited. Given the high plasticity of leaf traits and their susceptibility to environmental influences, this study focuses on riparian herbs along the Three Gorges Hydro-Fluctuation Zone (TGHFZ). Specifically, it investigates how six leaf physiological traits of leading herbs-carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus, and their stoichiometric ratios-adapt to periodic flooding in the TGHFZ using cluster analysis, one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), multiple comparisons, Pearson correlation analysis, and principal component analysis (PCA). We categorized 25 dominant herb species into three plant functional types (PFTs), noting that species from the same family tended to fall into the same PFT. Notably, leaf carbon content (LCC) exhibited no significant differences across various PFTs or altitudes. Within riparian forests, different PFTs employ distinct adaptation strategies: PFT-I herbs invest in structural components to enhance stress resistance; PFT-II, mostly comprising gramineous plants, responds to prolonged flooding by rapid growth above the water; and PFT-III, encompassing nearly all Compositae and annual plants, responds to prolonged flooding with vigorous rhizome growth and seed production. Soil water content (SWC) emerges as the primary environmental factor influencing dominant herb growth in the TGHFZ. By studying the response of leaf physiological traits in dominant plants to artificial flooding, we intend to reveal the survival mechanisms of plants under adverse conditions and lay the foundation for vegetation restoration in the TGHFZ.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaolin Liu
- Key Laboratory of Eco‐Environments in the Three Gorges Reservoir Region (Ministry of Education)College of Life Sciences, Southwest UniversityChongqingChina
| | - Muhammad Arif
- Key Laboratory of Eco‐Environments in the Three Gorges Reservoir Region (Ministry of Education)College of Life Sciences, Southwest UniversityChongqingChina
- Biological Science Research Center, Academy for Advanced Interdisciplinary StudiesSouthwest UniversityChongqingChina
| | - Jie Zheng
- Key Laboratory of Eco‐Environments in the Three Gorges Reservoir Region (Ministry of Education)College of Life Sciences, Southwest UniversityChongqingChina
- Biological Science Research Center, Academy for Advanced Interdisciplinary StudiesSouthwest UniversityChongqingChina
| | - Yuanyuan Wu
- Key Laboratory of Eco‐Environments in the Three Gorges Reservoir Region (Ministry of Education)College of Life Sciences, Southwest UniversityChongqingChina
| | - Yangyi Chen
- Key Laboratory of Eco‐Environments in the Three Gorges Reservoir Region (Ministry of Education)College of Life Sciences, Southwest UniversityChongqingChina
| | - Jie Gao
- Key Laboratory of Eco‐Environments in the Three Gorges Reservoir Region (Ministry of Education)College of Life Sciences, Southwest UniversityChongqingChina
| | - Junchen Liu
- Key Laboratory of Eco‐Environments in the Three Gorges Reservoir Region (Ministry of Education)College of Life Sciences, Southwest UniversityChongqingChina
| | - Li Changxiao
- Key Laboratory of Eco‐Environments in the Three Gorges Reservoir Region (Ministry of Education)College of Life Sciences, Southwest UniversityChongqingChina
- Biological Science Research Center, Academy for Advanced Interdisciplinary StudiesSouthwest UniversityChongqingChina
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Jia W, Huang P, Zhu K, Gao X, Chen Q, Chen J, Ran Y, Chen S, Ma M, Wu S. Zonation of bulk and rhizosphere soil bacterial communities and their covariation patterns along the elevation gradient in riparian zones of three Gorges reservoir, China. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2024; 249:118383. [PMID: 38331152 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2024.118383] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2023] [Revised: 01/26/2024] [Accepted: 01/30/2024] [Indexed: 02/10/2024]
Abstract
Zonation is a typical pattern of soil distribution and species assembly across riparian habitats. Microorganisms are essential members of riparian ecosystems and whether soil microbial communities demonstrate similar zonation patterns and how bulk and rhizosphere soil microorganisms interact along the elevation (submergence stress) gradient remain largely unknown. In this study, bulk and rhizosphere (dominant plant) soil samples were collected and investigated across riparian zones where the submergence stress intensity increased as the elevation decreased. Results showed that the richness of bacterial communities in bulk and rhizosphere soil samples was significantly different and presented a zonation pattern along with the submergence stress gradient. Bulk soil at medium elevation that underwent moderate submergence stress had the most abundant bacterial communities, while the species richness of rhizobacteria at low elevation that experienced serious submergence stress was the highest. Additionally, principal coordinate analysis (PCoA) and significance tests showed that bulk and rhizosphere soil samples were distinguished according to the structure of bacterial communities, and so were bulk or rhizosphere soil samples from different elevations. Redundancy analysis (RDA) and Mantel test suggested that bacterial communities of bulk soil mainly relied on the contents of soil organic matter, total carbon (TC), total nitrogen (TN), sodium (Na), calcium (Ca) and magnesium (Mg). Contrastingly, the contents of Na and Mg were the main factors explaining the variation in rhizobacterial community composition. Correlation and microbial source tracking analyses showed thatthe relationship of bulk and rhizosphere soil bacteria became much stronger, and the rhizosphere soil may get more bacterial communities from bulk soil with the increase in submergence severity. Our results suggest that the abiotic and biotic components of the riparian ecosystem are closely covariant along the submergence stress gradient and imply that the bacterial community may be a key node linking soil physiochemical properties and vegetation communities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Weitao Jia
- Chongqing Institute of Green and Intelligent Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chongqing, China
| | - Ping Huang
- Chongqing Institute of Green and Intelligent Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chongqing, China
| | - Kai Zhu
- Chongqing Institute of Green and Intelligent Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chongqing, China
| | - Xin Gao
- Chongqing Institute of Green and Intelligent Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chongqing, China
| | - Qiao Chen
- Chongqing Institute of Green and Intelligent Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chongqing, China
| | - Jilong Chen
- Chongqing Institute of Green and Intelligent Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chongqing, China
| | - Yiguo Ran
- Chongqing Institute of Green and Intelligent Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chongqing, China
| | - Shanshan Chen
- Chongqing Institute of Green and Intelligent Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chongqing, China
| | - Maohua Ma
- Chongqing Institute of Green and Intelligent Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chongqing, China
| | - Shengjun Wu
- Chongqing Institute of Green and Intelligent Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chongqing, China.
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Wang L, Arif M, Zheng J, Li C. Patterns and drivers of plant carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus stoichiometry in a novel riparian ecosystem. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2024; 15:1354222. [PMID: 38654903 PMCID: PMC11036011 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2024.1354222] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2023] [Accepted: 03/26/2024] [Indexed: 04/26/2024]
Abstract
Carbon (C), nitrogen (N), and phosphorus (P) stoichiometry serve as valuable indices for plant nutrient utilization and biogeochemical cycling within ecosystems. However, the allocation of these nutrients among different plant organs and the underlying drivers in dynamic riparian ecosystems remain inadequately understood. In this study, we gathered plant samples from diverse life forms (annuals and perennials) and organs (leaves, stems, and roots) in the riparian zone of the Three Gorges Reservoir Region (TGRR) in China-a novel ecosystem subject to winter flooding. We used random forest analysis and structural equation modeling to find out how flooding, life forms, plant communities, and soil variables affect organs C, N, and P levels. Results showed that the mean concentrations of plant C, N, and P in the riparian zone of the TGRR were 386.65, 19.31, and 5.27 mg/g for leaves respectively, 404.02, 11.23, and 4.81 mg/g for stems respectively, and 388.22, 9.32, and 3.27 mg/g for roots respectively. The C:N, C:P and N:P ratios were 16.15, 191.7 and 5.56 for leaves respectively; 26.98, 273.72 and 4.6 for stems respectively; and 16.63, 223.06 and 4.77 for roots respectively. Riparian plants exhibited nitrogen limitation, with weak carbon sequestration, low nutrient utilization efficiency, and a high capacity for nutrient uptake. Plant C:N:P stoichiometry was significantly different across life forms and organs, with higher N and P concentrations in leaves than stems and roots, and higher in annuals than perennials. While flooding stress triggered distinct responses in the C, N, and P concentrations among annual and perennial plants, they maintained similar stoichiometric ratios along flooding gradients. Furthermore, our investigation identified soil properties and life forms as more influential factors than plant communities in shaping variations in C:N:P stoichiometry in organs. Flooding indirectly impacts plant C:N:P stoichiometry primarily through alterations in plant community composition and soil factors. This study underscores the potential for hydrologic changes to influence plant community composition and soil nutrient dynamics, and further alter plant ecological strategies and biogeochemical cycling in riparian ecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lei Wang
- Key Laboratory of Eco-Environments in the Three Gorges Reservoir Region (Ministry of Education), School of Life Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Plant Ecology and Resources Research in the Three Gorges Reservoir Region, School of Life Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Muhammad Arif
- Key Laboratory of Eco-Environments in the Three Gorges Reservoir Region (Ministry of Education), School of Life Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Plant Ecology and Resources Research in the Three Gorges Reservoir Region, School of Life Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
- Biological Science Research Center, Academy for Advanced Interdisciplinary Studies, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Jie Zheng
- Key Laboratory of Eco-Environments in the Three Gorges Reservoir Region (Ministry of Education), School of Life Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Plant Ecology and Resources Research in the Three Gorges Reservoir Region, School of Life Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
- Biological Science Research Center, Academy for Advanced Interdisciplinary Studies, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Changxiao Li
- Key Laboratory of Eco-Environments in the Three Gorges Reservoir Region (Ministry of Education), School of Life Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Plant Ecology and Resources Research in the Three Gorges Reservoir Region, School of Life Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
- Biological Science Research Center, Academy for Advanced Interdisciplinary Studies, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
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Le H, Zhao C, Xiong G, Shen G, Xu W, Deng Y, Xie Z. Disentangling the role of environmental filtering and biotic resistance on alien invasions in a reservoir area. ECOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS : A PUBLICATION OF THE ECOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 2024; 34:e2835. [PMID: 36890673 DOI: 10.1002/eap.2835] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2022] [Revised: 01/17/2023] [Accepted: 01/24/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Large-scale water conservancy projects benefit human life but have modified the landscape and provided opportunities for alien plant invasions. Understanding the environmental (e.g., climate), human-related (e.g., population density, proximity to human activities), and biotic (e.g., native plant, community structure) factors driving invasions is essential in the management of alien plants and biodiversity conservation in areas with intense human pressure. To this end, we investigated the spatial patterns of alien plant species distribution in the Three Gorges Reservoir Area (TGRA) of China and distinguished the role of the external environment and community characteristics in determining the occurrence of alien plants with differing levels of known invasion impacts in China using random forest analyses and structural equation models. A total of 102 alien plant species belonging to 30 families and 67 genera were recorded, the majority being annual and biennial herbs (65.7%). The results showed a negative diversity-invasibility relationship and supported the biotic resistance hypothesis. Moreover, percentage coverage of native plants was found to interact with native species richness and had a predominant role in resisting alien plant species. We found alien dominance was mainly the result of disturbance (e.g., changes in hydrological regime), which drove native plant loss. Our results also demonstrated that disturbance and temperature were more important for the occurrence of malignant invaders than all alien plants. Overall, our study highlights the importance of restoring diverse and productive native communities in resistance to invasion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haichuan Le
- State Key Laboratory of Vegetation and Environmental Change, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, No.20 Nanxincun, Xiangshan, Beijing, 100093, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Changming Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Vegetation and Environmental Change, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, No.20 Nanxincun, Xiangshan, Beijing, 100093, China
| | - Gaoming Xiong
- State Key Laboratory of Vegetation and Environmental Change, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, No.20 Nanxincun, Xiangshan, Beijing, 100093, China
| | - Guozhen Shen
- State Key Laboratory of Vegetation and Environmental Change, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, No.20 Nanxincun, Xiangshan, Beijing, 100093, China
| | - Wenting Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Vegetation and Environmental Change, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, No.20 Nanxincun, Xiangshan, Beijing, 100093, China
| | - Ying Deng
- State Key Laboratory of Vegetation and Environmental Change, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, No.20 Nanxincun, Xiangshan, Beijing, 100093, China
| | - Zongqiang Xie
- State Key Laboratory of Vegetation and Environmental Change, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, No.20 Nanxincun, Xiangshan, Beijing, 100093, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
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Zhang A, Yang Z, Zuo Y, Ma L, Zhang H. Geographic distribution of C 4 species and its phylogenetic structure across China. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2023; 14:1214980. [PMID: 37360722 PMCID: PMC10285315 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2023.1214980] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2023] [Accepted: 05/24/2023] [Indexed: 06/28/2023]
Abstract
Over the past fifty years, the distribution patterns of C4 species, across large spatial scales, are largely ignored. Here, we endeavored to examine patterns in the taxonomic and phylogenetic diversity of species with C4 photosynthetic pathways across the broad spatial extent of China and relate those to climatic gradients. We built a database of all plants with the C4 photosynthetic pathway in China. We analyzed the geographic distributions, taxonomic diversity, phylogenetic diversity, and phylogenetic structure of all C4 species, as well as the three families with the most C4 species (Poaceae, Amaranthaceae and Cyperaceae), and compared their values along temperature and precipitation gradients at two scales-the level of the province and at the 100 x 100 km grid cell. We found 644 C4 plants (belonging to 23 families 165 genera) in China, with Poaceae (57%), Amaranthaceae (17%), Cyperaceae (13%) accounting for the majority of species. Standardized effect size values of phylogenetic distances were negative overall, indicating that C4 species showed a phylogenetic clustering pattern. Southern China had the highest species richness and the highest degree of phylogenetic clustering. C4 tended to be more phylogenetically over-dispersed in regions with colder and/or drier climates, but more clustered in warmer and/or wetter climates. Patterns within individual families were more nuanced. The distribution of C4 species and its phylogenetic structure across China was constrained by temperature and precipitation. C4 species showed a phylogenetic clustering pattern across China, while different families showed more nuanced responses to climate variation, suggesting a role for evolutionary history.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aiying Zhang
- College of Life Sciences, China Jiliang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Zhongjie Yang
- College of Life Sciences, China Jiliang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Yu Zuo
- College of Life Sciences, China Jiliang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Liang Ma
- Mineral Resources and Geological Survey Center, Shaanxi Institute of Geological Survey, Xi’an, China
| | - Hanyu Zhang
- College of Life Sciences, China Jiliang University, Hangzhou, China
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Zheng J, Arif M, He X, Liu X, Li C. Distinguishing the mechanisms driving multifaceted plant diversity in subtropical reservoir riparian zones. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2023; 14:1138368. [PMID: 36909398 PMCID: PMC9998900 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2023.1138368] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2023] [Accepted: 02/13/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Understanding the multifaceted plant diversity and its maintenance mechanisms is crucial for biodiversity conservation. Dam-induced water level fluctuations dramatically alter various aspects of riparian diversity, such as taxonomic (TD), phylogenetic (PD), or functional (FD) diversity. However, few studies simultaneously evaluated plant TD, FD, and PD, especially in the subtropical reservoir riparian zone. Here we sampled plant diversity and environmental drivers along inundation gradients of the Three Gorges Reservoir Region in China. We integrated multifaceted plant diversity to assess how distinct ecological processes affect the plant community assembly and how they respond to inundation gradients, spatial variability, climate, and soils in dam-regulated riparian zones. We found that alpha TD, PD, and FD diversity exhibited decreasing trends with increasing inundation gradients and significant positive correlations with soil organic matter. The number of clustering plant communities increases along the inundation gradients. Beta TD and PD diversity were mainly dominated by species turnover with fewer contributions from nestedness, while beta FD diversity was mainly dominated by nestedness with fewer contributions from species turnover. The explainable rates of different dimensions of beta diversity, turnover, and nestedness ranged from 11% to 61%, with spatial factors explaining the highest beta diversity in different dimensions, followed by inundation gradients, soil properties, and climate variables. Our results suggest dispersal limitations are more important for species turnover in dam-regulated riparian zones at regional scales, while inundation gradients and soil fertility are more critical in shaping plant community assemblages at the local scale. This study emphasizes that environmental and spatial gradients are critical for understanding the assembly mechanisms driving multifaceted plant communities at local and regional scales and reinforces the importance of protecting seed sources and dispersal pathways and maintaining river connectivity when implementing restoration projects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jie Zheng
- Key Laboratory of Eco-environments in the Three Gorges Reservoir Region, Ministry of Education, Chongqing, China
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Plant Ecology and Resources Research in the Three Gorges Reservoir Region, School of Life Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Muhammad Arif
- Key Laboratory of Eco-environments in the Three Gorges Reservoir Region, Ministry of Education, Chongqing, China
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Plant Ecology and Resources Research in the Three Gorges Reservoir Region, School of Life Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
- Biological Science Research Center, Academy for Advanced Interdisciplinary Studies, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Xinrui He
- Key Laboratory of Eco-environments in the Three Gorges Reservoir Region, Ministry of Education, Chongqing, China
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Plant Ecology and Resources Research in the Three Gorges Reservoir Region, School of Life Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Xiaolin Liu
- Key Laboratory of Eco-environments in the Three Gorges Reservoir Region, Ministry of Education, Chongqing, China
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Plant Ecology and Resources Research in the Three Gorges Reservoir Region, School of Life Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Changxiao Li
- Key Laboratory of Eco-environments in the Three Gorges Reservoir Region, Ministry of Education, Chongqing, China
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Plant Ecology and Resources Research in the Three Gorges Reservoir Region, School of Life Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
- Biological Science Research Center, Academy for Advanced Interdisciplinary Studies, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
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Yao L, Gong Y, Ye C, Shi W, Zhang K, Du M, Zhang Q. Soil denitrification rates are more sensitive to hydrological changes than restoration approaches in a unique riparian zone. Funct Ecol 2022. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2435.14107] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Lu Yao
- Key Laboratory of Aquatic Botany and Watershed Ecology Wuhan Botanical Garden of the Chinese Academy of Sciences Wuhan People's Republic of China
| | - Yu Gong
- Key Laboratory of Aquatic Botany and Watershed Ecology Wuhan Botanical Garden of the Chinese Academy of Sciences Wuhan People's Republic of China
| | - Chen Ye
- Key Laboratory of Aquatic Botany and Watershed Ecology Wuhan Botanical Garden of the Chinese Academy of Sciences Wuhan People's Republic of China
| | - Wenjun Shi
- Key Laboratory of Aquatic Botany and Watershed Ecology Wuhan Botanical Garden of the Chinese Academy of Sciences Wuhan People's Republic of China
- The University of Chinese Academy of Sciences Beijing People's Republic of China
| | - Kerong Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Aquatic Botany and Watershed Ecology Wuhan Botanical Garden of the Chinese Academy of Sciences Wuhan People's Republic of China
| | - Ming Du
- Key Laboratory of Aquatic Botany and Watershed Ecology Wuhan Botanical Garden of the Chinese Academy of Sciences Wuhan People's Republic of China
| | - Quanfa Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Aquatic Botany and Watershed Ecology Wuhan Botanical Garden of the Chinese Academy of Sciences Wuhan People's Republic of China
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Zheng J, Arif M, Zhang S, Yuan Z, Zhang L, Dong Z, Tan X, Charles W, Li C. The convergence of species composition along the drawdown zone of the Three Gorges Dam Reservoir, China: implications for restoration. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2021; 28:42609-42621. [PMID: 33818726 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-021-13774-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2020] [Accepted: 03/29/2021] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
Many rivers across the globe are regulated by dams, resulting in a strong alteration of the plant community composition of the drawdown zone. But, how these changes happen along the drawdown zone is less understood. In this study, a multivariate analysis was used to explore plant composition and similarity along the drawdown zone of the Three Gorges Dam Reservoir (TGDR), China. The dominant plant species, species richness, indicator species, and growth form were compared among the upstream, midstream, and downstream of the TGDR. Moreover, variation partitioning was used to determine the relative importance of environmental factors and spatial factors. Results showed that only a few species contributed the most to the community composition of the study area, and there was an extreme similarity in the plant community composition across the three different river segments. Furthermore, the results of the linear regression model demonstrated a steady declining trend in species richness along the drawdown zone, with the lowest species richness in the downstream segment. In addition, variation partitioning revealed 11% and 8% of the species composition change under environmental and spatial factors, respectively. Our results suggested that the dam impoundment led to the convergence of species composition along the drawdown zone of the TGDR, and environmental filtering and dispersal limitation played an imperative role in shaping species composition. The study highlighted the importance of restoration activities in overcoming the barriers of seed dispersal and seedling establishment in the degraded drawdown zone ecosystem of the TGDR.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jie Zheng
- Key Laboratory of Eco-environments in the Three Gorges Reservoir Region (Ministry of Education), Chongqing Key Laboratory of Plant Ecology and Resources Research in the Three Gorges Reservoir Region, School of Life Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400715, China
| | - Muhammad Arif
- Key Laboratory of Eco-environments in the Three Gorges Reservoir Region (Ministry of Education), Chongqing Key Laboratory of Plant Ecology and Resources Research in the Three Gorges Reservoir Region, School of Life Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400715, China
| | - Songlin Zhang
- Chongqing Institute of Green and Intelligent Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chongqing, 400714, China
| | - Zhongxun Yuan
- Key Laboratory of Eco-environments in the Three Gorges Reservoir Region (Ministry of Education), Chongqing Key Laboratory of Plant Ecology and Resources Research in the Three Gorges Reservoir Region, School of Life Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400715, China
| | - Limiao Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Eco-environments in the Three Gorges Reservoir Region (Ministry of Education), Chongqing Key Laboratory of Plant Ecology and Resources Research in the Three Gorges Reservoir Region, School of Life Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400715, China
| | - Zhi Dong
- Key Laboratory of Eco-environments in the Three Gorges Reservoir Region (Ministry of Education), Chongqing Key Laboratory of Plant Ecology and Resources Research in the Three Gorges Reservoir Region, School of Life Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400715, China
| | - Xue Tan
- Key Laboratory of Eco-environments in the Three Gorges Reservoir Region (Ministry of Education), Chongqing Key Laboratory of Plant Ecology and Resources Research in the Three Gorges Reservoir Region, School of Life Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400715, China
| | - Wokadala Charles
- Key Laboratory of Eco-environments in the Three Gorges Reservoir Region (Ministry of Education), Chongqing Key Laboratory of Plant Ecology and Resources Research in the Three Gorges Reservoir Region, School of Life Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400715, China
| | - Changxiao Li
- Key Laboratory of Eco-environments in the Three Gorges Reservoir Region (Ministry of Education), Chongqing Key Laboratory of Plant Ecology and Resources Research in the Three Gorges Reservoir Region, School of Life Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400715, China.
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Arif M, Jie Z, Wokadala C, Songlin Z, Zhongxun Y, Zhangting C, Zhi D, Xinrui H, Changxiao L. Assessing riparian zone changes under the influence of stress factors in higher-order streams and tributaries: Implications for the management of massive dams and reservoirs. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2021; 776:146011. [PMID: 33647660 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.146011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2020] [Revised: 02/17/2021] [Accepted: 02/17/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Riparian ecosystem services along higher-order streams and connected tributaries may change over time as disturbances continuously increase, resulting in diverse deterioration of buffer zones. How habitat, plant cover, regeneration, erosion, and exotic parameters (riparian health conditions) change within huge dams and reservoirs worldwide is an unanswered question. We used multivariate statistical techniques to assess changes in riparian health parameters affected by disturbances identified in 304 transects within the Three Gorges Dam Reservoir, China, and associated tributaries. Kruskal-Wallis tests (p < 0.01) revealed high diversity in habitat, plant cover, regeneration, erosion, and overall stream condition. There was also notable variance relating to exotic and pressure parameters. The critical variables of riparian health indicators and stress factors identified by principal component analysis explained 58.40% and 74.6% (in the main waterway) and 53.23% and 71.0% (in the tributaries) of the total variance. Among riparian health indicators, one habitat parameter (riparian vegetation width) in the main waterway and one regeneration parameter (tree size classes) in tributaries contributed greatly, along with other specified parameters. Furthermore, stress factors such as farming systems, land-use types, and pollutant activity variables had the highest impact on these water bodies. In comparison, counting stress factors alone showed more deterioration in the main waterway with a range of (r = -0.527- 0.493), as determined using Pearson correlation (p < 0.05). Furthermore, after indexing, the parameters exhibited weaker coefficient values in tributaries, where exotic correlated negatively with other indexed values. These findings are relevant for managers of massive dam and reservoir ecosystems seeking to mitigate environmental and socioeconomic losses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Muhammad Arif
- Key Laboratory of Eco-Environments in the Three Gorges Reservoir Region (Ministry of Education), Chongqing Key Laboratory of Plant Ecology and Resources Research in the Three Gorges Reservoir Region, College of Life Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China; Punjab Forest Department, Government of Punjab, Lahore 54000, Pakistan.
| | - Zheng Jie
- Key Laboratory of Eco-Environments in the Three Gorges Reservoir Region (Ministry of Education), Chongqing Key Laboratory of Plant Ecology and Resources Research in the Three Gorges Reservoir Region, College of Life Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China.
| | - Charles Wokadala
- Key Laboratory of Eco-Environments in the Three Gorges Reservoir Region (Ministry of Education), Chongqing Key Laboratory of Plant Ecology and Resources Research in the Three Gorges Reservoir Region, College of Life Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China
| | - Zhang Songlin
- Key Laboratory of Reservoir Aquatic Environment, Chongqing Institute of Green and Intelligent Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chongqing 400714, China.
| | - Yuan Zhongxun
- Key Laboratory of Eco-Environments in the Three Gorges Reservoir Region (Ministry of Education), Chongqing Key Laboratory of Plant Ecology and Resources Research in the Three Gorges Reservoir Region, College of Life Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China.
| | - Chen Zhangting
- Key Laboratory of Eco-Environments in the Three Gorges Reservoir Region (Ministry of Education), Chongqing Key Laboratory of Plant Ecology and Resources Research in the Three Gorges Reservoir Region, College of Life Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China.
| | - Dong Zhi
- Key Laboratory of Eco-Environments in the Three Gorges Reservoir Region (Ministry of Education), Chongqing Key Laboratory of Plant Ecology and Resources Research in the Three Gorges Reservoir Region, College of Life Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China.
| | - He Xinrui
- Key Laboratory of Eco-Environments in the Three Gorges Reservoir Region (Ministry of Education), Chongqing Key Laboratory of Plant Ecology and Resources Research in the Three Gorges Reservoir Region, College of Life Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China.
| | - Li Changxiao
- Key Laboratory of Eco-Environments in the Three Gorges Reservoir Region (Ministry of Education), Chongqing Key Laboratory of Plant Ecology and Resources Research in the Three Gorges Reservoir Region, College of Life Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China.
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