Halophytic plant community patterns in Mediterranean saltmarshes shedding light on the connection between abiotic factors and the distribution of halophytes

• Published in: Plant and soil Vol. 430; no. 1/2; pp. 185 - 204
• Main Authors: Moreno, Joaquín, Terrones, Alejandro, Juan, Ana, Alonso, María Ángeles
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Cham Springer Science + Business Media 01.09.2018; Springer International Publishing; Springer; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Abiotic factors; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Botanical research; Ecology; Halophytes; Herbivores; Life Sciences; Mathematical models; Plant communities; Plant Physiology; Plant populations; Plant Sciences; Plant species; Plant-soil relationships; REGULAR ARTICLE; Salt marshes; Soil Science & Conservation; Soils; Species composition; Statistical analysis; Variance analysis; Vegetation; Mediterranean region; Plant community structure; Edaphic factors; Environmental gradients; Vegetation distribution; Quantitative ecology
• ISSN: 0032-079X; 1573-5036
• DOI: 10.1007/s11104-018-3671-0

Aims Establishing a vegetation-soil model in Mediterranean saltmarshes based on the relationships between the plant communities and the abiotic factors, considering temporary variation. Methods Relationships between perennial plant species abundances and plant communities were analysed by DCAs. A CCA was performed to study the relationships between floristic composition and edaphic variables. Sixteen soil variables and Pearson correlations between them were considered. Marginal and conditional effects were supported by mixed ANOVA. Statistical analyses were performed to check temporary variation. Results DCAs results showed eight vegetation types. CCA showed E.C. as the main gradient, with the succulent halophyte communities growing in high E.C. soils. SAR and percentage of sand were considered as secondary gradients. Finally, the highest values of the edaphic variables were observed, in general, during the cold period. Conclusions The main gradient of salinity, together with sodicity and texture gradients, would markedly influence the plant distribution in Mediterranean saltmarshes. Two principal plant zones were observed: succulent zone vs. non-succulent zone, with a specific edaphic distribution for each plant community and for the proposed Limonium morphotypes treatment. A plant-soil model based on these three gradients is here proposed. Our results would complement the previous knowledge about plant-soil relationships in Mediterranean saltmarshes.