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Article

Community Assembly Mechanisms of Populus euphratica in Northwest China and Their Relationship with Environmental Factors

1
Xinjiang Production & Construction Corps Key Laboratory of Protection and Utilization of Biological Resources in Tarim Basin, Alar 843300, China
2
College of Life Science and Technology, Tarim University, Research Center of Populus Euphratica, Alar 843300, China
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Plants 2024, 13(23), 3283; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants13233283
Submission received: 17 October 2024 / Revised: 20 November 2024 / Accepted: 20 November 2024 / Published: 22 November 2024
(This article belongs to the Section Plant Ecology)

Abstract

Populus euphratica is a key community-building species in the desert riparian forests of Northwest China, exhibiting exceptional resistance to stress and playing a vital role in soil and water conservation as well as maintaining ecological balance in arid regions. To investigate the ecological processes underlying the composition of P. euphratica communities and to identify their community construction mechanisms, this study analyses the species diversity and phylogenetic diversity of 58 P. euphratica communities, exploring their assembly processes and key influencing factors. This research aims to elucidate the relationship between community structure from the perspective of species evolution and analyse the construction mechanisms of P. euphratica communities across different clusters in arid environments. The results show that the species diversity of P. euphratica clusters in Northwest China is relatively low, and a significant correlation is noted with phylogenetic diversity (PD). The Shannon–Wiener and Margalef indices exhibit similar trends, whereas Simpson’s index show the opposite trends. Pielou’s index range from 0.7 to 0.85. Notably, the PD and species diversity of the P. euphratica–Haloxylon ammodendron association group (Group 4) is significantly higher (p < 0.05) compared to that of the other groups. Additionally, net relatedness index (NRI) and nearest taxon index (NTI) peaked in the P. euphratica–H. ammodendron association group (Group 4) and the Populus pruinosa–Tamarix ramosissima–Phragmites australis association group (Group 1) (p < 0.05). A Pearson correlation analysis indicated that PD was significantly positively correlated with Margalef’s index, Shannon–Wiener’s index, and Pielou’s index, but was significantly negatively correlated with Simpson’s index, while also being associated with environmental factors. Key factors influencing the diversity of P. euphratica communities in Northwest China include total phosphorus, pH, soil moisture content, total potassium, the mean temperature of the coldest quarter, precipitation of the wettest month, and precipitation seasonality. Soil factors primarily affected the Pielou and Simpson indices of species diversity, whereas climatic factors mainly influenced the Margalef and Shannon–Wiener indices. PD and structure were mainly influenced by climatic factors. The combined effects of soil and climatic factors play a crucial role in sustaining the diversity and ecological adaptation of these plant communities. In summary, P. euphratica communities may exhibit a significant ecological niche conservation in response to environmental changes, and competitive exclusion might be the primary process shaping community structure. Climatic factors were shown to be important regulators of community diversity and phylogenetic structure.
Keywords: plant community; species diversity; phylogenetic diversity; competitive exclusion; Populus euphratica plant community; species diversity; phylogenetic diversity; competitive exclusion; Populus euphratica

Share and Cite

MDPI and ACS Style

Zhu, L.; Wang, J.; Liu, H.; Zhai, J.; Li, Z. Community Assembly Mechanisms of Populus euphratica in Northwest China and Their Relationship with Environmental Factors. Plants 2024, 13, 3283. https://doi.org/10.3390/plants13233283

AMA Style

Zhu L, Wang J, Liu H, Zhai J, Li Z. Community Assembly Mechanisms of Populus euphratica in Northwest China and Their Relationship with Environmental Factors. Plants. 2024; 13(23):3283. https://doi.org/10.3390/plants13233283

Chicago/Turabian Style

Zhu, Lijun, Jie Wang, Houji Liu, Juntuan Zhai, and Zhijun Li. 2024. "Community Assembly Mechanisms of Populus euphratica in Northwest China and Their Relationship with Environmental Factors" Plants 13, no. 23: 3283. https://doi.org/10.3390/plants13233283

APA Style

Zhu, L., Wang, J., Liu, H., Zhai, J., & Li, Z. (2024). Community Assembly Mechanisms of Populus euphratica in Northwest China and Their Relationship with Environmental Factors. Plants, 13(23), 3283. https://doi.org/10.3390/plants13233283

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