@Article{phyton.2018.87.113,
AUTHOR = {Han DY, YF Yang},
TITLE = {Utility of taxonomic unit and life form in the analysis of plant diversity patterns in a temperate meadow steppe, China},
JOURNAL = {Phyton-International Journal of Experimental Botany},
VOLUME = {87},
YEAR = {2018},
NUMBER = {all},
PAGES = {113--122},
URL = {http://www.techscience.com/phyton/v87nall/33933},
ISSN = {1851-5657},
ABSTRACT = {Rapid and precise assessment of biodiversity is a central
issue in conservation biology and biodiversity science. Higher taxonomic
units and life form-based morphospecies were utilised to assess
plant diversity patterns at the habitat scale in temperate meadow
steppe, Songnen Plain, China. Patch area, taxonomic composition
(families and genera) and life form (based on Raunkiaer’s life forms,
and stem and root growth forms) were recorded in five communities.
Taxonomic unit-based hierarchical diversity indices (HDI) and life
form-based hierarchical diversity indices (HLDI) were calculated.
Twenty-six families, 67 genera, and 87 species were recorded in the
five communities. HDI and HLDI were significantly correlated with
patch area for all except the <i>Kochia sieversiana</i> community. For each
community, HDI components showed no significant difference with
species in slope, but differed in intercept, whereas HLDI components
showed significant differences with species both in slope and
intercept. Among the communities, the percentage contribution to
HDI was highest for family diversity and lowest for infrageneric species
diversity, and the percentage contribution to HLDI by different
morphospecies components varied greatly (33.39–66.61%). Genus
and family can be used instead of species to analyse plant diversity
patterns, but use of life form-based morphospecies requires further
study.},
DOI = {10.32604/phyton.2018.87.113}
}