Effects of the Qinling‐Daba Mountains as Ecological Corridor on Patterns of Plant Distribution

ABSTRACT The Qinling‐Daba Mountains (QDM), extending east–west in central China, span warm temperate and subtropical zones and are characterized by complex geographical transitions and high biodiversity. They actually also act as a significant ecological corridor between the Tibetan Plateau and East...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Ya Jiang, Baiping Zhang, Yonghui Yao, Jiayu Li, Junjie Liu
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2025-07-01
Series:Ecology and Evolution
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.71633
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1849245699459252224
author Ya Jiang
Baiping Zhang
Yonghui Yao
Jiayu Li
Junjie Liu
author_facet Ya Jiang
Baiping Zhang
Yonghui Yao
Jiayu Li
Junjie Liu
author_sort Ya Jiang
collection DOAJ
description ABSTRACT The Qinling‐Daba Mountains (QDM), extending east–west in central China, span warm temperate and subtropical zones and are characterized by complex geographical transitions and high biodiversity. They actually also act as a significant ecological corridor between the Tibetan Plateau and East China plains, but this almost has not been addressed. This study uses plant species data of 40 national nature reserves within QDM and 18 in adjacent area, performs consensus clustering at the levels of species, genus, and areal type, traces the origins and dispersal routes of 89 Chinese endemic genera, and, finally, assesses the importance and areal differentiation of environmental factors on species distribution. The results show: (1) The QDM as a corridor contribute greatly to the high biodiversity in the study areas, particularly in the easternmost and westernmost sections. (2) The QDM promote species interactions and exchanges between west China and east China. The genera involved are classified into four main types of geographic origins: Central‐East China components (41 genera) and North China components (8 genera) spread southwestward; Southwest components (24 genera) spread eastward and northeastward; while Northwest components (6 genera) show limited eastward spread. (3) Multi‐year average precipitation, elevation, and coldest quarter temperature significantly influence plant distribution. (4) Elevation differences (peak, base, and average) under 1000 m among reserves enhance plant dispersal, resulting in obvious corridor effect. This study provides theoretical support for understanding the corridor effect in the study area and its contribution to biodiversity pattern of China.
format Article
id doaj-art-cff129c5f5454078bce036745cb2c072
institution Kabale University
issn 2045-7758
language English
publishDate 2025-07-01
publisher Wiley
record_format Article
series Ecology and Evolution
spelling doaj-art-cff129c5f5454078bce036745cb2c0722025-08-20T03:58:44ZengWileyEcology and Evolution2045-77582025-07-01157n/an/a10.1002/ece3.71633Effects of the Qinling‐Daba Mountains as Ecological Corridor on Patterns of Plant DistributionYa Jiang0Baiping Zhang1Yonghui Yao2Jiayu Li3Junjie Liu4State Key Laboratory of Resources and Environmental Information System Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research Beijing ChinaState Key Laboratory of Resources and Environmental Information System Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research Beijing ChinaState Key Laboratory of Resources and Environmental Information System Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research Beijing ChinaState Key Laboratory of Resources and Environmental Information System Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research Beijing ChinaState Key Laboratory of Resources and Environmental Information System Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research Beijing ChinaABSTRACT The Qinling‐Daba Mountains (QDM), extending east–west in central China, span warm temperate and subtropical zones and are characterized by complex geographical transitions and high biodiversity. They actually also act as a significant ecological corridor between the Tibetan Plateau and East China plains, but this almost has not been addressed. This study uses plant species data of 40 national nature reserves within QDM and 18 in adjacent area, performs consensus clustering at the levels of species, genus, and areal type, traces the origins and dispersal routes of 89 Chinese endemic genera, and, finally, assesses the importance and areal differentiation of environmental factors on species distribution. The results show: (1) The QDM as a corridor contribute greatly to the high biodiversity in the study areas, particularly in the easternmost and westernmost sections. (2) The QDM promote species interactions and exchanges between west China and east China. The genera involved are classified into four main types of geographic origins: Central‐East China components (41 genera) and North China components (8 genera) spread southwestward; Southwest components (24 genera) spread eastward and northeastward; while Northwest components (6 genera) show limited eastward spread. (3) Multi‐year average precipitation, elevation, and coldest quarter temperature significantly influence plant distribution. (4) Elevation differences (peak, base, and average) under 1000 m among reserves enhance plant dispersal, resulting in obvious corridor effect. This study provides theoretical support for understanding the corridor effect in the study area and its contribution to biodiversity pattern of China.https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.71633
spellingShingle Ya Jiang
Baiping Zhang
Yonghui Yao
Jiayu Li
Junjie Liu
Effects of the Qinling‐Daba Mountains as Ecological Corridor on Patterns of Plant Distribution
Ecology and Evolution
title Effects of the Qinling‐Daba Mountains as Ecological Corridor on Patterns of Plant Distribution
title_full Effects of the Qinling‐Daba Mountains as Ecological Corridor on Patterns of Plant Distribution
title_fullStr Effects of the Qinling‐Daba Mountains as Ecological Corridor on Patterns of Plant Distribution
title_full_unstemmed Effects of the Qinling‐Daba Mountains as Ecological Corridor on Patterns of Plant Distribution
title_short Effects of the Qinling‐Daba Mountains as Ecological Corridor on Patterns of Plant Distribution
title_sort effects of the qinling daba mountains as ecological corridor on patterns of plant distribution
url https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.71633
work_keys_str_mv AT yajiang effectsoftheqinlingdabamountainsasecologicalcorridoronpatternsofplantdistribution
AT baipingzhang effectsoftheqinlingdabamountainsasecologicalcorridoronpatternsofplantdistribution
AT yonghuiyao effectsoftheqinlingdabamountainsasecologicalcorridoronpatternsofplantdistribution
AT jiayuli effectsoftheqinlingdabamountainsasecologicalcorridoronpatternsofplantdistribution
AT junjieliu effectsoftheqinlingdabamountainsasecologicalcorridoronpatternsofplantdistribution