红花尔基地区沙地樟子松群落及其与环境关系研究

通过野外调查,采用双向指示种分类（TWINSPAN）和除趋势典范对应分析（DCCA）方法。对内蒙古红花尔基地区沙地樟子松群落进行了分类和排序,并根据DCCA排序结果对樟子松群落和物种空间分布格局及其与环境因子之间关系进行定量分析。结果表明,应用TWINSPAN方法将该区沙地樟子松植被划分为6个类型。DCCA分析表明,海拔高度、地貌类型、群落盖度、土壤总碳含量、土壤总氮含量、乔木胸面积等因子对植物群落和物种分布格局影响明显。在DCCA排序图上,樟子松群落及物种的空间分布呈明显的聚集格局,可划分出不同的类群,并反映与环境因子之间具有密切的关系。对各类环境因子解释植被分布格局的作用进行了定量分解,指出地形因素是解释作用最强的变量,对未能解释部分的原因进行了分析。     

四川茂县土地岭大熊猫走廊带植被恢复格局及其与干扰的关系

通过样带调查和TWINSPAN、DCCA分析,从植物种、植物群落及其多样性与环境关系方面,研究了岷江上游土地岭大熊猫走廊带恢复植被的干扰状况。结果表明：应用TWINSPAN分类,并结合优势种组成、干扰状况分析及DCCA排序,可将植被划分为6个群落类型,同时划分出响应型、迟钝型、中度干扰忍耐型和重度干扰忍耐型4类干扰响应的植物类型。以样方物种和以样方多样性指数的DCCA分析结果基本一致,物种及群落的空间分布呈明显的聚集格局,反映其与环境因子间的密切关系。DCCA排序图上,海拔差、坡形、与公路距离、坡度及道路条数对群落和物种分布有明显的影响,与干扰相关性最大的坡度、样地道路数目、与公路间的距离3个因子反映了植被的干扰梯度。干扰对土地岭恢复植被影响显著,干扰降低了群落的物种多样性,同时阻碍了演替进程。     

三峡库区移民区和淹没区植物群落物种多样性的空间分布格局

为研究三峡库区移民安置区和淹没区植物群落物种多样性的空间分布格局, 在从坝区到重庆的长江南北两岸各设置了7条样带, 从海拔70 m到610 m每上升50 m设置一个样方, 共调查了129个样方。采用物种数和基于盖度的Shannon-Wiener指数作为物种多样性指标, 分析了不同海拔、样带、坡向与南北岸位置的植物群落物种多样性的空间分布特点; 采用DCCA 排序阐明物种多样性与环境因子的相互关系, 并进一步分析了造成上述空间分布格局的环境因子。结果表明: 南岸的物种多样性高于北岸; 物种多样性随海拔升高而增加, 但趋势不显著; 从坝区到重庆物种多样性变化没有明显的规律性, 在坝区和万州最高, 重庆和巫山最低。DCCA排序结果表明, 影响物种多样性变化的外在环境因子最主要的是南北岸位置, 其次为海拔; 而增加物种多样性的主导生境因子是群落乔木层的盖度, 灌木层的盖度则对物种多样性具有抑制作用, 说明群落自身的结构特点决定着物种多样性。总之, 研究区域由水热条件组合影响的物种多样性空间分布格局的规律性由于人为活动的异质性干扰发生了改变, 而干扰后群落自身的结构特点, 特别是群落冠层的盖度, 决定着群落自身的物种多样性。     

地理距离和环境因子对阿拉善戈壁植物群落β多样性的影响

内蒙古阿拉善地区分布着超过20万km²的典型戈壁生态系统, 且这些戈壁生态系统正遭受着持续性气候变暖与极端天气的影响。然而, 土壤、气候、空间变量等因子对阿拉善戈壁大尺度植物β多样性及其关键组分的相对影响还没有得到系统研究。本文通过对阿拉善典型戈壁生境的276个样方进行植物群落组成调查, 并结合气候、土壤等数据, 探讨了地理距离和环境因子对阿拉善戈壁区植物群落β多样性及其组分的影响。研究表明: (1)在阿拉善戈壁区, 随着地理距离的增加, 植物群落β多样性及物种周转组分显著增加, 而且β多样性主要源于物种周转组分, 物种嵌套组分的贡献非常有限; (2)偏Mantel分析显示环境因子和地理距离对β多样性及其物种周转组分均有显著的单独作用; 方差分解结果进一步表明, 环境因子和地理距离共同解释了植物β多样性及其物种周转组分10.84%-17.67% (Bray-Curtis)和15.47%-24.81% (Sørensen)的变异, 但环境因子可以单独解释更多的变异(6.62%-9.97% (Bray-Curtis)和8.98%-14.51% (Sørensen))。在众多环境因子中, 气温日较差、土壤含水量和地表砾石盖度对植物群落β多样性和物种周转组分的贡献更大。以上结果表明, 环境过滤、扩散限制以及其他未知过程可能共同影响阿拉善戈壁区植物群落β多样性格局, 其中环境过滤可能具有更大的影响。     

天山南麓山前平原植物群落物种多样性及空间分异研究

荒漠灌丛是天山南麓山前平原主要植被类型.本研究定量分析了山前平原植物群落物种多样性及生境尺度异质性的影响.结果表明:(1)天山南麓山前平原的植物群落多样性指数Simpson、均匀度指数McIntosh及丰富度指数Margalef都较低,在地貌带的过渡上,植物分布呈现均匀化.(2)海拔和地下水埋深是影响天山南麓山前平原植物群落物种多样性的重要环境指标.海拔梯度与物种多样性指数Simpson、Margalef及McIntosh均呈显著的线性正相关关系,物种多样性均随海拔高度的增加而增加;地下水埋深与物种多样性指数呈极显著的线性负相关关系,物种多样性随地下水埋深的增加而减小.(3)土壤含盐量与物种多样性指标无显著关系,但土壤含盐量与地下水埋深相关性显著,这是天山南麓山前平原土壤盐分空间异质性的一个重要特点.土壤盐分含量变化影响着植物群落物种组成,随土壤盐分含量增加,群落中盐生植物种类逐渐占据优势.(4)海拔的变化是决定天山南麓山前平原灌丛群落生境差异的主导因子.海拔差异表征了山前平原地貌、水文地质条件及土壤的变化,而随海拔变化的水热、水盐等干扰体系的差异则进一步导致了异质性的生境,进而影响不同植被类型中群落组成结构和多样性的差异.     

四川小寨子沟森林群落物种多样性的环境梯度分析

运用去势典范对应分析法(DCCA),分析了四川小寨子沟自然保护区森林群落物种多样性指数与环境因子的关系.结果表明,群落物种多样性表现为草本层>灌木层>乔木层;海拔高度是群落乔木层物种多样性分布格局的主导因素,随着海拔高度的上升,乔木层物种丰富度和多样性下降,而均匀度没有明显变化;土壤有机质和土壤全氮代表的土壤养分状况决定着灌木层和草本层物种多样性的分布格局.地形因子(如坡度、坡向等)与物种多样性没有明显的关系.     

岷江上游干旱河谷植物群落分布的环境与空间因素分析

为了探讨土壤环境因子对植物群落物种数量、结构格局的影响 ,通过对岷江上游干旱河谷灌丛植被的大量群落学调查 ,采用了群落中 9个土壤特征指标 ,利用去势典范对应分析 (DCCA)排序方法 ,分析了不同群落类型中不同层次的物种数量结构的空间格局 ;定量分离了土壤、空间及其交互作用等因素对不同层次群落格局总体变异的影响。结果表明 :以水分为主导的多种环境因子耦合梯度决定着植物群落结构格局。环境因子对群落的影响程度在不同层次有差异 ,在灌木层中 ,单纯环境因子对植被格局的解释占 2 8.0 2 % ,环境 -空间耦合因子占 8.90 % ,空间因子独立占 10 .69% ,其他因子占 52 .3 9% ;而在草本层中 ,单纯环境因子对植被格局的解释占 2 0 .64% ,而环境 -空间耦合因子仅占 0 .83 % ,空间因子独立占 5.10 % ,其他因子占 73 .43 % ,草本的可解释性远远低于灌木。但无论是灌木层还是草本层 ,在诸多因子中 ,土壤水分始终在影响群落物种数量结构的空间格局分布中起着主导作用     

北方典型沼泽湿地高低土壤水分下植物群落特征

北方沼泽湿地在水源供给、缓解水土流失、遏制草地沙化等方面具有重要作用,明确其植物群落物种组成和多样性特征对提升其生态系统服务功能具有重要意义。目前,在北方地区开展大尺度湿地植被调查的研究仍相对较少。土壤水分是驱动植物群落发展的主导环境因素之一,为了解高低土壤水分背景下湿地植物群落特征差异及关键驱动要素,对我国7个北方典型沼泽湿地的植物群落物种组成及多样性特征进行了调查,分析了植物群落物种组成及多样性特征与环境因子的关系,以及沼泽湿地植物群落内克隆植物的分布特征。研究结果发现不同沼泽湿地的植物群落物种组成和多样性差异显著,但无明显的地带性分布规律,物种分布呈现区域性。群落物种多样性受降水、温度、土壤养分等多种环境因素的共同影响。沼泽湿地高低土壤水分背景下植物群落的物种组成和多样性差异显著,低土壤水分下植物群落物种多样性指数显著高于高土壤水分下植物群落。低土壤水分下物种多样性主要受降水和总氮影响,而高土壤水分下物种多样性主要受温度和总磷的影响。高土壤水分下克隆植物物种数和盖度在沼泽湿地植物中占有较高的比例,表明克隆植物比非克隆植物更适应高土壤水分环境。研究结果表明了7个沼泽湿地植被的区域性...     

中国黑戈壁地区植物区系及其物种多样性研究

黑戈壁是戈壁中最为干旱的区域,为了系统的研究其植被及物种多样性,该研究采用无人机航拍和实地调查的方法,对中国西北内陆的黑戈壁进行了分析研究。结果表明:(1)中国西北内陆的黑戈壁地区共记录植物154种,分属28科,85属;植物生活型组成简单,主要以灌木、半灌木及多年生草本植物为主,占植物物种比例的70%以上。(2)在植物物种组成方面,与整个荒漠区比较,黑戈壁地区物种数量少,但灌木所占比例远高于荒漠区。(3)黑戈壁地区植物科、属内物种组成贫乏,科内属、种数量比较多的为藜科、菊科、豆科等。(4)黑戈壁地区优势群落的建群种为红砂、盐生草、膜果麻黄等,中国特有植物为新疆沙拐枣、哈密黄蓍、胀果甘草等,主要国家保护植物有胡杨、裸果木、胀果干草等。(5)黑戈壁地区植物区系表征科主要为蒺藜科、蓼科、麻黄科等,而属的分布型以地中海区、西亚至中亚分布及北温带分布为主,占黑戈壁地区总属的47%以上,是群落组成的优势种和建群种。(6)与其他荒漠地区植物区系相比,黑戈壁地区植物旱生种比例增加,适应类型更为贫乏,缺乏特有成分,具有明显残遗性;由于特殊极端干旱环境,形成黑戈壁地区特殊植物类群和区系特征;黑戈壁地区是荒漠地区的区域特色植物物种资源和基因资源的重要区域和保存地,而黑戈壁生态系统非常脆弱,一旦破坏,将很难恢复。     

巴丹吉林沙漠南缘植被物种多样性及其与土壤特性的关系

通过对巴丹吉林沙漠南缘地区植被的野外调查,探讨了植被物种组成与物种多样性对样地沿距沙漠中心的距离变化的响应,以及物种多样性与土壤因子间的关系。结果表明:(1)研究区主要物种共计10科18属20种,植物种类以沙漠旱生植物为主,样地的植被群落类型都是灌木与草本植物群落。(2)随着样地向沙漠外缘的延伸,植物种类和数量逐渐增多,群落结构更加复杂化和多样化;样地Shannon-Wiener指数和Simpson指数呈上升趋势,优势度指数逐渐下降;灌木层与样地的α多样性指数变化趋势一致,草本层变化幅度较小;β多样性指数中BrayCurtis指数呈下降趋势,说明植物群落之间的物种替换速率降低。(3)物种多样性指数与土壤因子的相关关系及逐步回归分析表明土壤有机质和土壤全氮含量对植被的影响显著,土壤表层20~40cm中的土壤速效磷与样地物种多样性和草本层物种多样性之间具有显著相关关系。     

Responses of native and non-native Mojave Desert winter annuals to soil disturbance and water additions

Habitat modification (i.e., disturbance) and resource availability have been identified as possible mechanisms that may influence the invasibility of plant communities. In the Mojave Desert, habitat disturbance has increased dramatically over the last 50 years due to increased human activities. Additionally, water availability is considered to be a main limiting resource for plant production. To elucidate the effects of soil disturbance and water availability on plant invasions, we created experimental patches where we varied the levels of soil disturbance and water availability in a fully crossed factorial experiment at five replicated field sites, and documented responses of native and non-native winter annuals. The treatments did not significantly affect the density (seedlings m⁻²) of the non-native forb, Brassica tournefortii. However, the relationship between silique production and plant height differed among treatments, with greater silique production in disturbed plots. In contrast to Brassica, density of the non-native Schismus spp. increased in soil disturbed and watered plots, and was greatest in disturbed plots during 2009 (the second year of the study). Species composition of the native annual community was not affected by treatments in 2008 but was influenced by treatments in 2009. The native forb Eriophyllum sp. was most dense on water-addition plots, while density of Chaenactis freemontii was highest in disturbed plots. Results illustrate that habitat invasibility in arid systems can be influenced by dynamics in disturbance regimes and water availability, and suggest that invasiveness can differ between non-native annual species and among native annuals in habitats undergoing changing disturbance and precipitation regimes. Understanding the mechanistic relationships between water availability and non-native plant responses will be important for understanding the effects of shifting precipitation and vegetation patterns under predicted climate change in arid ecosystems.     

Habitat engineering under dry conditions: The impact of pikas (Ochotona pallasi) on vegetation and site conditions in southern Mongolian steppes

Question: Does ecosystem engineering by small mammals have a significant influence on vegetation patterns in the arid steppe vegetation of southern Mongolia? Location: Gobi Altay Mountains, southern Mongolia. Methods: We assessed the impact of the small lagomorph Ochotona pallasi on plant community composition, nutrient levels and biomass production in montane desert steppes. Data were derived from vegetation relevés, harvests of above‐ground standing crop and a bioassay, followed by analyses of soil and plant nutrient contents. Results: Although the local climate is arid with <150 mm annual precipitation, clear evidence of allogenic ecosystem engineering was found. Plant communities on burrows differed from those on undisturbed steppe in that they contained more species of annuals and dwarf shrubs, and a greater abundance of the important fodder grass Agropyron cristatum. Standing crop and nutrient concentrations were higher for plants growing on burrow soil. In situ measurements and a pot experiment showed that this effect was related to increased levels of soil nutrients (P, K, N) rather than moisture availability. Conclusions: The study confirms that O. pallasi positively influences soil nutrient levels on its burrows, which leads to increased grassland productivity even under dry conditions. Thus, O. pallasi does not deteriorate site conditions, and the need for presently applied pest control schemes aimed at this species should be reassessed.     

Community structure and composition in response to climate change in a temperate steppe

Climate change would have profound influences on community structure and composition, and subsequently has impacts on ecosystem functioning and feedback to climate change. A field experiment with increased temperature and precipitation was conducted to examine effects of experimental warming, increased precipitation and their interactions on community structure and composition in a temperate steppe in northern China since April 2005. Increased precipitation significantly stimulated species richness and coverage of plant community. In contrast, experimental warming markedly reduced species richness of grasses and community coverage. Species richness was positively dependent upon soil moisture (SM) across all treatments and years. Redundancy analysis (RDA) illustrated that SM dominated the response of community composition to climate change at the individual level, suggesting indirect effects of climate change on plant community composition via altering water availability. In addition, species interaction also mediated the responses of functional group coverage to increased precipitation and temperature. Our observations revealed that both abiotic (soil water availability) and biotic (interspecific interactions) factors play important roles in regulating plant community structure and composition in response to climate change in the semiarid steppe. Therefore these factors should be incorporated in model predicting terrestrial vegetation dynamics under climate change.     

库姆塔格沙漠南缘荒漠植物群落多样性分析

 根据20个样地的调查资料,应用重要值计算多样性指数、均匀度指数、丰富度指数 、优势度指数,对库姆塔格沙漠南缘荒漠植物群落物种多样性进行分析。结果表明: 1）荒漠植物群落分布随其生境地貌不同而不同,山前戈壁上分布有合头草(Sympegma regelii)群落,冲积河道低地分布有荒漠林胡杨(Populus euphratica)、多枝柽柳(Tamarix ramosissima)、胀果甘草（Glycyrrhiza inflata）群落,戈壁沙漠过渡带为梭梭(Haloxylon ammodendron)群落,低海拔的沙山上分布有沙拐枣(Calligonum mongolicum)群落、膜果麻黄(Ephedra rzewalskii)群落和梭梭群落。2）荒漠植物群落物种多样性水平较低,群落结构简单,物种组成单一。群落Shannon_Wiener物种多样性水平表现为合头草群落最高（1.706）,具有草原化荒漠植被类型的成分;梭梭群落、膜果麻黄群落居中（0.875～0.890）,荒漠植被类型特征明显;沙拐枣群落、胡杨群落、多枝 柽柳群落、胀果甘草群落较低（0.079～0.495）,荒漠林、盐地沙生灌丛及盐化草甸植被均有零星分布。3）荒漠植物群落结构层次中,灌木层占居主导地位,群落灌木层物种多样性水平（0.769～1.451）远远大于草本层（0.193～0.254）,且草本层物种多样性受灌木层影响较大。4）荒漠植物群落物种多样性分布格局表现为经向、纬向和海拔梯度的变化,经向、纬向变化为物种多样性水平较高的草原化植物合头草群落（1.706）向物种多样性水平较低的荒漠植物梭梭群落（1.379）和盐化植物多枝柽柳群落（0.376）的过渡,海拔梯度则 呈现低水平的沙拐枣群落（0.819）到高水平的膜果麻黄群落（0.890）向低水平的梭梭群落 （0.645）变化。荒漠植物群落过渡地带一般具有较高的物种多样性和较低的生态优势度。     

Plant responsiveness to variation in precipitation and nitrogen is consistent across the compositional diversity of a California annual grassland

Question: How does responsiveness to water and Nitrogen (N) availability vary across the compositional and functional diversity that exists in a mesic California annual grassland plant community? Location: Northern California annual grassland. Methods: A mesocosm system was used to simulate average annual precipitation totals and dry and wet year extremes observed in northern California mesic grasslands. The effects of precipitation and N availability on biomass and fecundity were measured on three different vegetation types, a mixed grass forb community, and a forb and a grass monoculture. The treatment effects on plant community composition were examined in the mixed species community. Results: While growth and seed production of the three vegetation types was inherently different, their responses to variation in precipitation and N were statistically similar. Plant density, shoot biomass, and seed production tended to increase with greater water availability in all vegetation types, with the exception of a consistent growth reduction in high precipitation (1245 mm) plots in the first year of the study. Shoot biomass responded positively to N addition, an effect that increased with greater water availability. Nitrogen addition had little effect on plant density or seed production. In the mixed grass‐forb community, biomass responsiveness to water and N treatments were consistently driven by the shoot growth of Avena barbata, the dominant grass species. Conclusions: Vegetation responses to changes in precipitation and N availability were consistent across a range of composition and structural diversity in this study. Plant growth and seed production were sensitive to both increased and decreased precipitation totals, and the magnitude of these responses to N availability varied depending on soil moisture conditions. Our results suggest the impacts of changing precipitation regimes and N deposition on annual productivity of California grasslands may be predictable under different climate scenarios across a range of plant communities.     

中国黑戈壁地区植物物种丰富度格局的水热解释

我国黑戈壁地区自然环境恶劣,植物多样性格局受到极端干旱气候的影响而形成了特殊的分布格局。为了揭示黑戈壁地区极端气候对物种丰富度格局的影响,通过对5000 km样线内174个样方中的植物进行调查,结合气候数据,研究影响中国黑戈壁地区植物物种丰富度格局的气候因素以及不同生活型植物物种丰富度格局与气候关系的差异。结果表明,水热动态假说对物种丰富度格局的解释率为62.3%,未解释部分为37.7%,说明其能够很好的解释黑戈壁地区的植物群落物种丰富度格局;能量对物种丰富格局的单独解释率仅为3.5%,水分的单独解释率为16.4%,两者共同解释率为42.4%,水分和能量共同决定的水资源可利用性主导着物种丰富度格局;不同生活型植物对气候因子的响应存在显著差异,水热综合作用对草本植物丰富度格局的解释率为65.4%,但对灌木仅有37.9%,表明水热动态假说不适用于解释灌木植物的物种丰富度格局,植物对气候的适应特性及种间相互作用对物种丰富度格局有着重要的影响。     

Potential effects of warming and drying on peatland plant community composition

Boreal peatlands may be particularly vulnerable to climate change, because temperature regimes that currently constrain biological activity in these regions are predicted to increase substantially within the next century. Changes in peatland plant community composition in response to climate change may alter nutrient availability, energy budgets, trace gas fluxes, and carbon storage. We investigated plant community response to warming and drying in a field mesocosm experiment in northern Minnesota, USA. Large intact soil monoliths removed from a bog and a fen received three infrared warming treatments crossed with three water‐table treatments (n = 3) for five years. Foliar cover of each species was estimated annually. In the bog, increases in soil temperature and decreases in water‐table elevation increased cover of shrubs by 50% and decreased cover of graminoids by 50%. The response of shrubs to warming was distinctly species‐specific, and ranged from increases (for Andromeda glaucophylla) to decreases (for Kalmia polifolia). In the fens, changes in plant cover were driven primarily by changes in water‐table elevation, and responses were species‐ and lifeform‐specific: increases in water‐table elevation increased cover of graminoids – in particular Carex lasiocarpa and Carex livida– as well as mosses. In contrast, decreases in water‐table elevation increased cover of shrubs, in particular A. glaucophylla and Chamaedaphne calyculata. The differential and sometimes opposite response of species and lifeforms to the treatments suggest that the structure and function of both bog and fen plant communities will change – in different directions or at different magnitudes – in response to warming and/or changes in water‐table elevation that may accompany regional or global climate change.     

Interactive effects between plant functional types and soil factors on tundra species diversity and community composition

Plant communities are coupled with abiotic factors, as species diversity and community composition both respond to and influence climate and soil characteristics. Interactions between vegetation and abiotic factors depend on plant functional types (PFT) as different growth forms will have differential responses to and effects on site characteristics. However, despite the importance of different PFT for community assembly and ecosystem functioning, research has mainly focused on vascular plants. Here, we established a set of observational plots in two contrasting habitats in northeastern Siberia in order to assess the relationship between species diversity and community composition with soil variables, as well as the relationship between vegetation cover and species diversity for two PFT (nonvascular and vascular). We found that nonvascular species diversity decreased with soil acidity and moisture and, to a lesser extent, with soil temperature and active layer thickness. In contrast, no such correlation was found for vascular species diversity. Differences in community composition were found mainly along soil acidity and moisture gradients. However, the proportion of variation in composition explained by the measured soil variables was much lower for nonvascular than for vascular species when considering the PFT separately. We also found different relationships between vegetation cover and species diversity according the PFT and habitat. In support of niche differentiation theory, species diversity and community composition were related to edaphic factors. The distinct relationships found for nonvascular and vascular species suggest the importance of considering multiple PFT when assessing species diversity and composition and their interaction with edaphic factors. Synthesis: Identifying vegetation responses to edaphic factors is a first step toward a better understanding of vegetation–soil feedbacks under climate change. Our results suggest that incorporating differential responses of PFT is important for predicting vegetation shifts, primary productivity, and in turn, ecosystem functioning in a changing climate.     

Climate and soil texture influence patterns of forb species richness and composition in big sagebrush plant communities across their spatial extent in the western U.S.

Big sagebrush (Artemisia tridentata Nutt.) plant communities are widespread in western North America and, similar to all shrub steppe ecosystems worldwide, are composed of a shrub overstory layer and a forb and graminoid understory layer. Forbs account for the majority of plant species diversity in big sagebrush plant communities and are important for ecosystem function. Few studies have explored geographic patterns of forb species richness and composition and their relationships with environmental variables in these communities. Our objectives were to examine the fine and broad-scale spatial patterns in forb species richness and composition and the influence of environmental variables. We sampled forb species richness and composition along transects at 15 field sites in Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, and Wyoming, built species-area relationships to quantify differences in forb species richness at sites, and used Principal Components Analysis, non-metric multidimensional scaling, and redundancy analysis to identify relationships among environmental variables and forb species richness and composition. We found that species richness was most strongly correlated with soil texture, while species composition was most related to climate. The combination of climate and soil texture influences water availability, which our results indicate has important consequences for forb species richness and composition, and suggests that climate change-induced modification of soil water availability may have important implications for plant species diversity in the future.