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

 

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

 

Received: 7 May 2012 / Accepted: 2 August 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

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*Corresponding author; email: wangyj@mail.hzau.edu.cn