A plot-based dataset of plant community on the Qingzang Plateau

Abstract

Plot-based data are an important foundation for studying plant community characteristics and compiling vegetation monographs, vegetation map, and vegegraphy. It is the key data source of studies in vegetation ecology. To understand the species composition, community characteristics, and distribution pattern of special plateau vegetation on the Qingzang Plateau (QZP), this study uses the data of 338 sites including 758 plots in different regions of the QZP from 2018 to 2021 to analyze the species composition, floristic characteristics, and vegetation classification of plateau plant communities. A plot-based dataset of plant community on the QZP is then established. The 758 plots have 837 plant species belonging to 279 genera from 65 families in the alpine and temperate vegetation communities. The largest number of species are found in five families: Asteraceae (134 species), Poaceae (88 species), Fabaceae (75 species), Rosaceae (43 species), and Cyperaceae (40 species), as well as five genera: Artemisia (29 species), Pedicularis (27 species), Saussurea (25 species), Astragalus (23 species), and Poa (23 species). The floristic composition is mainly temperate (145 genera) and cosmopolitan (36 genera). The growth forms of the species are mainly herbs (83.51%) and shrubs (10.87%), and the life forms of herbs and woody plants are mainly perennial herbs (88.23%) and deciduous shrubs (83.67%), respectively. A total of 338 sites can be divided into four vegetation formation groups, 10 vegetation formations, 20 vegetation subformations, 78 alliance groups, and 117 alliances, in which 34 are steppe alliances, 33 are meadow alliances, 33 are desert

Prediction of Changes to the Suitable Distribution Area of Fritillaria przewalskii Maxim. in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau under Shared Socioeconomic Pathways (SSPs)

“…FPM prefer to be distributed in shrublands, so each sampling site temporarily referred to the delineation of shrublands' quadrate and made appropriate adjustments when collecting samples. The quadrate had 10 replicates, and each area was a 5 × 5 m 2 survey area [25]. The spatial distance of each sampling site was greater than 5 km.…”

“…Sustainability 2023, 15, 2833 4 of 21 [25]. The spatial distance of each sampling site was greater than 5 km.…”

TiP-Leaf: a dataset of leaf traits across vegetation types on the Tibetan Plateau

“…The plot areas for herbaceous vegetation, shrubby vegetation and for- est vegetation were 1 m × 1 m, 2 m × 2 m or 5 m × 5 m and 10 m × 10 m, respectively. Geographical locations, natural and human disturbances, and vegetation types were also recorded (Jin et al, 2022b). The dominant and common plant species at each site were determined by visual inspection, the leaf samples of these plants were picked up, and the leaf traits were measured.…”