Abstract: Using the methods of TWINSPAN and DCCA, this paper studied the spatial distribution of the plant communities in Donghe River, in terms of the interactions between plant species and communities and environmental factors. The results showed that the riparian plant communities were classified into 15 types including 4 forest types and 11 shrub and grassland types. Elevation and human disturbance played a dominant role in spatial distribution of the riparian plant communities. Plant communities had a significant altitudinal pattern. Along longitudinal and lateral gradients of the river, plant communities presented a fragmentation pattern. The composition and types reflected that the riparian plant communities were typical secondary plant ones.

Key words: spatial heterogeneity, geographically weighted regression (GWR), Antarctic krill, least square model, South Shetland Islands