Species and plant community distribution in a Mojave-Great Basin desert transition

Multivariate analyses were used to describe the vegetation characteristics of a transition from lowelevation Mojave desert to higher-elevation Great Basin desert. Vegetation data used were from Plutonium Valley in the Nevada Test Site. Data from forty nine releves were analyzed with two classifications (two-day indicator analysis or TWINSPAN and unweighted paried group cluster analysis or CLUSTER). Three ordinations, reciprocal averaging (RA), detrended reciprocal averaging (DCA) and non-metric multidimensional scaling (MNDS), were also used. A rotational correlation analysis was used to determine the vector direction of environmental gradients that correlate best with ordination results. Only token correspondence was found between multivariate classes generated by TWINSPAN and CLUSTER, and seven classes (plant communities) identified from field reconnaissance. The latter seven communities were based on differences in dominant species. Distribution of the vegetation was related more to beta diversity than alpha diversity. Individual species were much less diagnostic than the amount of plant cover, groups or guilds of species or differences in elevation and steepness of slope. Because of the high beta diversity the NMDS ordination gave results with the greatest ease of interpretation.     

Metacommunity analysis of Mexican bats: environmentally mediated structure in an area of high geographic and environmental complexity

Aim We tested the hypothesis that distributions of Mexican bats are defined by shared responses to environmental gradients for the entire Mexican bat metacommunity and for each of four metaensembles (frugivores, nectarivores, gleaning insectivores, and aerial insectivores). Further, we identified the main environmental factors to which bats respond for multiple spatial extents. Location Mexico. Methods Using bat presence–absence data, as well as vegetation composition for each of 31 sites, we analysed metacommunity structure via a comprehensive, hierarchical approach that uses reciprocal averaging (RA) to detect latent environmental gradients corresponding to each metacommunity structure (e.g. Clementsian, Gleasonian, nested, random). Canonical correspondence analysis (CCA) was used to relate such gradients to variation in vegetation composition. Results For all bat species and for each ensemble, the primary gradient of ordination from RA, which is based on species data only, recovered an axis of humidity that matched that obtained for the first axis of the CCA ordination, which is based both on vegetation attributes and on species composition of sites. For the complete assemblage as well as for aerial and gleaning insectivores, analyses revealed Clementsian or quasi‐Clementsian structures with discrete compartments (distinctive groups of species along portions of an environmental gradient) coincident with the humidity gradient and with the Nearctic–Neotropical divide. Within‐compartment analysis further revealed Clementsian or quasi‐Clementsian structures corresponding to a gradient of elevational complexity that matched the second ordination axis in CCA. Frugivores had quasi‐nested structure, whereas nectarivores had Gleasonian structure. Main conclusions Our hierarchical approach to metacommunity analysis detected complex metacommunity structures associated with multiple environmental gradients at different spatial extents. More importantly, the resulting structures and their extent along environmental gradients are determined by ensemble‐specific characteristics and not by arbitrarily circumscribed study areas. This property renders compartment‐level analyses particularly useful for large‐scale ecological analyses in areas where more than one gradient may exist and species sorting may occur at multiple scales.     

Phytosociological amplitudes of some Dutch coastal species and their ecological interpretation

A 4-axis Reciprocal Averaging ordination of phytosociological tables of Dutch plant communities revealed environmentally interpretable gradients: (1) overall moisture, (2) salinity, (3) soil fertility, and (4) structural complexity of vegetation. The quantitative occurrence of all species along these gradients has been computed. Some examples of the distribution of species from coastal communities are given, to show how these data may help to summarize and visualize existing knowledge and how they can form a basis for further study.Nomenclature of species follows Heukels-van Ooststroom (1975), that of syntaxonomical units Westhoff & den Held (1969).     

Geographic variation in habitat structure for the wood warblers in Maine and Minnesota

The habitats occupied by species of wood warblers (Emberizidae) were compared at two study areas, Itasca State Park, Minnesota and Mount Blue State Park, Maine. Univariate comparisons of each variable of habitat structure show geographic differences for each species of warbler. Habitats available were also different because small trees were always more dense in Maine than in Minnesota. The Black-throated Green Warbler had the most dissimilar habitat with 9 of 11 variables different at the two sites.Cluster analysis identified four generalized habitat groups containing (1) species occupying territories with high percent shrub cover, (2) forest species from Maine, (3) forest species from Minnesota and (4) open country species. Reciprocal averaging ordination was used to identify habitat gradients at each site. The first axis of the Maine and Minnesota ordinations was a gradient from open country with dense ground cover to forest vegetation. The second axes differed, however. In Minnesota, the gradient separated medium deciduous trees from large conifers, whereas in Maine, vegetation graded from medium and large deciduous trees to coniferous habitats. Spearman rank correlation indicated that the warblers were similarly arranged along both habitat axes at each site despite differences in axis loadings of habitat variables.A combined reciprocal averaging ordination separated forest and shrub-forest edge species in Maine from the same two species groups in Minnesota along a smaller to larger tree axis. The results clearly demonstrate that habitat structure is not consistent throughout the range of many widely distributed species. It is suggested that the similar arrangement of species along the habitat axes probably results from an individualistic distribution of opportunistic bird species. Variation is probably induced at a site level by intraspecific competition for territories, small-scale vegetation dynamics, and resource fluctuation that occurs both within and between seasons.     

Effect of streaked shearwaterCalonectris leucomelas on species composition ofPersea thunbergii forest on Kanmurijima Island,Kyoto Prefecture,Japan

The effects of trampling and burrowing by streaked shearwaters were studied on thePersea thunbergii forest in Kanmurijima Is. The vegetation data were analysed using both the phytosociological tabulation method and principal component analysis (PCA). The vegetation ordination on the first axis reflected the environmental gradient from light to heavy disturbance by the streaked shearwater, and the vegetation ordination on the second axis represented the gradient from the latter phase of forest succession to retrogressive succession. The position of the three vegetation groups in the ordination diagram successfully explained the relation between the habitat and the species composition. The disturbance caused by activities of the streaked shearwater such as burrowing and trampling causes a decrease of species, especially character species of Camellietea japonicae, and also causes retrogressive succession: patches ofMallotus japonicus develop and many heliophytes occur.     

秦岭山地天然次生林群落MRT数量分类、CCA排序及多样性垂直格局

采用多元回归树(MRT)对秦岭山地天然次生林群落进行数量分类,采用典范对应分析(CCA)进行排序,分析了秦岭山地天然次生林群落物种多样性沿海拔梯度的变化规律。结果表明:(1) 275个样方共有种子植物195种,隶属61科128属。乔、灌、草3个层次物种多样性变化沿海拔梯度的变化趋势基本一致,呈单峰模型;(2)经交叉验证认为秦岭山地天然次生林群落可分为2类,Ⅰ冬瓜杨(Populus purdomii)+陇东海棠(Malus kansuensis)+蛇莓(Duchesnea indica)群落,Ⅱ锐齿槲栎(Quercus aliena var. acuteserrata)+黄栌(Cotinus coggygria)+茜草(Rubia cordifolia)群落;(3) CCA排序结果揭示了群落生境的分布范围,反映出生态轴的排序意义,较好地反映秦岭山地天然次生林群落与环境因子的关系,其结果表明,海拔、坡向、凋落层厚度和干扰情况4个变量对该地区次生林群落的分布有较大的影响。     

Pattern analysis in Belgian limestone grasslands

Pattern analyses were made in several limestone grasslands of Belgium. Vegetation has been sampled in continuous transects. Monospecific patterns are defined by means of two non-parametric indices; multivariate analysis (reciprocal averaging) completed the analysis. The following kinds of pattern are described and explained: random, aggregate, clump, gap, stationary density variation, non-stationary density variation, gradient and many complex patterns. The multivariate analysis leads to a careful phytosociological study of the transects and to the definition of floristically homogeneous regions. Some particular points of pattern analysis, the problem of vegetation sampling and some perspectives are discussed.     

Phytosociological and environmental gradients in a sector of the Western Desert of Egypt

Summary The climatic and physiographic features of the Western Desert of Egypt vary gradually from the Mediterranean coast inland. The present study provides an analysis of the gradients exhibited by these environmental variations and their relationships with vegetational gradients and the phytosociological behaviour of species in a sector along the Cairo-Alexandria desert road. The multivariate analyses of the vegetation lead to the recognition of six interrelated vegetational groupings which were distributed along a climatic gradient of increasing aridity, and an edaphic gradient of increasing sandiness and decreasing salinity and level of total phosphorus. These groupings were distinguished into three sets: a set ofConvolvulus-Helianthemum-Artemisia, andHelianthemum-Echiochilon, a set ofAnabasis, andSalsola-Anabasis, and a set ofAsphodelus-Noaea andThymelaea-Anabasis-Noaea groupings. The first set occupies the more arid end of the climatic gradient and the end of the coarse texture, low salinity and low levels of total phosphorus of the edaphic gradient. The second set occupies the opposite end of the edaphic gradient and the middle position of the climatic gradient and the middle position of the climatic gradient, and the third, the middle position of the edaphic gradient and the less arid end of the climatic gradient. Taxonomic nomenclature is according to T?ckholm (1974). The multivariate analyses were carried out using a Burroughs B6700 at the Computer Center of Utah State University, and supported by the U.S. Desert Biome. The authors are indebted to W. Valentine, H. C. Romesburg and K. Marshall for their assistance with data processing.     

Environmental conditions in relation to variability of deciduous forest vegetation — a study from volcanic mountain in central Slovakia

The deciduous forests represent dominant natural vegetation of Central European landscape and an important functional component for maintenance of biological diversity. However, their syntaxonomy and ecological gradients still remain unclear. The numerical classification was conducted to determine the main units of forest vegetation, while ordination techniques were used to explain the structure of vegetation-environmental data matrix consisting of 110 forest stands in the Štiavnické vrchy Mts (central Slovakia). Ten vegetation types within the phytosociological classes of deciduous forests Quercetea robori-petraeae and Querco-Fagetea were distinguished. The major environmental driver responsible for variation in forest species composition was interpreted as a response to soil moisture which also accounted for a large part of species variability (3.74%). Soil nutrient/acidity complex expressed by pH, Ca and Al concentration was also an important source of vegetation variability. Relevance of soil conditions in relation to plant survival and community distribution was discussed. Along the soil moisture gradient, vegetation types were arranged from the subxerophilous oak forests through the mesophilous beech and ravine forests to the hygrophilous alder ash vegetation.     

Studies of a vegetation transect through brigalow (Acacia harpophylla) forest in central Queensland

Vegetation and environmental data were collected in 182 contiguous plots along a belt transect, 3.7 km long, in central Queensland through a relatively undisturbed forest dominated by brigalow (Acacia harpophylla). A subset of eighty-nine plots using percentage cover of 128 species was classified using a polythetic agglomerative approach. Dual stand and species ordinations by principal component analysis and reciprocal averaging were also undertaken. The cluster analysis and ordination of unstandardized cover data, grouped stands on the basis of abundance of the predominant canopy species, but only where these species were true dominants such as Macropteranthes leichhardtii did these same groupings appear in the ordination of standardized data. The latter ordination was ecologically more satisfying, but the complementary species ordination was unsatisfactory. The vegetation-species complex was best explained by dual species and stand ordinations using presence-absence data. Reciprocal averaging appeared to produce a marginally better ordination than principal component analysis. An ordination of eleven environmental factors indicated soil profile and presence of gilgai were the most important environmental variables. The ordination was enhanced by varimax rotation which focused on a more homogeneous environmental gradient and coincided more closely with the vegetation ordinations. An ordination using both species and environmental factors substantiated the explanation of the vegetation-environmental complex derived from separate ordinations. The main gradient revealed from the ordinations appeared to be a mesic-xeric gradient stretching from Macropteranthes leichhardtii semi-evergreen vine thicket at the mesic end diverging through various A. harpophylla - dominant communities to A. harpophylla - Eucalyptus melanophloia woodland on duplex soils and Dichanthium affine grassland on clay soils. Six plant communities are defined and described and each related to a particular set of environmental conditions. These communities are bonewood (Macropteranthes leichhardtii) - semi-evergreen vine thicket, brigalow (Acacia harpophylla) - semi-evergreen vine thicket, brigalow (A. harpophylla) continuum (clay soils), Dichanthium affine grassland, brigalow (A. harpophylla) continuum (duplex soils) and brigalow (A. harpophylla) - silver-leaved ironbark (Eucalyptus melanophloia) woodland.     

Can tissue element concentration patterns at the individual species level indicate the factors underlying vegetation gradients in wetlands?

Question: Do tissue element concentrations at the individual species level vary along major vegetation gradients in wetlands, and can they indicate environmental conditions? Location: West Carpathians. Methods: Total plant species composition was recorded in plots distributed along a poor to rich gradient within spring fens and along the gradient from fens to wet meadows. Eriophorum angustifolium (Cyperaceae) and three broadleaf dicotyledonous herb species were collected from the vegetation plots. Tissue N, P, K, Ca and Fe concentrations, N:P and N:K ratios of the species were determined. Each variable was correlated with the sample scores along the first two axes of the DCA ordination, which represented the two main vegetation gradients. Results: K and Ca concentrations in a particular species correlated well with the vegetation gradients, thus indicating changes in the element availability to the species. The trends were sometimes contradictory to known patterns at the community level, but the differences could be ecologically interpreted. Contrary to Ca and K, patterns in N, P and Fe concentration appeared to be more species‐specific. E. angustifolium had a lower K and Ca concentration than the broadleaf herbs. Conclusions: Compared to community‐level measurements, element concentrations in individual species correlated less with observed vegetation gradients. Trends found at the species level may indicate changes in ecological conditions affecting the species, although they need not correspond with trends found at the community level. We conclude that the species‐level approach cannot substitute, but can advance, the community‐level approach in searching for mechanisms underlying vegetation gradients within wetlands.     

Multivariate approach to the classification and ordination of the forest ecosystem of Nandiar valley western Himalayas

QuestionsDoes the vegetation composition of the forests of Nandiar Valley correlate with climatic, topographic and edaphic variables? Is it possible to identify plant communities through indicator species in relation to environmental gradients? Can this approach of classification and ordination will be helpful for conservation planning?LocationForests of Nandiar Valley, Moist temperate Western Himalayas Pakistan.MethodsEighty stands were selected for quantitative and qualitative characteristic of vegetation between an elevations of 525–3817 m. Species composition was recorded by using 400 m long transects. GPS, climatic, edaphic and topographic data were recorded for each sampling site. The relationship between habitat types, species composition and distribution along with climatic, edaphic and topographic variables were analyzed using TWINSPAN, Cluster analysis and DCA ordination.ResultsSum 325 vascular plants species belonging to 97 families were recorded. Diversity index and species richness was maximum in the moist temperate zone. Classification and ordination showed that the variance in species data was 7.07. Two-ways indicator species analysis classified the vegetation into eight plant communities. Indicator species analysis revealed that slope aspect, wind speed, temperature, dew point, wet bulb, pH, organic matter and phosphorous were the strongest parameters (p ≤ 0.05) determining plant community composition and indicator species in each habitat. The results also show the strength of the environment – species relationship using Monte Carlo procedures. DCA ordination grouped different species having similar habitat and habitats having common species.ConclusionsThe multivariate analysis of the vegetation along with environmental variables of Nandiar valley confirmed the indicators of each sort of vegetation communities/microclimatic zones which could further be used in conservation planning and management not only in studied area but also in the adjacent regions as well as in the areas exhibit similar sort of climatic, edaphic and topographic conditions.     

The Balkan wet grassland vegetation: a prerequisite to better understanding of European habitat diversity

The knowledge of broad-scale floristic variation in wet grasslands, which are endangered throughout Europe, is still limited and some regions have remained unexplored so far. In addition, hitherto published phytosociological studies were concentrated at the national level and therefore national vegetation classifications are not consistent with each other. In order to overcome these shortcomings of traditional phytosociology, we gathered original data from Bulgaria and analysed them together with the data from Central Europe. We further analysed major compositional gradients within Bulgarian wet grasslands and changes in species richness along them. We sampled 164 wet grassland vegetation plots throughout Bulgaria. We further prepared a restricted data set of wet grasslands from Central-European phytosociological databases. Both data sets were merged and classified by modified TWINSPAN. Four distinct vegetation types were differentiated. Even if they correspond with traditional alliances, which are primarily drawn as geographically defined units in Western and Central Europe (sub-Mediterranean Trifolion resupinati, sub-continental Deschampsion cespitosae and Molinion caeruleae and sub-oceanic Calthion palustris), they all occur in Bulgaria. When more precise classification was applied, two types of sub-Mediterranean wet grasslands and one high-altitude type of Calthion grasslands were detected solely in Bulgaria. DCA analysis showed that altitude is a dominant gradient controlling variation in Balkan wet grasslands. The second DCA axis was interpreted as the gradient of nutrient availability. Species richness shows skewed-unimodal trends along both major gradients, with the highest species richness in intermittently wet nutrient-limited grasslands. Tukey post-hoc test of altitudinal differences amongst vegetation types is significant for all pairs of clusters, suggesting that altitudinal differentiation is responsible for co-occurrence of nearly all European types of wet grasslands in Bulgaria. Our results suggest that (1) climate is an important factor for the diversity of wet grasslands; (2) Balkan vegetation of middle altitudes matches with that of Central Europe, whereas that of the lowest altitudes corresponds rather to the sub-Mediterranean region and high mountains are specific; (3) upward shift of Central-European vegetation types in southern Europe, so often described in forest vegetation is also evident for grassland vegetation and (4) the high diversity of Balkan vegetation is determined by a diverse relief enabling confluence of habitats possessing different climatic conditions.     

Dynamics of understory vegetation in an old-growth boreal coniferous forest, 1988–1993

Abstract. Understorey vegetation changes in a South Norwegian old-growth coniferous forest were studied between 1988 and 1993 in 200 1-m² vegetation plots. Our aims were to quantify the amount of between-year compositional change, and to elaborate the environmental basis for long-term vegetation change, including the previously identified gradient structure with a major gradient related to topography (and soil nutrient status and soil depth) and a minor gradient reflecting paludification and canopy coverage. Species richness (yearly mean and cumulative species number) and change in species richness differed between vascular plants and cryptogams, and between forest types. The number of vascular plant species decreased in pine forest in dry years; bryophyte species number increased in spruce forest. Statistically significant vegetation change, as tested by constrained ordination (CCA) with time as the constraining variable, is demonstrated for most one-year periods and for the five-year period in most forest types. Vegetation change along identified gradients, measured as plot displacement along DCA ordination axes, also occurred. The magnitude of year-to-year vegetation change was related neither to forest type nor to one-year period; different responses to climatic and environmental change were observed in each forest type. The largest average displacement observed, from medium-rich spruce forest towards poor spruce forest, was interpreted as a long-term trend. Humus-layer pH decreased by ca. 0.25 units from 1988 to 1993, most strongly in medium-rich spruce forest where exchangeable Ca decreased and Al and Mn increased strongly. Our study supports the hypothesis that vascular plants show a long-term and broad-scale response to soil acidification. Change in bryophyte composition is linked to some very long growing-seasons. Detailed analysis of short-term vegetation dynamics enhances the interpretation of long-term changes and stresses the complementarity of univariate and multivariate methods in the analysis of vegetation change.     

Habitat requirements of Cardaminopsis petraea — Rare and relict species of the Czech Republic

Vegetation with Cardaminopsis petraea was sampled by phytosociological relevés at almost all the known Czech sites, and characterized by indicator values, influence of potential direct solar irradiation, and bedrock type with the aid of multivariate methods. It has been declared that C. petraea prefers open natural or seminatural drier to mesophilous habitats without some preference to the bedrock. It occupies habitats with various slopes, but it prefers more extreme slants and northerly exposed slopes. The classification and ordination methods showed clear distinction between Moravian and Bohemian habitats. Apart from other types, in Bohemia this species occurs uniquely in acidophilous rock communities, whereas in Moravia it grows uniquely within calcareous grasslands. Relictness of the species was discussed in relation to the specific site conditions (light supply, disturbance regime, and geographical isolation) and to the occurrence of other rare taxa and habitats. Occurrence on some man-made habitats was also observed.     

山西高原植被与气候的关系分析及植被数量区划的研究

本文利用去势典范对应分析和数量区划的方法,研究了山西高原植被与气候之间的关系,并进行了数量区划。排序的结果表明：DCCA的第—轴代表山西高原植被和气候梯度的纬向性,热量梯度是决定植被分布最主要的气候因子,水分梯度中的年降水量也对第—轴有较大的影响,由于山西高原南北跨度大,植被与气候因子表现出明显的纬向性;DCCA第二轴代表山西高原植被和气候梯度的经向性,与DCCA第二轴相关性较大的是水分因子中的年降水量、年蒸发量,由于山西高原东西跨度不大,而且大部分地区处在吕梁山脉和太行山脉之间,东西向的气候变化幅度不大,所以植被与气候梯度的经向性不明显。植被数量区划的结果表明：山西高原可划分为17个植被区,用图示的方法确定山西高原大致有三个极点和—个中心。     

Testate Amoeba (Arcellinida,Euglyphida) Ecology along a Poor‐Rich Gradient in Fens of Western Poland

We investigated the relationships between testate amoebae (Arcellinida, Euglyphida), vegetation and water chemistry along environmental gradients in minerotrophic peatlands (fens) in western Poland. We hypothesized that: a) hydrochemistry significantly influences structure of testate amoeba communities, and b) testate amoeba communities are more closely correlated with the hydrochemical variables (environment) than with the vegetation data. Testate amoeba communities and vegetation from 71 sample plots were investigated together with the hydro‐chemistry and hydrology based on 16 environmental variables and vegetation composition. Testate amoeba communities revealed a distinctive poor‐rich gradient in analysed fens. Mineral‐rich habitats, which were dominated by brown mosses, were preferred by a higher number of taxa than acidic habitats, which were dominated by Sphagnum. We recorded a total of 107 testate amoebae taxa. The average species richness of testate amoebae for brown mosses was higher (20) than for Sphagnum (13). We found that testate amoebae communities were similarly correlated with vascular plants, mosses and environmental parameters. Results of direct ordination demonstrate that hydrology, pH, Mg²⁺ and sodium remain the most important environmental control for the entire data set. CCA showed that in case of brown mosses hydrology, sodium and oxygen affect testate amoeba communities significantly whereas in Sphagnum only sodium emerge as most significant determining testate amoeba assemblages. (© 2011 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Pollen–vegetation relationships along steep climatic gradients in western Amazonia

Question: How accurately do Amazonian montane forest pollen spectra reflect the vegetation? Can compositional changes observed in the vegetation along environmental gradients be identified in the pollen spectra? How well do herbarium collection data and bioclimatic envelopes represent abundance changes along elevation gradients? Location: Amazonian montane forests, Peru. Methods: Moss polsters collected along five altitudinal transects spanning over 3000 m a.s.l. were used to characterize pollen spectra. Vegetation plot data from a network of 15 1‐ha permanent plots were used to correlate pollen spectra with present‐day vegetation. Probability density functions (PDFs) fitted to pollen and plot data allowed comparisons using Spearman correlation coefficients. Ordination analyses were used to summarize changes in pollen spectra. Correlations between pollen‐based PDFs and previously‐published herbarium collection PDFs were also evaluated. Results: Pollen spectra closely reflected changes in species composition along elevation gradients. A mid‐elevation shift in pollen spectra was identified using ordination analyses. Pollen spectra from the driest forest in our data set were statistically different from those of wet forests. Pollen abundance PDFs along the altitudinal gradient were significantly correlated (P<0.01) with PDFs fitted to plot abundance, basal area and herbarium collection data for ten out of 11 taxa analysed. Conclusions: Pollen spectra closely reflected the vegetation composition of Amazonian montane forests. The differentiation of pollen spectra from dry localities showed the potential of genus‐level pollen data to reflect precipitation gradients. Pollen spectra also reflected mid‐elevation compositional changes well along the lower elevation limit of ground cloud formation. Despite collection biases, herbarium‐based bioclimatic envelope PDFs also represented well forest compositional changes along elevation gradients.     

Elements of metacommunity structure of Paraguayan bats: multiple gradients require analysis of multiple ordination axes

Techniques to evaluate elements of metacommunity structure (EMS; coherence, species turnover and range boundary clumping) have been available for several years. Such approaches are capable of determining which idealized pattern of species distribution best describes distributions in a metacommunity. Nonetheless, this approach rarely is employed and such aspects of metacommunity structure remain poorly understood. We expanded an extant method to better investigate metacommunity structure for systems that respond to multiple environmental gradients. We used data obtained from 26 sites throughout Paraguay as a model system to demonstrate application of this methodology. Using presence–absence data for bats, we evaluated coherence, species turnover and boundary clumping to distinguish among six idealized patterns of species distribution. Analyses were conducted for all bats as well as for each of three feeding ensembles (aerial insectivores, frugivores and molossid insectivores). For each group of bats, analyses were conducted separately for primary and secondary axes of ordination as defined by reciprocal averaging. The Paraguayan bat metacommunity evinced Clementsian distributions for primary and secondary ordination axes. Patterns of species distribution for aerial insectivores were dependent on ordination axis, showing Gleasonian distributions when ordinated according to the primary axis and Clementsian distributions when ordinated according to the secondary axis. Distribution patterns for frugivores and molossid insectivores were best described as random. Analysis of metacommunities using multiple ordination axes can provide a more complete picture of environmental variables that mold patterns of species distribution. Moreover, analysis of EMS along defined gradients (e.g., latitude, elevation and depth) or based on alternative ordination techniques may complement insights based on reciprocal averaging because the fundamental questions addressed in analyses are contingent on the ordination technique that is employed.     

西藏阿里植物群落的间接梯度分析、数量分类与环境解释

根据对西藏阿里地区163个植物群落样地资料进行的多元分析——排序、数量分类与环境解释,给出了该地区植被的基本类型、生态梯度及其与环境因子的定量关系。基本分析方法包括3个步骤：1)通过无倾向对应分析(DCA)的两个排序向量揭示了阿里植被的两个主要生态梯度;2)由该梯度的二维散点图及二元指示种分析(TWINSPAN)分别产生非等级制与等级制的植物群落分类系统;3)以多元回归分析将排序值与环境及地理参数相联系而给出各类型的环境指标——定量环境解释。分析表明,阿里植被类型及其分布主要取决于热量与湿度梯度,前者可通过地理参数,后者则通过土壤特征的数学表达式来定量地确定。两梯度包含的类型、种类与生境差异颇大,由低山暖性荒漠直到高山冰缘植被,从隐带性沼泽与盐生草甸到高原地带性荒漠与草原均各得其位,各有其值。表明该数量分析法对于处理高度生态多样性的植物群落生态信息是十分有效的。