山西高原草地景观的数量分类与排序

草地植被空间格局研究是草地景观研究中一项重要的基础工作。空间格局研究不仅限于描述景观的空间特征,而是要深入分析空间格局的分布规律及影响格局形成的原因及机制。以1∶50万《山西省草地类型图》、《山西省行政区域图》及《山西省地形图》为主要信息源,借助GIS技术,应用TWINSPAN和DCA对山西高原草地景观的1127个样方进行研究。结果表明:(1)在TWINSPAN分类结果中,31个群丛组从左到右的排列顺序很好地揭示了山西高原草地景观的纬向地带性分布规律。即从40°43'N向34°34'N依次分布着北部草原、中部灌草丛和草丛及南部的暖温带草丛。(2)1127个样方DCA排序图纵轴揭示了明显的海拔梯度,即由上至下海拔逐渐降低,相应地草地景观变化为亚高山草甸、灌草丛、草原及河漫滩草甸;DCA排序图的横轴揭示了明显的水分梯度,即从左到右水分逐渐增加。两大优势群丛组样方及44个优势群丛组物种DCA的排序图都很好地刻画了山西高原水热组合的变化,即从西北向东南由于地形地貌引起的水热组合由冷干向暖湿逐渐变化,水热组合的梯度变化进一步影响了草地景观整体的空间分布格局。(3)GIS技术与数量生态学方法相结合有助于丰富景观生态学研究的技术体系。

Classification and ordination of grassland landscape in the Shanxi Plateau

Spatial pattern is a reflection of the landscape heterogeneity over a region. Research on this pattern is a fundamental work in understanding the landscape structure, and has both theoretical and practical significance for exploring the composition and distribution laws of landscape components and their mechanisms. The key methods for realizing the spatial pattern include the comparison of pattern indices and spatial characteristics; the analysis of transition matrix of Markov Chain, and the dynamic simulation of spatial pattern based on cellular automata model. While these methods are proved to be usefull, the theoretical and technical framework has not yet been formed for the comprehensive research. The methods of quantitative ecology have been successfully used in vegetation pattern analysis on meso\ and mico\ scales. The integrated application of the methods in quantitative ecology and other modern techniques like GIS and RS might enrich the methodology of landscape study. In this study, based on the Grassland Type Map of Shanxi Province (1:500 000), Topography Map of Shanxi Province (1:500 000) and Administration Division Map of Shanxi Province (1:500 000), the Present Grassland Map of Shanxi Plateau (1:500 000) was compiled. Through the GIS techniques, 20mm×20 mm quadrat grids were set up on the Present Map, and then a set of 1127 effective quadrats was obtained. After the calculation of the importance values of individual quadrats, all the 1127 quadrats were analyzed using the quantitative methods of TWINSPAN (Two-Way Indicator Species Analysis) and DCA (Detrended Correspondence Analysis). The results showed that (1) the 31 association groups obtained from the TWINSPAN classification revealed the latitudinal zonality of grassland landscape in the plateau, i.e., the temperate grassland in the north, the shrub-grassland and grassland in the middle, and the warm temperate grassland in the south from 40°43'N to 34°34'N. (2) The vertical axis of DCA ordination plot indicated that, with the decrease in altitude from top to bottom, the grassland landscape changed gradually from the sub-alpine meadow to shrub-grassland, grassland and floodplain meadow; and the horizontal axis exhibited a clear water gradient, i.e., a gradual increase of wetness from left to right. The plots of DCA ordination for the quadrats of two dominant association groups and for the species of 44 dominant association groups reflected the gradient of rainfall and temperature changes, i.e., from the cold-arid conditions in the north-west to warm-wet conditions in the south-east across the plateau. This gradient of water-heat regime further influenced the spatial pattern of grassland landscape. (3) The integrated application of GIS technique and the methods of quantitative ecology could enrich the technical system of landscape ecology. The findings in this study suggest that either TWINSPAN or DCA was very useful for characterizing the distribution patterns of grassland landscape, and for exploring the possible causes of the patterns. The integrated application of GIS technique and quantitative techniques in ecology might have great potential for studies of landscape pattern dynamics, the drivers and the driving mechanisms. Further research on the dynamic characteristics and the driving factors of the grassland landscape in Shanxi Plateau should be conducted.