Applying specific habitat indicators to study Asteraceae species diversity patterns in mountainous area of Beijing, China

Determining the distribution pattern and drivers of specific species diversity is significant for predicting the response to biodiversity and formulating conservation programs to reduce biodiversity loss. How to apply regional habitat indicators to study specific species diversity patterns is a hot spot in recent years. In this study, we investigated 112 Asteraceae plants sample plots and explored the effects of topography, soil nutrients and stand factors on Asteraceae species diversity by using SEM model. And the responses of Asteraceae species diversity to specific habitat factors was simulated by Maxent model. The results shown that soil nutrients had the highest, but topography and canopy closure had the lowest relative contributions to the Asteraceae species diversity among these factors. Topography and soil nutrients affected Asteraceae species diversity by direct and indirect effects. The contribution rate of each potential environmental variable’s impact on the Asteraceae species diversity was ranked as the following: STN (29.7%)> SOC (28.5%) > slope (8.5%)> Ele (8.1%). Asteraceae species diversity was abundant at high SOC (＞27g/kg), STN (＞1.8 g/kg), low Ele (165–333 m) and gentle slopes (5–12 degrees). Our study indicates that the Asteraceae species diversity could as an indicator to reflect or evaluate the level of soil nutrient content.