Impacts of environmental factors and human disturbance on composition of roadside vegetation in Xishuangbanna National Nature Reserve of Southwest China
Abstract Vegetation-disturbance-environment relationships in Xishuangbanna Nature Reserve (XNR) was examined using multivariate analysis to understand the impacts of environmental factors and human disturbance on vegetation along the highway corridor. The results show that native forests were the best habitat for protected/endangered species and native species. The exotic plants Eupatorium odoratum and Eupatorium adenophora were found primarily in secondary forests and their presence was positively associated with altitude and soil potassium concentrations. The distribution of two protected plants, Phoebe nanmu and Pometia tomentosa , was negatively associated with road disturbance. Understanding the complex effects of environmental factors and human disturbance is key for developing conservation and restoration strategies for roadside plant ecosystems.