Comparison of patch microenvironments and number of coexisting species per patch between Leontopodium nanum and Stipa purpurea

doi:10.7523/j.ucas.2025.036

Abstract

Abstract: In harsh environments, facilitation plays a crucial role in plant survival. According to the theory of self-organization, facilitation is concentrated in plant patches, while the peripheries of these patches are dominated by competition. This study aims to examine whether plant patches have more favorable micro-environments compared to surrounding bare ground and whether different plant patches provide varying levels of facilitation by comparing the patch differences between Leontopodium nanum, a wide-spreading species in Qinghai-Tibetan alpine grasslands/meadow, and Stipa purpurea, the dominant species of alpine steppe. The results are as follows: (1) Plant patches exhibit higher soil moisture conditions and elevated concentrations of soil inorganic nitrogen compared to surrounding bare ground, indicating a relatively favorable micro-environment. This suggests that the spatial aggregation of plants reinforces micro-environment through vegetation-mediated positive feedback. (2) L. nanum patches have more coexisting species compared to S. purpurea patches due to higher soil water content in the former. Plant patches exhibit higher soil electrical conductivity than surrounding bare soil, but the magnitude of this elevation is reduced in L. nanum patches. This suggests that L. nanum employs a conservative water use strategy, such as restricted transpiration rate. The increased relative dominance of L. nanum in degraded alpine meadows, coupled with enhanced facilitation effects, aligns with the functional criteria of a nurse plant. These traits position L. nanum as a priority candidate for ecological restoration initiatives targeting degraded alpine meadows.

Key words: Leontopodium nanum, Stipa purpurea, plant patch, facilitation, nurse plants, degraded grassland restoration

CLC Number:

Q948

NIU Haishan, LIU Min, KONG Qian, LI Runfu, ZHU Chuanlu. Comparison of patch microenvironments and number of coexisting species per patch between Leontopodium nanum and Stipa purpurea[J]. Journal of University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, DOI: 10.7523/j.ucas.2025.036.

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