Sains Malaysiana 41(12)(2012): 1495–1501

The Influence of Anthropogenic Disturbances on Understory Plant Diversity

of Urban Forests in Wuhan, Central China

(Pengaruh Gangguan Antropogen terhadap Kepelbagaian Tumbuhan Bawahan

di Hutan Bandar di Wuhan, China Tengah)

Zhen Li, Zhuo-WenZhang, Yong-Jian Wang*, Peng-ChengWang, Yong-RongXu& Zhi-XiangZhou

College of Horticulture & Forestry Sciences, Huazhong Agricultural University

Wuhan 430070, China

Diserahkan: 7 Mei 2012 / Diterima: 2 Ogos 2012

ABSTRACT

Relationship between understory plant diversity and anthropogenic disturbances in urban forests of Wuhan City, Central China, was analyzed by diversity analysis and detrended canonical correspondence analysis (DCCA). The results showed that: understory species diversity was higher in suburban area than in urban area. From forest center to edge, species diversity of Luojia hill, Shizi hill and Maan hill forests gradually increased, however, that of Hong hill gradually decreased. Anthropogenic disturbances gradient resulted from visitors flowrate, shrub coverage, aspect and adjacent land types had significant effects on species diversity of shrub and herb layers in urban forests. High anthropogenic disturbances might increase similar non-native herb species in urban area and low disturbances might promote co-existence of wood species in suburban area. Further analysis on types of anthropogenic disturbances and plant functional groups in urban-suburban gradient should be taken into a consideration.

Keywords: DCCA; disturbance; edge effect; species diversity; urban-suburban gradient

ABSTRAK

Hubungan antara kepelbagaian tumbuhan bawahan dan gangguan antropogen di hutan bandar Wuhan, China Tengah, telah dianalisis dengan analisis kepelbagaian dan analisis kesetaraan utama nyahtren (DCCA). Hasil kajian menunjukkan bahawa kepelbagaian spesies bawahan adalah di kawasan pinggir bandar yang lebih tinggi daripada di kawasan bandar. Dari pusat hutan ke tepi hutan, kepelbagaian spesies bukit Luojia, bukit Shizi dan hutan bukit Maan beransur-ansur meningkat. Walau bagaimanapun kepelbagaian spesies di bukit Hong menurun secara beransur-ansur. Antropogen kecerunan gangguan hasil daripada kadar pelawat, liputan pokok renek, aspek dan jenis tanah yang bersebelahan mempunyai kesan yang ketara ke atas kepelbagaian spesies renek dan lapisan herba dalam hutan bandar. Gangguan antropogen yang tinggi mungkin meningkatkan spesies herba bukan asli yang serupa di kawasan bandar dan gangguan rendah mungkin menggalakkan kewujudan bersama spesies kayu di kawasan pinggir bandar. Analisis lanjut mengenai jenis gangguan antropogen dan kumpulan pokok yang berfungsi dalam kecerunan bandar-pinggir bandar perlu diberi perhatian.

Kata kunci: DCCA; gangguan; kecerunan bandar-pinggir bandar; kepelbagaian spesies; kesan pinggir

RUJUKAN

Baldwin, L.K. & Bradfield, G.E. 2005. Bryophyte community differences between edge and interior environments in temperate rain-forest fragments of coastal British Columbia. Canadian Journal of Forest Research 35: 580-592.

Blair, R.B. & Launer, A.E. 1997. Butterfly diversity and human land use: Species assemblages along an urban grandient. Biological Conservation 80: 113-125.

Deconchat, M. & Balent, G. 2001. Vegetation and bird community dynamics in fragmented coppice forests. Forestry 74: 105-118.

Du, N., Ottens, H. & Sliuzas, R. 2010. Spatial impact of urban expansion on surface water bodies—A case study of Wuhan, China. Landscape and Urban Planning 94: 175-185.

Dumortier, M., Butaye, J., Jacquemyn, H., Van Camp, N., Lust, N. & Hermy, M. 2002. Predicting vascular plant species richness of fragmented forests in agricultural landscapes in central Belgium. Forest Ecology and Management 158: 85-102.

Gibb, H. & Hochuli, D.F. 2002. Habitat fragmentation in an urban environment: Large and small fragments support different arthropod assemblages. Biological Conservation 106: 91-100.

Godefroid, S. & Koedam, N. 2004. Interspecific variation in soil compaction sensitivity among forest floor species. Biological Conservation 119: 207-217.

Guirado, M., Pino, J. & Rodà, F. 2006. Understorey plant species richness and composition in metropolitan forest archipelagos: Effects of forest size, adjacent land use and distance to the edge. Global Ecology and Biogeography 15: 50-62.

Harper, K.A. & Macdonald, S.E. 2002. Structure and composition of edges next to regenerating clear-cuts in mixed-wood boreal forest. Journal of Vegetation Science 13: 535-546.

Hersperger, A.M. & Forman, R.T.T. 2003. Adjacency arrangement effects on plant diversity and composition in woodland patches. Oikos 101: 279-290.

Jacquemyn, H., Butaye, J. & Hermy, M. 2001. Forest plant species richness in small, fragmented mixed deciduous forest patches: The role of area, time and dispersal limitation. Journal of Biogeography 28: 801-812.

Koerner, W., Dupouey, J.L., Dambrine, E. & Benoit, M. 1997. Influence of past land use on the vegetation and soils of present day forest in the Vosges mountains. France Journal of Ecology 85: 351-358.

McKinney, M.L. 2002. Urbanization, biodiversity and conservation. BioScience 52: 883-890.

McKinney, M.L. 2008. Effects of urbanization on species richness: A review of plants and animals. Urban Ecosystems 11: 161-176.

Medley, K.E., McDonnell, M.J. & Pickett, S.T.A. 1995. Forest-landscape structure along an urban-to-rural gradient. The Professional Geographer 47: 159-168.

Murcia, C. 1995. Edge effects in fragmented forests: Implications for conservation. Trends in Ecology & Evolution 10: 58-62.

Oosterhoorn, M. & Kappelle, M. 2000. Vegetation structure and composition along an interior-edge-exterior gradient in a Costa Rican montane cloud forest. Forest Ecology and Management 126: 291-307.

Pickett, S.T.A., Cadenasso, M.L., Grove, J.M., Nilon, C.H., Pouyat, R.V., Zipperer, W.C. & Costanza, R. 2008. Urban Ecological Systems: Linking Terrestrial Ecological, Physical and Socioeconomic Components of Metropolitan Areas. New York: Springer.

Wang, Y.J., Shi, X.P. & Tao, J.P. 2012a. Effects of different bamboo densities on understory species diversity and trees regeneration in an Abies faxoniana forest, southwest China. Scientific Research and Essays 7: 660-668.

Wang, Y.J., Shi, X.P. & Zhong, Z.C. 2012b. Clonal diversity and genetic differentiation in rhizomatous herb, Iris japonica (Iridaceae) populations on Jinyun Mountain, southwest China. Sains Malaysiana 41(2): 149-154.

Wang, Y.J., Shi, X.P., Peng, Y., Zhong, Z.C. & Tao, J.P. 2012c. Effects of fine-scale pattern of dwarf bamboo on understory species diversity in Abies faxoniana forest, southwest China. Sains Malaysiana 41(6): 649-657.

Wang, Y.J., Tao, J.P. & Zhong, Z.C. 2009. Factors influencing the distribution and growth of dwarf bamboo, Fargesia nitida, in a subalpine forest in Wolong Nature Reserve, southwest China. Ecological Research 24: 1013-1021.

*Pengarang untuk surat-menyurat; email: wangyj@mail.hzau.edu.cn