The Qinling Mountains has always been regarded as an essential dividing line between the warm temperate zone and the subtropical zone in eastern China and plays a vital role in the geoecological pattern of China.Howev...The Qinling Mountains has always been regarded as an essential dividing line between the warm temperate zone and the subtropical zone in eastern China and plays a vital role in the geoecological pattern of China.However,there is controversy about the specific location of this geographical boundary in the academic community.As a product of the combined effects of zonal and non-zonal factors,the mountain altitudinal belts(MABs)can reflect both the horizontal zonality and the vertical zonality of vegetation distribution.Using the MAB information,we can not only profoundly understand the complex mountain system of QinlingDaba Mountains but can also judge its nature as a geographical boundary more scientifically.Therefore,based on the comparative analysis of basal belt,dominant belt characteristics and belt structure characteristics of the MABs in Qinling-Daba Mountains,subtropical and temperate mountains,this paper analyzed the MAB differences and similarities among Qinling-Daba Mountains,subtropical and temperate typical mountains,to reveal the vegetation distribution characteristics in the north-south transitional zone.The results show that:(1)The MABs of the southern part of QinlingDaba Mountains(southern slope of the Daba Mountains)are the same or similar to those of the Subtropical Mountains,and the MABs of the northern part of Qinling-Daba Mountains(northern slope of the Qinling Mountains)are similar to those of the temperate mountains.While it shows obvious transitional characteristics in the vast area between the northern slope of the Daba Mountains and the southern slope of the Qinling Mountains:the basal belts gradually transit from the evergreen broadleaved forest belt(basal belt in subtropical mountains)to the evergreen and deciduous broad-leaved mixed forest belt,and the dominant belts also transit from the evergreen broad-leaved forest belt to the evergreen and deciduous broad-leaved mixed forest belt or the deciduous broad-leaved forest belt.(2)The transitional zone between the subtropical zone and the warm temperate zone is located between the northern slope of the Daba Mountains and the southern slope of the Qinling Mountains.The southern boundary of the transitional zone is along the northern slope of Shennongjia Mountain-the northern slope of Micang Mountain-Baishuijiang Nature Reserve,and the northern boundary is along the southern slope of Funiu Mountain-the southern slope of Taibai Mountain-Lianhua Mountain.Additionally,in the transitional zone,the average temperature in January is between-5°C and 1°C,the annual average temperature is between 10°C and 13°C except Hanzhong Basin and Hanshui Valley,and the accumulated temperature above 10°C ranges from 2000°C to 4000°C,the annual rainfall is about 800-1000 mm.The results provide a scientific basis for revealing the characteristics of China’s north-south transitional zone and scientific division of the boundary between the subtropical zone and warm temperate zone in China.展开更多
The north-south transitional zone in China mainly consists of the Qinling-Daba Mountains. It is the most important West-East geo-ecological space in China, containing protected areas vital for biodiversity conservatio...The north-south transitional zone in China mainly consists of the Qinling-Daba Mountains. It is the most important West-East geo-ecological space in China, containing protected areas vital for biodiversity conservation and ecological security of China. The protection and rational development of its natural habitat is of great significance to China’s ecological security and integration of protected areas based on mountain forest ecosystems on a global scale. In this study, five important types of protected areas in the transitional zone were selected, and their spatial patterns were analysed. Spatial analysis methods, such as kernel density estimation and accessibility analysis, were employed for both point and areal data, and focused on four aspects: land use scale, shift in the centre of gravity, spatial agglomeration, and accessibility. In addition, policy background and evolution of spatial and temporal characteristics of the protected area system in the transitional zone from 1963 to 2017 were also examined. We analysed the characteristics and geographical significance of the West-east corridor using the spatial pattern of the protected area system from the perspective of ecological and economic spaces. We focused on spatial shape, type intersection, and key areas to analyse the spatial overlap of the protected areas. Protected area establishment was divided into three stages: initial(1956–1980), rapid development(1981–2013), and national park transformation(2014–present). These stages reflected the change in the concept of ‘simple protection—sustainable use—integration and upgrade’ for protected areas of China. The spatial centre of gravity of the protection zone system was located in the west Qinling-Daba Mountains, and its high-density core exhibited a relatively stable N-shaped structure composed of four gathering areas. Affected by factors such as geographic environment and socio-economic development density, the average access time for protected areas was high(1.56 h);wetland parks and scenic areas are located closer to the city centre. As the West-east corridor in the transitional zone extends from west to east, there is a clear spatial dislocation between the development of protected areas and the intensity of human activities. During development, differentiated goal orientation should be adopted based on the idea of zoning and classified governance. With the advancement of the construction of protected areas, the spatial overlap of protected areas in the transition zone has become more prominent. At present, the spatially overlapped protected areas in the transitional zone remain prominent, with inclusion overlap being the most common, and forest parks exhibiting the highest probability of overlap with other protected areas, we should focus on in the integration process of the corridor-type ecological space based on the mountain forest ecosystem.展开更多
The spatial distributions and variation mechanism of key soil indices in the Qinling-Daba Mountains are important indicators for the identification of the transitional effect and regional characteristics of the north...The spatial distributions and variation mechanism of key soil indices in the Qinling-Daba Mountains are important indicators for the identification of the transitional effect and regional characteristics of the north–south transitional zone in China.This manuscript analyzes the spatial variations in soil organic carbon(SOC)and total nitrogen(TN)and corresponding relationships with major geographical factors based on spatial analysis and geostatistics considering data obtained from the Second National Soil Survey.The results indicate that the spatial distributions of the SOC and TN contents are consistent,and three high-content areas,one secondary high-content area and one low-content area are observed.High content values are located in the high-altitude regions of the Qinling-Daba Mountains and mountainous areas to the west of the Jialing River,the low-content area occurs on the north slope of the Qinling Mountains,and the secondary high-content area mainly encompasses both sides of the Hanjiang River and regions in the Qinling-Daba Mountains at altitudes below 1000 m.The SOC and TN contents vary between the above two ranges,with the gradual increase in content revealing a horn-shaped pattern.Considering the spatial variations and functions of vegetation,topography and climate factors,it is found that the SOC/TN range in the secondary high-content area remains consistent along the 1000 m contour line,the upper limit of the transitional mountain altitudinal belt,the 0℃isotherm line in January and the 24℃isotherm line in July.This region constitutes the main body of the transitional zone between the subtropical and warm temperate zones,and the northern boundary is roughly distributed along the Dujiangyan-Maoxian-Pingwu-Wenxian line to the west of the Jialing River and the 1000 m contour line on the southern slope of the Qinling Mountains,while the southern boundary occurs along the Dujiangyan-Beichuan-Qingchuan line to the west of the Jialing River and the 1000 m contour line on the northern slope of the Daba Mountains.SOC/TN spatial variation provides a reference for the demarcation of the subtropical and warm temperate zones,and further identification of the soil processes and ecological effects in typical regions can help reveal multidimensional transitional characteristics and variation mechanisms.展开更多
The Qinling Mountains is not only the geographical boundary between North and South China,but also the boundary between subtropical and warm temperate zones.It plays an important role in the geo-ecological pattern of ...The Qinling Mountains is not only the geographical boundary between North and South China,but also the boundary between subtropical and warm temperate zones.It plays an important role in the geo-ecological pattern of China.However,there is controversy about the specific location of this geographical boundary in academic community due to the complexity,transition and heterogeneity of the transitional zone,as well as the differences in the delimitation indicators and research purposes.To further reveal the characteristics of the North-South transitional zone and clarify the specific location of the geo-ecological boundary between North and South China,combined with SRTM topographic data,temperature and precipitation data,Pinus massoniana forest and Pinus tabulaeformis forest,which represent subtropical coniferous forest in South China and temperate coniferous forest in North China respectively,were chosen to analyze their spatial distributions in the Qinling-Daba Mountains and the climatic conditions at their boundary with the climatic indexes of annual precipitation,the coldest month(January) average temperature,the warmest month(July) average temperature and the annual average temperature.The results show that:(1) Pinus massoniana and Pinus tabulaeformis forests and the climate indicators of their boundary can be used as one of the vegetation-climate indexes for the delimitation of subtropical and warm temperate zones.The boundary between the subtropical coniferous forest(Pinus massoniana forest) and temperate coniferous forest(Pinus tabulaeformis forest) is located along the south slope of Funiu Mountain to the north edge of Hanzhong Basin(the south slope of Qinling Mountains) at an altitude of 1000–1200 m,where the climatic indictors are stable:the annual precipitation is about 750–1000 mm,the annual average temperature is about 12–14℃,the coldest monthly average temperature is 0–4℃,and the warmest monthly average temperature is about 22–26℃.(2) It can be more scientifically to delimitate the boundary of subtropical and warm temperate zones in China by comprehensively considering the vegetation-climate indicators.Additionally,the boundary between subtropical and warm temperate zones in Qinling-Daba Mountains should be a transitional zone consisting of the boundaries of coniferous forests,broad-leaved forests and shrubs between subtropical and warm temperate zones.The results provide a scientific basis for the selection of delimitation index of subtropical and warm temperate zones.展开更多
Geographically,the Qinling-Daba Mountains serve as the main body of the north-south transitional zone of China.However,the transitional patterns of their plant species still need to be clarified.This study analyzed la...Geographically,the Qinling-Daba Mountains serve as the main body of the north-south transitional zone of China.However,the transitional patterns of their plant species still need to be clarified.This study analyzed latitudinal variations of plant species richness,relative importance values(RIV),and plant species abundance based on plant community field survey data for 163 sample sites along three north-south transect lines in the eastern,middle,and western parts of the study areas.The difference in RIV between subtropical and temperate species(SND-RIV)was selected to reveal the latitudinal interlacing pattern of northern and southern plant species.Along the eastern(Sanmenxia-Yichang),middle(Xi’an-Dazhou),and western(Tianshui-Guangyuan)transects,the richness and RIV of subtropical plant species increased while those of temperate plant species decreased from north to south.In the eastern transect,temperate plant species richness and RIV were the highest at Shennongjia and Funiu Mountain,respectively,because of their high elevations.In the middle transect,subtropical plant species richness and RIV were the highest in the Daba Mountains.In the western transect,richness and RIV were higher for subtropical than temperate plant species from the south of Longnan.The crisscrossing areas of northern and southern plant species were∼180 km,∼100 km,and∼60 km wide for the eastern,middle,and western transects,respectively,showing a narrowing trend from east to west.For the eastern and western transects,decreases in subtropical plant species distribution from south to north could be attributed to a decrease in mean annual precipitation in the same direction.However,for the middle transect,mean annual temperature had a slightly greater influence on plant species’latitudinal distribution than the moisture index.This study provides a more solid scientific basis for future investigations of this key geographical boundary in China.展开更多
The Qinling-Daba Mountains are the main body of China’s North-South Transitional Zone.Analysis of the north-south gradual variation of vegetation components is significant for understanding the structural diversity a...The Qinling-Daba Mountains are the main body of China’s North-South Transitional Zone.Analysis of the north-south gradual variation of vegetation components is significant for understanding the structural diversity and complexity of this transitional zone.In this study,based on survey data of plant communities,the eastern Qinling-Daba Mountains is divided into four geographic units:the north flank of eastern Qinling Mts.,south flank of eastern Qinling Mts.,north flank of eastern Daba Mts.and south flank of eastern Daba Mts.We also explore division of regional climate according to areal differentiation of plant-species,community structure and species-richness,respectively.The results show that,(1)at plant-species level,there are mainly northern plants in north flank of eastern Qinling Mts.with evergreen species and fewer northern plants in south flank of eastern Qinling Mts.;there are mainly southern plants in eastern Daba Mts.(2)At community structure level,there are 4 formations(3 northern formations and 1 widespread formation)in north flank of eastern Qinling,6 formations(3 northern formations,1 southern formation,and 2 widespread formations)in south flank of eastern Qinling,4 formations(2 southern formations and 2 widespread formations)in north flank of eastern Daba Mts.,and 3 formations(3 southern formations)in south flank of eastern Daba Mts.In terms of the numbers and properties of formations,there is a mixture of northern and southern formations only in the south flank of eastern Qinling Mts.(3)At species-richness level,the diversity of families,genera and species decreased with increasing latitude,but the mixing of northern plants and the southern plants began to occur in south flank of eastern Qinling Mts.This means that the south flank of the eastern Qinling Mts.serves more suitably as the dividing line between China’s warm temperate and subtropical zones.展开更多
基金funded by the Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant No.41871350)Scientific and Technological Basic Resources Survey Project(Grant No.2017FY100900)。
文摘The Qinling Mountains has always been regarded as an essential dividing line between the warm temperate zone and the subtropical zone in eastern China and plays a vital role in the geoecological pattern of China.However,there is controversy about the specific location of this geographical boundary in the academic community.As a product of the combined effects of zonal and non-zonal factors,the mountain altitudinal belts(MABs)can reflect both the horizontal zonality and the vertical zonality of vegetation distribution.Using the MAB information,we can not only profoundly understand the complex mountain system of QinlingDaba Mountains but can also judge its nature as a geographical boundary more scientifically.Therefore,based on the comparative analysis of basal belt,dominant belt characteristics and belt structure characteristics of the MABs in Qinling-Daba Mountains,subtropical and temperate mountains,this paper analyzed the MAB differences and similarities among Qinling-Daba Mountains,subtropical and temperate typical mountains,to reveal the vegetation distribution characteristics in the north-south transitional zone.The results show that:(1)The MABs of the southern part of QinlingDaba Mountains(southern slope of the Daba Mountains)are the same or similar to those of the Subtropical Mountains,and the MABs of the northern part of Qinling-Daba Mountains(northern slope of the Qinling Mountains)are similar to those of the temperate mountains.While it shows obvious transitional characteristics in the vast area between the northern slope of the Daba Mountains and the southern slope of the Qinling Mountains:the basal belts gradually transit from the evergreen broadleaved forest belt(basal belt in subtropical mountains)to the evergreen and deciduous broad-leaved mixed forest belt,and the dominant belts also transit from the evergreen broad-leaved forest belt to the evergreen and deciduous broad-leaved mixed forest belt or the deciduous broad-leaved forest belt.(2)The transitional zone between the subtropical zone and the warm temperate zone is located between the northern slope of the Daba Mountains and the southern slope of the Qinling Mountains.The southern boundary of the transitional zone is along the northern slope of Shennongjia Mountain-the northern slope of Micang Mountain-Baishuijiang Nature Reserve,and the northern boundary is along the southern slope of Funiu Mountain-the southern slope of Taibai Mountain-Lianhua Mountain.Additionally,in the transitional zone,the average temperature in January is between-5°C and 1°C,the annual average temperature is between 10°C and 13°C except Hanzhong Basin and Hanshui Valley,and the accumulated temperature above 10°C ranges from 2000°C to 4000°C,the annual rainfall is about 800-1000 mm.The results provide a scientific basis for revealing the characteristics of China’s north-south transitional zone and scientific division of the boundary between the subtropical zone and warm temperate zone in China.
基金Under the auspices of National Science and Technology Basic Resource Investigation Program(No.2017FY100900)。
文摘The north-south transitional zone in China mainly consists of the Qinling-Daba Mountains. It is the most important West-East geo-ecological space in China, containing protected areas vital for biodiversity conservation and ecological security of China. The protection and rational development of its natural habitat is of great significance to China’s ecological security and integration of protected areas based on mountain forest ecosystems on a global scale. In this study, five important types of protected areas in the transitional zone were selected, and their spatial patterns were analysed. Spatial analysis methods, such as kernel density estimation and accessibility analysis, were employed for both point and areal data, and focused on four aspects: land use scale, shift in the centre of gravity, spatial agglomeration, and accessibility. In addition, policy background and evolution of spatial and temporal characteristics of the protected area system in the transitional zone from 1963 to 2017 were also examined. We analysed the characteristics and geographical significance of the West-east corridor using the spatial pattern of the protected area system from the perspective of ecological and economic spaces. We focused on spatial shape, type intersection, and key areas to analyse the spatial overlap of the protected areas. Protected area establishment was divided into three stages: initial(1956–1980), rapid development(1981–2013), and national park transformation(2014–present). These stages reflected the change in the concept of ‘simple protection—sustainable use—integration and upgrade’ for protected areas of China. The spatial centre of gravity of the protection zone system was located in the west Qinling-Daba Mountains, and its high-density core exhibited a relatively stable N-shaped structure composed of four gathering areas. Affected by factors such as geographic environment and socio-economic development density, the average access time for protected areas was high(1.56 h);wetland parks and scenic areas are located closer to the city centre. As the West-east corridor in the transitional zone extends from west to east, there is a clear spatial dislocation between the development of protected areas and the intensity of human activities. During development, differentiated goal orientation should be adopted based on the idea of zoning and classified governance. With the advancement of the construction of protected areas, the spatial overlap of protected areas in the transition zone has become more prominent. At present, the spatially overlapped protected areas in the transitional zone remain prominent, with inclusion overlap being the most common, and forest parks exhibiting the highest probability of overlap with other protected areas, we should focus on in the integration process of the corridor-type ecological space based on the mountain forest ecosystem.
基金National Scientific and Technological Basic Resources Investigation Project,No.2017FY100900National Natural Science Foundation of China,No.42171112Key Research and Development Project in Henan Province,No.212102310415。
文摘The spatial distributions and variation mechanism of key soil indices in the Qinling-Daba Mountains are important indicators for the identification of the transitional effect and regional characteristics of the north–south transitional zone in China.This manuscript analyzes the spatial variations in soil organic carbon(SOC)and total nitrogen(TN)and corresponding relationships with major geographical factors based on spatial analysis and geostatistics considering data obtained from the Second National Soil Survey.The results indicate that the spatial distributions of the SOC and TN contents are consistent,and three high-content areas,one secondary high-content area and one low-content area are observed.High content values are located in the high-altitude regions of the Qinling-Daba Mountains and mountainous areas to the west of the Jialing River,the low-content area occurs on the north slope of the Qinling Mountains,and the secondary high-content area mainly encompasses both sides of the Hanjiang River and regions in the Qinling-Daba Mountains at altitudes below 1000 m.The SOC and TN contents vary between the above two ranges,with the gradual increase in content revealing a horn-shaped pattern.Considering the spatial variations and functions of vegetation,topography and climate factors,it is found that the SOC/TN range in the secondary high-content area remains consistent along the 1000 m contour line,the upper limit of the transitional mountain altitudinal belt,the 0℃isotherm line in January and the 24℃isotherm line in July.This region constitutes the main body of the transitional zone between the subtropical and warm temperate zones,and the northern boundary is roughly distributed along the Dujiangyan-Maoxian-Pingwu-Wenxian line to the west of the Jialing River and the 1000 m contour line on the southern slope of the Qinling Mountains,while the southern boundary occurs along the Dujiangyan-Beichuan-Qingchuan line to the west of the Jialing River and the 1000 m contour line on the northern slope of the Daba Mountains.SOC/TN spatial variation provides a reference for the demarcation of the subtropical and warm temperate zones,and further identification of the soil processes and ecological effects in typical regions can help reveal multidimensional transitional characteristics and variation mechanisms.
基金National Natural Science Foundation of China,No.41871350Scientific and Technological Basic Resources Survey Project,No.2017FY100900。
文摘The Qinling Mountains is not only the geographical boundary between North and South China,but also the boundary between subtropical and warm temperate zones.It plays an important role in the geo-ecological pattern of China.However,there is controversy about the specific location of this geographical boundary in academic community due to the complexity,transition and heterogeneity of the transitional zone,as well as the differences in the delimitation indicators and research purposes.To further reveal the characteristics of the North-South transitional zone and clarify the specific location of the geo-ecological boundary between North and South China,combined with SRTM topographic data,temperature and precipitation data,Pinus massoniana forest and Pinus tabulaeformis forest,which represent subtropical coniferous forest in South China and temperate coniferous forest in North China respectively,were chosen to analyze their spatial distributions in the Qinling-Daba Mountains and the climatic conditions at their boundary with the climatic indexes of annual precipitation,the coldest month(January) average temperature,the warmest month(July) average temperature and the annual average temperature.The results show that:(1) Pinus massoniana and Pinus tabulaeformis forests and the climate indicators of their boundary can be used as one of the vegetation-climate indexes for the delimitation of subtropical and warm temperate zones.The boundary between the subtropical coniferous forest(Pinus massoniana forest) and temperate coniferous forest(Pinus tabulaeformis forest) is located along the south slope of Funiu Mountain to the north edge of Hanzhong Basin(the south slope of Qinling Mountains) at an altitude of 1000–1200 m,where the climatic indictors are stable:the annual precipitation is about 750–1000 mm,the annual average temperature is about 12–14℃,the coldest monthly average temperature is 0–4℃,and the warmest monthly average temperature is about 22–26℃.(2) It can be more scientifically to delimitate the boundary of subtropical and warm temperate zones in China by comprehensively considering the vegetation-climate indicators.Additionally,the boundary between subtropical and warm temperate zones in Qinling-Daba Mountains should be a transitional zone consisting of the boundaries of coniferous forests,broad-leaved forests and shrubs between subtropical and warm temperate zones.The results provide a scientific basis for the selection of delimitation index of subtropical and warm temperate zones.
基金National Scientific and Technological Basic Resources Investigation Project,No.2017FY100900。
文摘Geographically,the Qinling-Daba Mountains serve as the main body of the north-south transitional zone of China.However,the transitional patterns of their plant species still need to be clarified.This study analyzed latitudinal variations of plant species richness,relative importance values(RIV),and plant species abundance based on plant community field survey data for 163 sample sites along three north-south transect lines in the eastern,middle,and western parts of the study areas.The difference in RIV between subtropical and temperate species(SND-RIV)was selected to reveal the latitudinal interlacing pattern of northern and southern plant species.Along the eastern(Sanmenxia-Yichang),middle(Xi’an-Dazhou),and western(Tianshui-Guangyuan)transects,the richness and RIV of subtropical plant species increased while those of temperate plant species decreased from north to south.In the eastern transect,temperate plant species richness and RIV were the highest at Shennongjia and Funiu Mountain,respectively,because of their high elevations.In the middle transect,subtropical plant species richness and RIV were the highest in the Daba Mountains.In the western transect,richness and RIV were higher for subtropical than temperate plant species from the south of Longnan.The crisscrossing areas of northern and southern plant species were∼180 km,∼100 km,and∼60 km wide for the eastern,middle,and western transects,respectively,showing a narrowing trend from east to west.For the eastern and western transects,decreases in subtropical plant species distribution from south to north could be attributed to a decrease in mean annual precipitation in the same direction.However,for the middle transect,mean annual temperature had a slightly greater influence on plant species’latitudinal distribution than the moisture index.This study provides a more solid scientific basis for future investigations of this key geographical boundary in China.
基金National Scientific and Technological Basic Resources Investigation Project,No.2017FY100900。
文摘The Qinling-Daba Mountains are the main body of China’s North-South Transitional Zone.Analysis of the north-south gradual variation of vegetation components is significant for understanding the structural diversity and complexity of this transitional zone.In this study,based on survey data of plant communities,the eastern Qinling-Daba Mountains is divided into four geographic units:the north flank of eastern Qinling Mts.,south flank of eastern Qinling Mts.,north flank of eastern Daba Mts.and south flank of eastern Daba Mts.We also explore division of regional climate according to areal differentiation of plant-species,community structure and species-richness,respectively.The results show that,(1)at plant-species level,there are mainly northern plants in north flank of eastern Qinling Mts.with evergreen species and fewer northern plants in south flank of eastern Qinling Mts.;there are mainly southern plants in eastern Daba Mts.(2)At community structure level,there are 4 formations(3 northern formations and 1 widespread formation)in north flank of eastern Qinling,6 formations(3 northern formations,1 southern formation,and 2 widespread formations)in south flank of eastern Qinling,4 formations(2 southern formations and 2 widespread formations)in north flank of eastern Daba Mts.,and 3 formations(3 southern formations)in south flank of eastern Daba Mts.In terms of the numbers and properties of formations,there is a mixture of northern and southern formations only in the south flank of eastern Qinling Mts.(3)At species-richness level,the diversity of families,genera and species decreased with increasing latitude,but the mixing of northern plants and the southern plants began to occur in south flank of eastern Qinling Mts.This means that the south flank of the eastern Qinling Mts.serves more suitably as the dividing line between China’s warm temperate and subtropical zones.
