A study on the numerical classification and ordination of grassland vegetation in flood plain of the Fen river in Taiyuan

The classification and ordination of the grassland vegetation in flood plain of the Fen river in Taiyuan were studied using two?way indicator species analysis(TWINSPAN) and detrended correspondence analysis(DCA). Sixty samples collected from in flood plain of the Fen river were classified into 17 associations by TWINSPAN. The community characteristics of every association were described. The result of DCA ordination indicated that there were obvious relationships between the distribution pattern of associations and soil water content, soil texture, artificial perturbation. Furthermore, the analysis of DCA proved the continuous change of vegetation and the environmental variation. DCA ordination of species showed that species acted as indicator for habitat factors and was impersonally reflected characteristics of biotope. Moreover, the dynamic succession tendency of the grassland vegetation in flood plain of the Fen river are discussed.