干旱区生态环境知识资源中心

Relationships between environmental factors and vegetation types in a southern part of the Chihuahuan Desert were explored. Species presence-absence data and cover data from 44 samples were analyzed. Eight categorical and seven continuous environmental variables were recorded at each sampling site. Classification analysis identified four vegetation types: crassicaulous scrub, rosetophyllous scrub, microphyllous scrub, and mesquital. A regression of ordination scores from a principal components analysis on environmental variates indicated that vegetation variation was strongly correlated with geomorphological variables. Discriminant analysis based on environmental variables showed a clear segregation of the four vegetation types.