1 Distribution of Plant Species Richness along Elevation Gradient in Hubei Province, China

The plant species richness (spermatophyte) patterns along elevation gradient in Hubei province of China was studied, using published elevation range data. The result showed a hump-shaped distribution, with high species richness in the middle elevation range from 800 to 1400 m. The maximum value of species richness was observed at 1000 m, and this is accounted for about 52 % of the total number found in Hubei province. The observed pattern in the Hubei province is compared with reports from other regions, and is related to hypotheses published in the literature. Possible factors, such as resource availability, overlap of habitats, the total land area at each elevation band, hard boundary, and human activities, may underlie the patterns. Greater effort of conservation biodiversity in high species richness area in Hubei province should be made