Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Comparison of woody species composition between rocky outcrops and nearby matrix vegetation on degraded karst hillslopes of Southwest China

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
Journal of Forestry Research Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Habitats with different features such as soil depth and soil/rock conditions can provide favorable environments for species with different requirements, while anthropogenic disturbances normally exert additional effects on species composition. However, specific studies have rarely been conducted in the degraded karst regions of Southwest China despite the high heterogeneity of karst habitats and past human disturbances. In this study, woody species richness and composition on rocky outcrops on a typical karst hillslope were investigated and compared with those of nearby matrices on shallow and rocky soil. Our results showed that matrix vegetation was more diverse in genera and species than vegetation on rocky outcrops. This might relate to the contrasting substrate features and different disturbance histories of these two habitats. Unlike the significant effect of slope on species richness of the matrix vegetation, rocky outcrops exhibited no significant differences between upper and lower slope positions, largely because their microhabitats were similar in different slope positions. Although the study area has been reforested naturally for about 30 years, woody species of the matrix vegetation were still dominated by pioneer shrub species. Rocky outcrops were dominated by late-successional tree species, which was primarily related to their isolated features and resistance to certain disturbances. Most of these late-successional species were not habitat endemics, indicating the possibility for their encroachment into surrounding the matrix. From this aspect, further studies will be necessary to identify and address the limiting factors for the encroachment of these late-successional species into the surrounding environment.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Baskin JM, Baskin CC (1988) Endemism in rock outcrop plant communities of unglaciated eastern United States: an evaluation of the roles of the edaphic, genetic and light factors. J Biogeogr 15:829–840

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Benwell A (2007) Response of rock-outcrop and fringing vegetation to disturbance by fire and drought. Aust J Bot 55:736–748

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bonacci O (2001) Analysis of the maximum discharge of karst springs. Hydrogeol J 9:328–338

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Burke A (2002) Island–matrix relationships in Nama Karoo inselberg landscapes. Part I: Do inselbergs provide a refuge for matrix species? Plant Ecol 160:79–90

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Burke A, Jürgens N, Seely M (1998) Floristic affinities of an inselberg archipelago in the southern Namib desert—relic of the past, centre of endemism or nothing special? J Biogeogr 25:311–317

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cao JH, Yuan DX (2005) Karst ecosystem of southwest China constrained by geological setting. Geological Press, Beijing (in Chinese)

    Google Scholar 

  • Cao KF, Fu PL, Chen YJ, Jiang YJ, Zhu SD (2014) Implications of the ecophysiological adaptation of plants on tropical karst habitats for the ecological restroation of desertified rocky lands in Southern China. Scientia Sinica Vitate 44:238–247 (in Chinese with English abstract)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chen Z, Wang K, Chen H, He X (2008) Plant diversity during natural recovery process of vegetation in karst environmental emigrant areas. Chin J Eco Agric 16:723–727

    Google Scholar 

  • Chen H, Liu J, Wang K, Zhang W (2011) Spatial distribution of rock fragments on steep hillslopes in karst region of northwest Guangxi, China. Catena 84:21–28

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Clarke PJ (2002) Habitat islands in fire-prone vegetation: Do landscape features influence community composition? J Biogeogr 29:677–684

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Danin A (1999) Desert rocks as plant refugia in the Near East. Bot Rev 65:93–170

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Desmet P, Cowling R (1999) Biodiversity, habitat and range-size aspects of a flora from a winter-rainfall desert in north-western Namaqualand, South Africa. Plant Ecol 142:23–33

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fang JY, Wang RP, Shen ZH et al (2009) Methods and protocols for plant community inventory. Biodivers Sci 17:533–548 (in Chinese with English abstract)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fitzsimons JA, Michael DR (2016) Rocky outcrops: a hard road in the conservation of critical habitats. Biol Cons. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biocon.2016.11.019

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fu Z, Chen H, Xu Q et al (2015) Role of epikarst in near-surface hydrological processes in a soil mantled subtropical dolomite karst slope: implications of field rainfall simulation experiments. Hydrol Process 30:795–811

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gomes L, Maracahipes L, Marimon BS, Reis SM, Elias F, Maracahipes-Santos L, Marimon-Junior BH, Lenza E (2014) Post-fire recovery of savanna vegetation from rocky outcrops. Flora 209:201–208

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Guangxi Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences (1991) Flora of Guangxi-Volume I. Guangxi Science & Technology Publishing House, Nanning (in Chinese)

    Google Scholar 

  • Guangxi Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences (2005) Flora of Guangxi-Volume II. Guangxi Science & Technology Publishing House, Nanning (in Chinese)

    Google Scholar 

  • Hölscher D, Hertel D, Leuschner C, Hottkowitz M (2002) Tree species diversity and soil patchiness in a temperate broad-leaved forest with limited rooting space. Flora 197:118–125

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hopper S, Brown A, Marchant N (1997) Plants of Western Australian granite outcrops. J R Soc West Austral 80:141–158

    Google Scholar 

  • Jacobi CM, Do Carmo FF, Vincent RC, Stehmann JR (2007) Plant communities on ironstone outcrops: a diverse and endangered Brazilian ecosystem. Biodivers Conserv 16:2185–2200

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jiang Z, Lian Y, Qin X (2014) Rocky desertification in Southwest China: impacts, causes, and restoration. Earth Sci Rev 132:1–12

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Larson DW, Matthes U, Kelly PE (2005) Cliff ecology: pattern and process in cliff ecosystems. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge

    Google Scholar 

  • Liu J, Li S, Ouyang Z, Tam C, Chen X (2008) Ecological and socioeconomic effects of China’s policies for ecosysm services. PNAS 105:9477–9482

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Liu CC, Liu YG, Guo K (2011) Ecophysiological adaptations to drought stress of seedlings of four plant species with different growth forms in karst habitats. Chin J Plant Ecol 35:1070–1082 (in Chinese with English abstract)

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Liu B, Chen C, Lian Y, Chen J, Chen X (2015) Long-term change of wet and dry climatic conditions in the southwest karst area of China. Glob Planet Chang 127:1–11

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Luo D (2009) Biomass and net primary productivity in different successional stages of karst vegetation in Maolan, Guizhou Province, SW China. East China Normal University, Master’s Dissertation, pp 23–29

  • Lusk CH, Laughlin DC (2017) Regeneration patterns, environmental filtering and tree species coexistence in a temperate forest. New Phytol 213:657–668

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Matthes U, Larson DW (2006) Microsite and climatic controls of tree population dynamics: an 18-year study on cliffs. J Ecol 94:402–414

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mignaut T, Senterre B, Müller JV, Lejoly J, Parmentier I (2010) Shrubby and forest fringe communities of the inselberg-rainforest ecotone in Atlantic Central Africa. Plant Ecol Evol 143:128–137

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mishra BP, Tripathi OP, Tripathi RS, Pandey HN (2004) Effects of anthropogenic disturbance on plant diversity and community structure of a sacred grove in Meghalaya, northeast India. Biodivers Conserv 13:421–436

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nie YP, Chen HS, Wang KL, Yang J (2012) Water source utilization by woody plants growing on dolomite outcrops and nearby soils during dry seasons in karst region of Southwest China. J Hydrol 420:264–274

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nie YP, Chen HS, Wang KL, Ding YL (2014a) Rooting characteristics of two widely distributed woody plant species growing in different karst habitats of southwest China. Plant Ecol 215:1099–1109

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nie YP, Chen HS, Wang KL, Ding YL (2014b) Seasonal variations in leaf δ13C values: implications for different water-use strategies among species growing on continuous dolomite outcrops in subtropical China. Acta Physiol Plant 36:2517–2579

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Pacala SW, Rees M (1998) Models suggesting field experiments to test two hypotheses explaining successional diversity. Am Nat 152:729–737

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Peng T, Xing X, Cai X, Wang S, Zhang X, Meng F, Zhang L (2016) Pot experiment research on the effects of water retaining agent and activated carbon as soil amendments for plant growing on dolomitic rocky derserfication slopes. Carsologica Sinica 35:525–532

    Google Scholar 

  • Pokhriyal P, Chauhan DS, Todaria NP (2012) Effect of altitude and disturbance on structure and species diversity of forest vegetation in a watershed of central Himalaya. Trop Ecol 53:307–315

    Google Scholar 

  • Poot P, Hopper SD, van Diggelen JMH (2012) Exploring rock fissures: does a specialized root morphology explain endemism on granite outcrop? Ann Bot 110:291–300

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Porembski S, Barthlott W (2000) Granitic and gneissic outcrops (inselbergs) as centers of diversity for desiccation-tolerant vascular plants. Plant Ecol 151:19–28

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Porembski S, Szarzynski J, Mund JP, Barthlott W (1996) Biodiversity and vegetation of small-sized inselbergs in a West African rain forest (Taı, Ivory Coast). J Biogeogr 23:47–55

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Porembski S, Martinelli G, Ohlemüller R, Barthlott W (1998) Diversity and ecology of saxicolous vegetation mats on inselbergs in the Brazilian Atlantic rainforest. Divers Distrib 4:107–119

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Qin H, Liu Y (2010) A checklist of vascular plants of Guangxi. China Science Publishing House, Beijing (in Chinese)

    Google Scholar 

  • Sarthou C, Larpin D, Fonty E, Pavoine S, Ponge J-F (2010) Stability of plant communities along a tropical inselberg ecotone in French Guiana (South America). Flora 205:682–694

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Schwinning S (2010) The ecohydrology of roots in rocks. Ecohydrology 3:238–245

    Google Scholar 

  • Schwinning S (2013) Do we need new rhizosphere models for rock-dominated landscapes? Plant Soil 362:25–31

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Sckenk HJ (2006) Root competition: beyond resource depletion. J Ecol 94:725–739

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Song TQ, Peng WX, Zeng FP, Wang KL (2010) Community composition and biodiversity characteristics of forests in karst cluster-peak-depression region. Biodivers Sci 18:355–364 (in Chinese with English abstract)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Song TQ, Wang KL, Zeng FP (2015) Plants and the environment in karst areas of Southwest China. China Science Publishing House, Beijing (in Chinese)

    Google Scholar 

  • Speziale KL, Ezcurra C (2012) The role of outcrops in the diversity of Patagonian vegetation: relicts of glacial palaeofloras? Flora 207:141–149

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Speziale KL, Ezcurra C (2015) Rock outcrops as potential biodiversity refugia under climate change in North Patagonia. Plant Ecol Divers 8:353–361

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wang KL, Chen HS, Yue YM (2015) Experiment and demonstration on degraded mechanism and its adaptive restoration of karst ecosystems in Northwest Guangxi. Sci Technol Dev 11:179–183 (in Chinese with English abstract)

    Google Scholar 

  • Whittaker RH (1975) Communities and ecosystems. MacMillan Publishing Co., New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Williams PW (2008) The role of the epikarst in karst and cave hydrogeology: a review. Int J Speleol 37:1–10

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Williamson S, Robinson E, Balkwill K (1997) Evolution of two serpentine endemic taxa in Mpumalanga. S Afr J Bot 63:507–513

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Yang R, Yu LF, An MT (2008) Analysis on Microhabitat Characteristic in Karst Region—Taking Maolan nature reserve as an example. Guizhou Agricultural Sciences 36:168–169 (in Chinese)

    Google Scholar 

  • Yang J, Nie YP, Chen HS, Wang S, Wang KL (2016) Hydraulic properties of karst fractures filled with soils and regolith materials: implication their ecohydrological functions. Geoderma 276:93–101

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Yuan DX (1994) Karstology of China. Geological Publishing House, Beijing (in Chinese)

    Google Scholar 

  • Zeng F, Peng W, Song T, Wang KL, Wu HY, Song XJ, Zeng ZX (2007) Changes in vegetation after 22 years’ natural restoration in the Karst disturbed area in northwestern Guangxi, China. Acta Ecol Sin 27:5110–5119 (in Chinese with English abstract)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zhang Z-H, Hu G, Zhu J-D, Luo D-H, Ni J (2010) Spatial patterns and interspecific associations of domiant tree species in two old-growth karst forests, SW China. Ecol Res 25:1151–1160

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zhang W, Zhao J, Pan F, Li D, Chen H, Wang K (2015) Changes in nitrogen and phosphorus limitation during secondary succession in a karst region in southwest China. Plant Soil 391:77–91

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

We would like to thank Qiang Xie (Guangxi Normal University) for his help in species identification.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Key Laboratory of Agro-ecological Processes in Subtropical Region, Institute of Subtropical Agriculture, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changsha, 410125, People’s Republic of China

    Yunpeng Nie, Yali Ding, Huiling Zhang & Hongsong Chen

  2. Huanjiang Observation and Research Station for Karst Ecosystems, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Huanjiang, 547100, Guangxi Province, People’s Republic of China

    Yunpeng Nie, Yali Ding, Huiling Zhang & Hongsong Chen

  3. University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, People’s Republic of China

    Yali Ding & Huiling Zhang

Authors
  1. Yunpeng Nie
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Yali Ding
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Huiling Zhang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Hongsong Chen
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Hongsong Chen.

Additional information

Project funding: This study was supported by the National Key Research and Development Program of China (2016YFC0502402), the National Natural Science Foundation of China (31570428), the Young Scholars of Western China, Chinese Academy of Sciences (for Y.N.), and the Youth Innovation Promotion Association of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (2018397).

The online version is available at http://www.springerlink.com

Corresponding editor: Yu Lei.

Yunpeng Nie and Yali Ding are the co-first authors.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Nie, Y., Ding, Y., Zhang, H. et al. Comparison of woody species composition between rocky outcrops and nearby matrix vegetation on degraded karst hillslopes of Southwest China. J. For. Res. 30, 911–920 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11676-018-0682-x

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11676-018-0682-x

Keywords

Search

Navigation