Plant Diversity Distribution along an Urbanization Gradient and Relationships with Environmental Factors in Urban Agglomerations of Henan Province, China
Urbanization induces rapid plant environmental modifications, leading to alterations in plant diversity distribution patterns and plant homogenization. However, how plant diversity is distributed along urbanization gradients in regional urban agglomerations and its relationship with environmental fa...
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MDPI AG
2024-01-01
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| author | Rui Qi Xiayan Zhou Zihao Li Yongzhong Ye Zhiliang Yuan Fengqin Liu Yizhen Shao Dongwei Wei Yun Chen |
| author_facet | Rui Qi Xiayan Zhou Zihao Li Yongzhong Ye Zhiliang Yuan Fengqin Liu Yizhen Shao Dongwei Wei Yun Chen |
| author_sort | Rui Qi |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Urbanization induces rapid plant environmental modifications, leading to alterations in plant diversity distribution patterns and plant homogenization. However, how plant diversity is distributed along urbanization gradients in regional urban agglomerations and its relationship with environmental factors are not well defined. In three nearby Henan Province Chinese cities—Zhengzhou, Kaifeng, and Zhongmu—along an urbanization gradient, the distribution pattern of plant diversity was quantified. Both native and non-native plants found in urban green spaces were taken into consideration. A total of 176 plant quadrats were selected and separated into three urbanization gradient types using space-constrained hierarchical clustering: urban core, urban suburb, and urban outskirt. Polynomial fitting was used to characterize the spatial distribution patterns of plants along the urbanization gradient, and Pearson correlation and the Mantel test were employed to examine the effects of environmental factors, including longitude, latitude, altitude, distance from the urban center, temperature, and illumination, on plant diversity. A total of 313 vascular plant species, comprising 137 woody species and 176 herbaceous species, were examined. Along the three urbanization gradients, remarkable variations in plant diversity for woody and herbaceous species were observed. The spatial patterns of plant diversity were consistent across cities, whereas woody plants and herbaceous plants displayed the opposite behavior. Distance to the city center and temperature were the most substantial environmental effect factors for the diversity of woody plants, whereas light factors had a major impact on herbaceous plants. These findings show different life-type plants are affected differently by urbanization, and they offer managers and planners a recommendation for increasing urban plant diversity by executing various interventions throughout the urban gradient. |
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| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-08T11:00:01Z |
| publishDate | 2024-01-01 |
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| series | Diversity |
| spelling | doaj.art-4a1aecb74eae44a79c8cca10a264b6c32024-01-26T16:05:27ZengMDPI AGDiversity1424-28182024-01-011615310.3390/d16010053Plant Diversity Distribution along an Urbanization Gradient and Relationships with Environmental Factors in Urban Agglomerations of Henan Province, ChinaRui Qi0Xiayan Zhou1Zihao Li2Yongzhong Ye3Zhiliang Yuan4Fengqin Liu5Yizhen Shao6Dongwei Wei7Yun Chen8College of Landscape Architecture and Art, Henan Agricultural University, No. 63 Agricultural Road, Zhengzhou 450002, ChinaCollege of Life Sciences, Henan Agricultural University, No. 63 Agricultural Road, Zhengzhou 450002, ChinaCollege of Life Sciences, Henan Agricultural University, No. 63 Agricultural Road, Zhengzhou 450002, ChinaCollege of Life Sciences, Henan Agricultural University, No. 63 Agricultural Road, Zhengzhou 450002, ChinaCollege of Life Sciences, Henan Agricultural University, No. 63 Agricultural Road, Zhengzhou 450002, ChinaCollege of Life Sciences, Henan Agricultural University, No. 63 Agricultural Road, Zhengzhou 450002, ChinaCollege of Life Sciences, Henan Agricultural University, No. 63 Agricultural Road, Zhengzhou 450002, ChinaCollege of Life Sciences, Henan Agricultural University, No. 63 Agricultural Road, Zhengzhou 450002, ChinaCollege of Life Sciences, Henan Agricultural University, No. 63 Agricultural Road, Zhengzhou 450002, ChinaUrbanization induces rapid plant environmental modifications, leading to alterations in plant diversity distribution patterns and plant homogenization. However, how plant diversity is distributed along urbanization gradients in regional urban agglomerations and its relationship with environmental factors are not well defined. In three nearby Henan Province Chinese cities—Zhengzhou, Kaifeng, and Zhongmu—along an urbanization gradient, the distribution pattern of plant diversity was quantified. Both native and non-native plants found in urban green spaces were taken into consideration. A total of 176 plant quadrats were selected and separated into three urbanization gradient types using space-constrained hierarchical clustering: urban core, urban suburb, and urban outskirt. Polynomial fitting was used to characterize the spatial distribution patterns of plants along the urbanization gradient, and Pearson correlation and the Mantel test were employed to examine the effects of environmental factors, including longitude, latitude, altitude, distance from the urban center, temperature, and illumination, on plant diversity. A total of 313 vascular plant species, comprising 137 woody species and 176 herbaceous species, were examined. Along the three urbanization gradients, remarkable variations in plant diversity for woody and herbaceous species were observed. The spatial patterns of plant diversity were consistent across cities, whereas woody plants and herbaceous plants displayed the opposite behavior. Distance to the city center and temperature were the most substantial environmental effect factors for the diversity of woody plants, whereas light factors had a major impact on herbaceous plants. These findings show different life-type plants are affected differently by urbanization, and they offer managers and planners a recommendation for increasing urban plant diversity by executing various interventions throughout the urban gradient.https://www.mdpi.com/1424-2818/16/1/53urbanization gradientspecies diversitycommunity compositionenvironmental impact |
| spellingShingle | Rui Qi Xiayan Zhou Zihao Li Yongzhong Ye Zhiliang Yuan Fengqin Liu Yizhen Shao Dongwei Wei Yun Chen Plant Diversity Distribution along an Urbanization Gradient and Relationships with Environmental Factors in Urban Agglomerations of Henan Province, China Diversity urbanization gradient species diversity community composition environmental impact |
| title | Plant Diversity Distribution along an Urbanization Gradient and Relationships with Environmental Factors in Urban Agglomerations of Henan Province, China |
| title_full | Plant Diversity Distribution along an Urbanization Gradient and Relationships with Environmental Factors in Urban Agglomerations of Henan Province, China |
| title_fullStr | Plant Diversity Distribution along an Urbanization Gradient and Relationships with Environmental Factors in Urban Agglomerations of Henan Province, China |
| title_full_unstemmed | Plant Diversity Distribution along an Urbanization Gradient and Relationships with Environmental Factors in Urban Agglomerations of Henan Province, China |
| title_short | Plant Diversity Distribution along an Urbanization Gradient and Relationships with Environmental Factors in Urban Agglomerations of Henan Province, China |
| title_sort | plant diversity distribution along an urbanization gradient and relationships with environmental factors in urban agglomerations of henan province china |
| topic | urbanization gradient species diversity community composition environmental impact |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/1424-2818/16/1/53 |
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