Species composition and distribution characteristics of herbaceous plants in branch creeks of Zhushan Bay of Taihu

The study about species composition and distribution characteristics of herb plant and understanding of plant community structure and growth habit will help to repair the structure and improve the function of degraded branch creek system. In the present study, Zhushan Bay area which was the most serious water pollution area in Taihu was selected, and the vegetation composition characteristics and growing status in different regions of this area were investigated with a method based on combination of point, line and surface. The results showed that there were 20 families, 38 genera, 40 species of herbaceous plants in the study area. Gramineae density was the highest, followed by Compositae and Leguminosae. Based on the vegetation investigation on ten branch creeks of study area, the perennial vegetation species were less than 60% in 90% of branch creeks. The vegetation coverage of bank strips and bank slope were less than 80% in 70% of branch creeks, and the vegetation coverage of water were generally less than 60%. Bank strips were mainly covered with artificial cultivated plant, while slope and water were dominated by natural vegetation. The evergreen herbaceous vegetation was less in this area so that the vegetation alternation of generations was fast and the litter easily produced. Vegetation degradation with different degrees was observed in 90% of branch creeks.