Species niche and interspecific associations alter flora structure along a fertilization gradient in an alpine meadow of Tianshan Mountain, Xinjiang

A study on the Bayinbuluke alpine meadow in Xinjiang's Tianshan Mountains reveals that species niche breadth, overlap, and interspecific associations shift significantly along a fertilization gradient. Key findings include a decrease in species richness with increasing fertilization, while the importance of Festuca ovina and Poa annua rises under fertilization treatments. Niche width expands positively with critical values under fertilization, unlike controls, indicating altered competitive dynamics. Under low fertilization gradients, species exhibit positive correlations, suggesting cooperative interactions, whereas higher gradients show negative associations, pointing to increased competition. The research uses ecological statistics, variance ratio analysis, Pearson’s correlation, and association coefficient tests to explore these relationships, offering insights into the stable coexistence of populations under varying resource conditions.

Juan, W., Junjie, L., Chao, L., Xiaoyu, D., & Yong, W. (2023). Species niche and interspecific associations alter flora structure along a fertilization gradient in an alpine meadow of Tianshan Mountain, Xinjiang. Ecological Indicators, 147, 109953. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolind.2023.109953