Influence of Climatic Factors on the Δ13c Values of the C3, C4 And CAM Dicot Species (Vegetation) of the Centrospermeaealong Altitudinal Gradient in western Region of Kenya
Abstract/ Overview
Species of the Centrospermeae occurring at different altitudes were analyzed for δ13C values and assigned for graphical representation. The aridity of the study area was evident as defined using the Klimadiagramm. Climatic data was studied and represented on graphs for interpretation. The frequency ofδ 13C values of the species at different altitudes, namely 500m a.s.l., 1000m a.s.l., 1500m a.s.l., 2000m a.s.l., 2500m a.s.l., 3000m a.s.l., 3500m a.s.l. and 4000m a.s.l., are presented on graphs. The data show thatδ13C values is a good predictor of spatial diversity and shift of the species along the altitudinal gradient of environmental factors.There is phenomenal trend such that δ13C values distribution along altitudinal differentiation the values of -10.60‰, to -16.65‰, -17.75‰ to -18.87‰, and -18.89‰ to -32.42‰ correspond to the species at low altitudes (0m a.s.l. – 1500m a.s.l.), intermediate altitude (1,550m a.s.l.-1,700m a.s.l.) and high altitude (1,800m a.s.l. – 4200m a.s.l.0, respectively. The inverse correlation between temperature and rainfall defines the causal climatic factors affecting C3 and C4 species along the altitudinal gradient. The occurrence of the transition zone between temperature and rainfall mirror that between the relative abundance of the C3 and C4 species along the altitude. This floristic data predict NAD-ME, NADP-ME AND PEP-CK types of monocot-dicot transition along the altitude with respect to bioproductivity in the tropics.
Collections
- Department of Botany [229]