| Abstract Detail
Charles Heiser Special Contributed Paper Session Ross, Nanci [1], Salick, Jan [2]. On the roof of the world: climate change, biogeography & alpine plant diversity, Hengduan Mountains, China. The highest plant diversity and richness in the eastern Himalayas is found in Alpine environments. Furthermore, locally useful plants (e.g., Tibetan medicines) are most abundant in Alpine meadows. Thus, climate change that threatens alpine plants impacts both Himalayan biological and cultural diversity. We assessed species diversity and composition across precipitation and biogeographic gradients within the Hengduan Mountains, NW Yunnan Province, China. Our data indicate that precipitation drives changes in species composition from SW to NE. Two sites, less than 10 km distant that ordinate together with precipitation, are divided by the Mekong(Lansang) river gorge. Interestingly,significant indicator species distinguishing the sites are often from shared genera suggesting a mechanism for the high beta diversity across the region. Broader Impacts:
Log in to add this item to your schedule
1 - Drake University, Biology Department, Olin Hall Room 208, 1344 27th Street, Des Moines, IA, 50311, USA 2 - Missouri Botanical Garden, PO Box 299, St. Louis, MO, 63166-0299, USA
Keywords: beta diversity Hengduan Mountains alpine climate change.
Presentation Type: Oral Paper:Papers for Topics Session: 03 Location: Lindell D/Chase Park Plaza Date: Monday, July 11th, 2011 Time: 10:15 AM Number: 03010 Abstract ID:196 |