Plant Distribution in Relation to Soil Conditions in Hangzhou Bay Coastal Wetlands, China

Plant group classification relation to soil environmental characteristics was monitored in Hangzhou Bay coastal wetland, China. 18 taxa, belonging to 17 genus and 7 family were recorded, and classified into five groups by TWINSPAN viz A, Scirpus mariqueter group, B, Spartina alterniflora group, C, Phragmites communis group, D, Tamarix chinensis P. communis group, and E, Salix matsudana Imperata cylindrica group, respectively. Soil salinity and moisture in group A, B and C were significantly higher than group D, E, while higher pH values was found in group E, A and B. From the intra-set correlations of the soil factors with the first 2 axes of DCCA, it can be noted that DCCA axis 1, was positively correlated with altitude and negatively with soil salinity and moisture, represented soil salinity and moisture gradient. Axis 2 of the DCCA was clearly negatively correlated to soil pH, and called as soil pH gradient.