Analysis of chemical composition of plants in subalpine meadow on Mt. Xiaowutai

The chemical composition of plants is closely correlated to their taxa and habitat. Based on the field works and quantity analysis, the relationship between 12 minerals content of herbage plants and their taxa and habitats in the subalpine meadow of Mt. Xiaowutai were discussed. The main results are as follows: 1) Sedge and grass with higher K/Ca ratio but lower Ca/P ration compared to forbs, while legume has low ratio scores in K/Ca, K/P, Ca/P and S/P, since the main dominant plants in the meadow with higher Ca/P ratio for grazing, mineral P seems not so adequate to meet the needs of grazing cattle for growth; 2) The TwoWay Indicators Species Analysis of the selected dominant plants can distinguish different plants taxa according to 9 mineral content; 3) ANOVA analysis showed that communities living in sunny aspect with lower P, K content, while in shady slope are reverse, communities that disturbed by grazing, however with high metal composition content; 4) Mineral content such as Al, Fe, Cu decreased along with elevation increasing. The Canonical Correspondence Analysis suggested that plants with high macroelements content were favor of shady habitats, and plants those with high metal elements content were mainly distributed in the habitats where with high soil moisture but poor soil nutrient.