Interspecific association among main plant species in the unstable slope with high-frequency debris flow北大核心CSCD

To determine the characteristics of vegetation community structure and the relationship between species in the frequent watersheds of debris flow in fragile ecological environments, based on sample survey and 2 × 2 joint table techniques, we used analysis of variance test, χ2 test, Jaccard index, Pearson correlation coefficient, and Spearman's rank correlation coefficient test to study the main plant species correlations in the stable zone, instable zone, and deposit zone of the unstable slope. The analysis of variance test showed that all 45 species pairs had a significant negative correlation in the stable zone and instable zone, whereas there was no significant negative correlation in the deposit zone, which showed that the species had an independent distribution trend. The results from the different tests showed that there were 1 pair, 4 pairs, and 4 pairs from the stable zone, instable zone, and deposit zone, respectively, which had significant interspecific association under the χ2 test and the ratios of positive correlation pairs to negative correlation pairs were 0.55, 0.67, and 0.67 in the stable zone, instable zone, and deposit zone, respectively. There were 8 pairs, 5 pairs, and 5 pairs from the stable zone, instable zone, and deposit zone, respectively, which had significant interspecific association from the Pearson correlation analysis test, and the ratios of positive correlation pairs to negative correlation pairs were 0.36, 0.45, and 0.45 in the stable zone, instable zone, and deposit zone, respectively. There were 10 pairs, 6 pairs, and 9 pairs from the stable zone, instable zone, and deposit zone, respectively, which had significant interspecific association from the Spearman's rank correlation analysis test and the ratios of positive correlation pairs to negative correlation pairs were 0.5, 0.55, and 0.6 in the stable zone, instable zone, and deposit zone, respectively. The three test results showed general similarities but there were some differences. Most species pairs did not reach a significant level in the three zones and the number of negatively related species was more than the number of positively related species. In brief, this loose interspecific relationship indicates that the entire plant community was not stable, and the interspecific relationships among species are susceptible to environmental interference in the ecologically fragile areas of the debris flow basin. Therefore, rational selection and configuration of species should be applied to promote community structure development and ecological environmental improvement in vegetation restoration process areas with high-frequency debris flow. © 2018 Science Press. All rights reserved.