Effect of urbanization on the structure and functional traits of remnant subtropical evergreen.pdfVIP

Environ Monit Assess (2013) 185:5003–5018 DOI 10.1007/s10661-012-2921-5 Effect of urbanization on the structure and functional traits of remnant subtropical evergreen broad-leaved forests in South China Liujing Huang Hongfeng Chen Hai Ren Jun Wang Qinfeng Guo Received: 23 February 2012 /Accepted: 24 September 2012 /Published online: 7 October 2012 # Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht 2012 Abstract We investigated the effects of major envi- environment. The native herb diversity was lower in ronmental drivers associated with urbanization on spe- urban forests than in rural forests. Urban forests tend cies diversity and plant functional traits (PFTs) in the to prefer the species with Mesophanerophyte life remnant subtropical evergreen broad-leaved forests form. In contrast, species in rural forests possessed in Metropolitan Guangzhou (Guangdong, China). Chamaephyte and Nanophanerophyte life forms and Twenty environmental factors including topography, gravity/clonal growth dispersal mode. Soil pH and soil light, and soil properties were used to quantify the nutrients (K, Na, and TN) were positively related to effects of urbanization. Vegetation data and soil prop- herb diversity, while soil heavy metal concentrations erties were collected from 30 400-m2 plots at 6 study (Cu) were negatively correlated with herb diversity. sites in urban and rural areas. The difference of plant The herb plant species diversity declines and the spe- species diversity and PFTs of remnant forests between cies in the remnant forests usually have stress-tolerant urban and rural areas were analyzed. To discern the functional traits in response to urbanization. The fac- complex relationships, multivariate statistical analyses tors related to urbanizat