Search

Quantitative research on ecological relationships at landscape and region scales between vegetation and the environment factors became one of the focuses of vegetation science.In this research a standardized sampling method was used to evaluate the habitat of forest communities in habitat of Sichuan Snub-nosed Monkey in Hubei Shennongjia National Nature Reserve.Data of investigated plant plots was analyzed by the methods of average linking clustering and distended correspondence analysis(DCA).58 investigated plant plots were divided into 9 groups and attributed to 7 vegetation types according to the principle and system of classification in Vegetation of China.While the results of DCA revealed that the plant communities were gradually changed with environmental gradients.The results of DCA ordination indicate that the main factors that restricted distribution of the communities were temperature and humidity in habitat of Sichuan Snub-nosed Monkey in Shennongjia National Nature Reserve.The result of the ordination of species and quadrats were compared and it showed that the ordination plot of the dominant species was in gradients.All these results show that the main factors restricting distribution of the communities is gradient of altitude in this habitat.It was in favor of interpreting the ecological meaning of the ordination axes.The second axis expressed the gradient of altitude among the communities,and the first axis represented the gradient in aspect and slope among the communities.The results indicated that Form.Abies fargesii+Betula utilis-Acer megalodum+Rosa caudata-Circaea alpine+ Asteropyrum peltatum in the area is the best habitat for Sichuan Snub-nosed Monkey in Shennongjia because it is developed very well and the tall trees have a large proportion.The trend of richness index changed with environmental gradients.The trend of richness index in the cold temperate coniferous forest and coniferous-deciduous broadleaf mixed forest in different layer along the community is shrub herbtree.The trend is shrub tree herb in the evergreen broadleaf forest and the evergreen broadleaf forest-deciduous broadleaf mixed forest and the trend is shrub herb and tree in the deciduous broadleaf forest.Species of food plants of Sichuan snub-nosed monkey in different forest type changed with environmental gradients has positive correlation with the trend of richness index,but Lichens plants which is the most important food for Sichuan snub-nosed monkey only grow in coniferous forest and coniferous-deciduous broadleaf mixed forest.The results of this research could provide a sound basis for reserve management and planning of Sichuan snub-nosed monkey in Shennongjia National Nature Reserve.