Vertical Distribution of Wild Seed Plant Species from Qinghai, China

doi:10.7525/j.issn.1673-5102.2025.06.004

Abstract

Abstract:

The formation of Qinghai Province’s geology and geomorphology and the evolution history of natural ecosystem are consistent with those of the whole Qinghai-Xizang Plateau. In order to reveal the distribution patterns of wild seed plants along vertical gradients in Qinghai Province and to provide fundamental data for exploring their adaptive mechanisms to vertical ecological and geographical environments， this study systematically analyzed the elevational distribution patterns of 3 558 plant species in Qinghai Province by integrating literature and herbarium specimen data. The analysis showed that：（1）Plants in Qinghai Province were not randomly distributed in the vertical dimension along the elevational gradient， but can be divided into certain “layer” and “grade” sequences. This was the Layer-Grade system of vertical distribution among plant species established in this paper for the first time. This division was based on the starting elevation of their respective occurrence and upper elevation and the range of vertical heights they extend. （2）Within the scope that by the layers 2 000 m and the grade 4 000 m intersect formation formed intersection sequence， it was the elevation range where plant species were most vertically distributed and most concentrated in Qinghai. （3）All plants with wide vertical height ranges were geographically widespread species； plants with narrow vertical height ranges usually had a narrow geographic distribution as well. （4）The vertical elevation zone of 2 000-4 000 m was the most suitable and most concentrated distribution range and the most prosperous habitat of all kinds of shrubs in Qinghai Province. （5）The range covered four layers （B， C， D， E） starting from an initial elevation of 2 000 m and extending to 3 500 m. Each of these layers extended vertically to an upper elevation of 5 000 m， encompassing 18 multi-grade units. This range represented the most concentrated vertical distribution of plants in Qinghai and can be described as the core zone. （6）Within the same genus， the obvious stepped vertical substitution distribution was one of common and basic survival strategies among plant species in Qinghai. This study had strong theoretical and practical significance and great reference significance for a comprehensive understanding of the elevation distribution characteristics and laws of plants on the plateau surface， and had good guiding value for biodiversity conservation， biological resources development and utilization， species evolution and adaptation in the future.

Key words: Qinghai Province, wild seed plant species, vertical distribution, vertical substitution between species

CLC Number:

Q948

Yuhu WU, Zhenning LENG, Congjia LI, Zelin ZHANG, Zhe PANG. Vertical Distribution of Wild Seed Plant Species from Qinghai, China[J]. Bulletin of Botanical Research, 2025, 45(6): 861-872.

Figures/Tables 2

Table 1

Table 2

Layer and hierarchical gradient system of vertical distribution of wild seed plant species from Qinghai

垂直层级序列及所含种数 Vertical hierarchical sequence and the number of species contained	层级所在海拔范围 Elevation range of the layer and grade/m	乔木 Tree		灌木 Shrub		草本 Herbaceous plant		备注 Remarks
	层级所在海拔范围 Elevation range of the layer and grade/m	物种数 Number of species	占本层级比例 Percentage of this level/%	物种数 Number of species	占本层级比例 Percentage of this level/%	物种数 Number of species	占本层级比例 Percentage of this level/%	备注 Remarks
合计（3 558种）		83	2.33	370	10.40	3 105	87.27	标志性极限分布20个
A层 422	1 650~6 000	31	7.35	55	13.03	336	79.62	层乔木数量和比例之最
AA 29	1 650~2 000	6	20.69	6	20.69	17	58.62	层级乔木比例之最；级灌木比例之最；层级垂直延伸最窄
AB 68	1 650~2 500	9	13.24	12	17.65	47	69.12
AC 115	1 650~3 000	10	8.70	10	8.70	95	82.61
AD 57	1 650~3 500	1	1.75	10	17.54	46	80.70
AE 97	1 650~4 000	3	3.09	13	13.40	81	83.51
AF 42	1 650~4 500	2	4.76	4	9.52	36	85.71
AG 13	1 650~5 000	0	0	0	0	13	100
AH 1	1 650~5 500	0	0	0	0	1	100	青海垂直生态幅最宽
AI 0	1 650~6 000	0	0	0	0	0	0
B层 978	2 000~6 000	22	2.25	136	13.91	820	83.84	层种数之最；层灌木数和比例之最
BB 147	2 000~2 500	3	2.04	20	13.61	124	84.35
BC 194	2 000~3 000	9	4.64	38	19.59	147	75.77
BD 162	2 000~3 500	2	1.23	15	9.26	145	89.51
BE 230	2 000~4 000	6	2.61	45	19.57	179	77.83	层级种数之最；级灌木数之最
BF 169	2 000~4 500	2	1.18	12	7.10	155	91.72
BG 69	2 000~5 000	0	0	6	8.70	63	91.30
BH 7	2 000~5 500	0	0	0	0	7	100
BI 0	2 000~6 000	0	0	0	0	0	0
C层 789	2 500~6 000	21	2.66	92	11.66	676	85.68	层灌木分布次多
CC 166	2 500~3 000	13	7.83	31	18.67	122	73.49	级乔木数之最
CD 139	2 500~3 500	1	0.72	21	15.11	117	84.17
CE 157	2 500~4 000	3	1.91	23	14.65	131	83.44
CF 176	2 500~4 500	4	2.27	12	6.82	160	90.91
CG 119	2 500~5 000	0	0	5	4.20	114	95.80
CH 28	2 500~5 500	0	0	0	0	28	100
CI 4	2 500~6 000	0	0	0	0	4	100
D层 624	3 000~6 000	7	1.12	46	7.37	571	91.51
DD 115	3 000~3 500	0	0	9	7.83	106	92.17
DE 187	3 000~4 000	7	3.74	22	11.76	158	84.49	冷杉集中起始出现
DF 150	3 000~4 500	0	0	9	6.00	141	94.00
DG 133	3 000~5 000	0	0	5	3.76	128	96.24
DH 37	3 000~5 500	0	0	1	2.70	36	97.30
DI 2	3 000~6 000	0	0	0	0	2	100
E层 478	3 500~6 000	2	0.42	35	7.32	441	92.26
EE 150	3 500~4 000	1	0.67	21	14.00	128	85.33	落叶阔叶乔木分布海拔最高限
EF 177	3 500~4 500	0	0	8	4.52	169	95.48
EG 108	3 500~5 000	1	0.93	4	3.70	103	95.37	乔木和常绿针叶乔木出现和分布海拔最高限
EH 39	3 500~5 500	0	0	2	5.13	37	94.87
EI 4	3 500~6 000	0	0	0	0	4	100
F层 210	4 000~6 000	0	0	6	2.86	204	97.14
FF 84	4 000~4 500	0	0	4	4.76	80	95.24
FG 85	4 000~5 000	0	0	2	2.35	83	97.65	灌木分布海拔最高限
FH 37	4 000~5 500	0	0	0	0	37	100
FI 4	4 000~6 000	0	0	0	0	4	100
G层 55	4 500~6 000	0	0	0	0	55	100
GG 49	4 500~5 000	0	0	0	0	49	100
GH 5	4 500~5 500	0	0	0	0	5	100
GI 1	4 500~6 000	0	0	0	0	1	100
H层 2	5 000~6 000	0	0	0	0	2	100
HH 2	5 000~5 500	0	0	0	0	2	100	青海植物分布海拔最高限
HI 0	5 000~6 000	0	0	0	0	0	0
I层 0	5 500~6 000	0	0	0	0	0	0
II 0	5 500~6 000	0	0	0	0	0	0

Table 2

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