PLANT DIVERSITY AND PHYLOGENETIC COMMUNITY STRUCTURE ALONG ENVIRONMENTAL
GRADIENTS IN A TEMPERATE FOREST, SOUTH KOREA
Hyungho Kim1 Jung-Hwa Chun2 and Chang-Bae
Lee3*
1 Department
of Forest Environmental Sciences, Gyeongsang National University (Institute of
Agricultural and Life Science), Jinjudaero 501, Jinju 52828, Republic of Korea
2 Research Planning and Coordination Division,
National Institute of Forest Science, 57 Hoegiro, Dongdaemungu, Seoul 02455, Republic
of Korea
3 Department of Forestry, Environment and Systems (Creative Convergence Forest Science
Specialist Training Center),
Kookmin University, 77 Jeongneungro, Seongbukgu, Seoul 02707, Republic of Korea
*Corresponding Author’s
E-mail: kecolee@kookmin.ac.kr
ABSTRACT
Recently, species-centric approach
in biodiversity research have been complemented by phylogenetic approach to reflect
evolutionary history of species and to improve our understanding of community
assembly processes in plant communities. However, the study on species and
phylogenetic diversity along environmental gradients and the drivers are very
rare. In this context, the present study examined species, phylogenetic
diversity and phylogenetic community structures for vascular plants along two
elevation transects on the Mt. Seorak, South Korea, in 2011. We calculated species
richness and Faith’s phylogenetic diversity as diversity indices and net
relatedness index as a phylogenetic community structure index using vegetation
data from 130 plots with 400m2 in the size of each plot. We also
evaluated the effects of climatic and topographic factors on the diversity
patterns using multi-model inference and variation partitioning. From the
results of linear regression analysis, Species
richness and phylogenetic diversity have no relationship with elevation along
all the study transect. However, the main factors to control these diversity
patterns on the two transects were topographic factors. In addition, phylogenetic
community structures showed phylogenetic overdispersion and clustering depending
on the study transects, which are explained as results of biotic interactions
and environmental filtering by climatic and topographic factors. These results indicate
that niche-based deterministic processes such as environmental filtering and
interspecific interaction may be predominant in structuring community assembly
of vascular plants along local elevation gradients.
Key words: Climatic Factor, Plant Diversity, Community
Structure, Elevation, Topographic Factor.
https://doi.org/10.36899/JAPS.2020.4.0112
Published
online April 25, 2020 |