Seasonal Variations in Plant Species Diversity and Phylogenetic Diversity in Abandoned Farmland of China’s Huang–Huai Plain

Abstract

Amidst urbanization and industrialization in China, abandoned farmland plays a crucial role in safeguarding plant diversity within agricultural landscapes. This study aimed to examine the patterns of seasonal variation in plant diversity within abandoned farmland habitats in the Huang–Huai Plain region. Nonparametric tests were employed to analyze plant species diversity and phylogenetic diversity across seasons. Redundancy analysis and linear regression were conducted to examine the associations between plant species composition, species diversity, phylogenetic diversity, and soil environmental factors. Our results showed that plant species diversity, richness, and phylogenetic diversity were highest in spring, followed by summer, and lowest in autumn. The phylogenetic structure of plant communities demonstrated a tendency to diverge in spring, become random in summer, and cluster in autumn. Soil available potassium and soil organic matter emerged as important factors influencing plant species composition. The content of soil organic matter and ammonium nitrogen level exhibited a significantly positive correlation with the species diversity and phylogenetic diversity of plants. This study underscores the significance of considering seasonal and temporal scales when investigating plant diversity and provides a theoretical basis for biodiversity conservation in agricultural landscapes.

Antifungal Activity of Medicinal Herbs Aqueous Extracts: Common Wormwood (Artemisia Absinthium L.), Greater Burdock (Arctium Lappa L.), Common Thyme (Thymus Vulgaris L.) and Pot Marigold (Calendula Officinalis L.) on Yeast Saccharomyces Cerevisiae

“…It is known that the contents of active ingredients in plant materials fluctuate constantly with the genetic heterogeneity of a plant species, differences in soil condition, variations in a seasonal cycle, climatic influences, age of the plant, and alterations in weather, sun, and shade fluctuations [22]. The variability of their efficiency would be not only connected to various secondary metabolites content (alkaloids, flavonoids, anthocyanins, lignans, terpenoids, amines, polyphenols, quinones, peptides, coumarins) that plants produce but also to the toxic power of these biomolecules to microorganisms [23].…”

Productivity and Species Diversity of Plant Communities Are Higher inside than outside the West Ordos National Nature Reserve, Northern China

“…Our world is facing a crisis of rapid biodiversity loss, and biodiversity is crucial for maintaining ecosystem functions in a changing environment [ 1 ]. Species diversity is a fundamental ecological indicator of the diversity and complexity of plant communities and the ecosystem structure [ 2 , 3 ]. Species diversity can be quantified with various indices.…”

Environmental determinants of phylogenetic diversity in vernal pool habitats

“…A corollary of this phenomenon is that shared physiological tolerances lead to overlapping species presence in space and time (Mathias & Chesson, 2013). As such, conserved traits for niche specialization can result in changes to phylogenetic diversity as unique communities emerge in response to shifting seasonal conditions (Strauß et al, 2016;Yan et al, 2023)…”

“…A corollary of this phenomenon is that shared physiological tolerances lead to overlapping species presence in space and time (Mathias & Chesson, 2013). As such, conserved traits for niche specialization can result in changes to phylogenetic diversity as unique communities emerge in response to shifting seasonal conditions (Strauß et al., 2016; Yan et al., 2023). Vernal pool habitats predictably shift from inundated wetlands to desiccated deserts over several months, which fosters the transition from wetland adapted species to mesic adapted species and, finally, to xeric adapted species.…”