Spontaneous vegetation on the Jiankou Great Wall Heritage Site as ecological blueprint for the soft capping

The spontaneous vegetation on the Great Wall Heritage Site is an integral part of the UNESCO World Heritage, with diversity and spatial distribution characteristics providing an ecological blueprint for reconstructing vegetation systems within soft capping protection techniques. This study, focusing on the Jiankou Great Wall in Beijing, employs field surveys and quantitative analysis to reveal the diversity and spatial distribution of spontaneous vegetation. Results show: (1) 61 species across 30 families and 45 genera were recorded, with dominant families including Rosaceae (Spiraea); most of the species were perennial herbaceous plants, shrubs; Prunus davidiana—Vitex negundo—Belamcanda chinensis is dominant. (2) Diversity and richness indexes are significantly negatively correlated with slope gradients, with elevation and deposit thickness collectively influencing spatial distribution. (3) Findings explain the uniqueness of the Great Wall’s environment and provide ecological references for reconstructing vegetation systems in soft capping protection techniques, supporting the sustainable conservation of the Great Wall.