Impact of habitat heterogeneity on plant community pattern in Gurbantunggut Desert

1IntroductionStudy on the interrelationship between vegetation patterns and their habitat heterogeneity is important to recover and rehabilitate the desert vegetation, stabilize the desert ecosystem and prevent desert expansion. Domestic and foreign researchers have carried out many studies on this topic (Archer etal., 2002; Bolling etal., 2000; Chen etal., 2003; Dasti etal., 1994; Gu etal., 2002, Li etal., 2001; Li etal., 2001; Liang etal., 2003), which have used and refined statistic tech…     

Impact of habitat heterogeneity on plant community pattern in Gurbantunggut Desert

This paper reports a geomorphologic landscape investigation, vegetation survey and soil sampling at 14 sites across the Gurbantunggut Desert between 87o37'09'-88o24'04'E and 44o14'04'-45o41'52'N. The study encountered 8 species of low trees and shrubs, 5 of perennial herbs, 8 of annual plants and 48 of ephemeral and ephemeroid plants. These species of plants represent one-third of the species found in the Gurbantunggut Desert, and their communities make up a large proportion of desert vegetation with great landscape significance. In the investigation we found that the plant communities are accordingly succeeded with the spatial variation of macro-ecoenvironment. Using Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and Correlation Analysis (CA) we found that the micro-ecoenvironment heterogeneity of aeolian sandy soil's physical and chemical properties such as soil nutrient, soil moisture, soil salt, pH etc. only impacted the diversity of herb synusia (PIEherb) of the desert, with a negative correlation. Meanwhile, the impact of microhabitat on the plant community pattern with an antagonistic interaction made vegetation's eco-distribution in a temporary equilibrium.     

古尔班通古特沙漠生境对植物群落格局的影响

沿87^o37'09"~88^o24'04"E纵穿古尔班通古特沙漠,对44^o14'04"~45^o41'52"N的范围进行11个样地的地貌景观调查、植被分布参数采集和土壤取样。研究区统计到的植物种数占古尔班通古特沙漠文献资料中植物种数的1/3,出现的植物群落构建了该沙漠大面积成片分布的荒漠植被景观。调查发现,随着宏观生境的空间变化,植物群落作相应的演替。在此基础上,利用因子分析 (PCA)和相关分析 (CA) 查明了沙漠风沙土理化属性,如土壤养分、盐分、水分、碱性 (pH) 等微生境的异质性仅对沙漠植被草本层片的多样性 (PIE草) 产生显著影响。同时,这些微生境因相互拮抗使沙漠环境处于暂时的脆弱平衡之中。     

Vegetation patterns and species–environment relationships in the Gurbantunggut Desert of China

The Gurbantunggut Desert is the largest stable and semi-stable sand desert in China, yet few data exist on vegetation pattern and species-environment relationships for these diverse desert landscapes. The sand dunes of the survey area are mainly of the longitudinal form from north to south, but checkerboard-shaped and honeycomb-shaped forms are also present, with the height of 10–50 m. We measured vegetation and soil data on north–south transects and compared them with vegetation and soil data on east–west transects. Analysis revealed that the varying trend and strength of the species diversity, dominance and cover of the plant communities in the longitudinal and transverse directions across the landscape are significantly different. The results of CCA ordination show that the microhabitats of soil organic matter (OM), soil salts (TS), sorting index (σ), topsoil water-content (SM) and pH relate to the differences in vegetation observed as differences in species assemblage from salt-intolerant ephemerals, micro-subshrubs and subshrubs to salt-tolerant shrubs and micro-arbors. The terrain (alt.) and soil texture (the contents of Mz and φ1) affect the spatial differentiation of many species. However, this spatial differentiation is not so marked on transects running longitudinally with the landscape, in the same direction as the dunes. The species of the desert vegetation have formed three assemblages under the action of habitat gradients, relating to three sections running transversely across the landscape, at right angles to the direction of the dune crests. In the mid-east section of the study area the topography is higher, with sand-lands or dune-slopes with coarse particles. Here the dominant vegetation comprises shrubs and subshrubs of Seriphidium santolium and Ephedra distachya, with large numbers of ephemeral and ephemeroid plants of Senecio subdentatus, and Carex physodes in spring and summer. On the soil of the dune-slopes in the mid-west of the study area, with coarse particles and abundant TK, the plant assemblage of Haloxylon persicum, Soranthus meyeri and Agriophyllum squarrosum is developed. The species composition in the east marginal belt of the study area has similar characteristics to the mid-west section. There is no corresponding section in the north–south transects (except for the north and south margins). This is because the habitats of most plants are located in the middle of the microhabitat gradients in the north–south direction in the desert.     

基于光谱混合分析的干旱荒漠区植被遥感信息提取研究——以古尔班通古特沙漠西缘为例

干旱荒漠区植被的盖度和空间分布特征是评判该区生态环境状况及荒漠化程度的重要指标。以Landsat TM影像为数据源,利用归一化植被指数（NDVI）和线性光谱混合分析模型（LSMM）两种方法对研究区——古尔班通古特沙漠西缘进行分析。在运用LSMM过程中,通过多种方法选择出最佳端元,并利用实测数据对混合像元分解结果进行验证。结果表明:①NDVI提取植被的方法受到很多限制,不适合在干旱荒漠区应用;②基于最小法非受限光谱混合分解结果较为理想,植被、盐碱地、裸沙和黑色砂粒等4种端元地物被选取出来;③LSMM提取的植被分量与实测植被盖度显著相关,线性相关系数为0.858,表明干旱荒漠区的植被盖度可以通过遥感影像提取的植被分量间接得到。     

古尔班通古特沙漠植被与环境关系分析

The Gurbantunggut Desert is the largest stable and semi-stable sand desert in China, yet few data exist on vegetation pattern and species-environment relationships for these diverse desert landscapes. The sand dunes of the survey area are mainly of the longi- tudinal form from north to south, but checkerboard-shaped and honeycomb-shaped forms are also present, with the height of 10-50 m. We measured vegetation and soil data on north-south transects and compared them with vegetation and soil data on east-west transects. Analysis revealed that the varying trend and strength of the species diversity, dominance and cover of the plant communities in the longitudinal and transverse directions across the landscape are significantly different. The results of CCA ordination show that the microhabitats of soil organic matter （OM）, soil salts （TS）, sorting index （ σ ）, topsoil water-content （SM） and pH relate to the differences in vegetation observed as differences in species assemblage from salt-intolerant ephemerals, micro-subshrubs and subshrubs to salt-tolerant shrubs and micro-arbors. The terrain （alt.） and soil texture （the contents of Mz and Ф 1） affect the spatial differentiation of many species. However, this spatial differentiation is not so marked on transects running longitudinally with the landscape, in the same direction as the dunes. The species of the desert vegetation have formed three assemblages under the action of habitat gradients, relating to three sections running transversely across the landscape, at right angles to the direction of the dune crests. In the mid-east section of the study area the topography is higher, with sand-lands or dune-slopes with coarse particles. Here the dominant vegetation comprises shrubs and subshrubs of Seriphidium santofium and Ephedra distachya, with large numbers of ephemeral and ephemeroid plants of Senecio subdentatus, and Carex physodes in spring and summer. On the soil of the dune-slopes in the mid-west of the study area, with coarse partic     

Distribution of ephemeral plants and their significance in dune stabilization in Gurbantunggut Desert

Based on systematically monitoring plants on dune ridges in the southern part of the Gurbantunggut Desert in 2002, this paper, from the angle of dune stabilization by vegetation, describes the temporal and spatial distribution patterns of ephemeral plants on isolated sand dunes, analyses the natural invasion processes of ephemeral plants on human-disturbed sand surface and expounds the importance of ephemeral plants in stabilizing sand dune surface. A total of 45 plant species were identified in the study area, 29 of which are ephemeral plants. Ephemeral plants sprouted in early April and completed their life-circle within about two months. Just as aeolian sand activities came to the strongest stage from April to June in desert regions of northern Xinjiang, the total coverage of trees, shrubs and herbs of long vegetational period on most dune ridges was less than 10%, while the mean coverage of ephemeral plants reached 13.9% in April, 40.2% in May and 14.1% in June. Therefore ephemeral plants acted as the major contributor to dune surface stabilization in the Gurbantunggut Desert. Investigations of vegetation restoration on engineering-disturbed dune surface show that ephemeral plants first recolonized the disturbed dune surface.     

古尔班通古特沙漠短命植物分布及其沙面稳定意义

Based on systematically monitoring plants on dune ridges in the southern part of the Gurbantunggut Desert in 2002, this paper, from the angle of dune stabilization by vegetation,describes the temporal and spatial distribution patterns of ephemeral plants on isolated sand dunes,analyses the natural invasion processes of ephemeral plants on human-disturbed sand surface and expounds the importance of ephemeral plants in stabilizing sand dune surface. A total of 45 plant species were identified in the study area, 29 of which are ephemeral plants. Ephemeral plants sprouted in early April and completed their life-circle within about two months. Just as aeolian sand activities came to the strongest stage from April to June in desert regions of northern Xinjiang, the total coverage of trees, shrubs and herbs of long vegetational period on most dune ridges was less than 10%, while the mean coverage of ephemeral plants reached 13.9% in April, 40.2% in May and 14.1% in June. Therefore ephemeral plants acted as the major contributor to dune surface stabilization in the Gurbantunggut Desert.Investigations of vegetation restoration on engineering-disturbed dune surface show that ephemeral plants first recolonized the disturbed dune surface.     

古尔班通古特沙漠生物结皮的分布特征

新疆古尔班通古特沙漠是我国最大的固定和半固定沙漠，其间广泛发育着以地衣植物为主的生物结皮，是除种子植物以外的固定沙面的重要生物因子。研究表明，选择适当的时段，应用遥感技术并结合地面调查来研究沙漠生物结皮的空间分布格局是可行的，遥感制图与地面调查的结果基本一致。该沙漠南部是生物结皮最为丰富的区域，各种类型的生物结皮均有充分发育，呈连续分布，但其分布模式向北、向西和向东变得破碎。通过统计生物结皮像元的面积，得到生物结皮覆盖率超过33％的像元面积占研究区总面积的28．7％。生物结皮的分布对地貌部位有较强的选择性，生物结皮的不同发育阶段种类组成亦有较大的差别。     

古尔班通古特沙漠纵向沙垄植被空间异质性

在古尔班通古特沙漠南部纵向沙垄上按5 m×10 m的网格测度植被样方100个,采集浅层风沙土样品184件。调查发现,乔灌木层片和草本层片的分布及相互关系明显受沙垄地形影响,并且在干旱环境下种群间的竞争和空间上的互补使两层片生态优势度具有显著的相关性。地统计分析结果显示,纵向沙垄上植被空间异质性表现为木本层片的物种多样性呈斑块状分布,草本层片物种多样性呈现平行沙垄的带状结构和斑块结构叠加的特点,而植被盖度则在垂直沙垄走向的方向上具有强烈的梯度性变化。和沙垄土壤理化性质空间格局特征相对比,植被盖度及物种多样性与风沙土浅层含水量在自相关空间（变程）及空间异质性程度上比较接近。这是纵向沙垄小生态系统中草本植物和浅层土壤水分耦合关系在空间上的反映,也是木本植物对水分和土壤资源在小尺度（m）上竞争及中小尺度（10～100 m）上互补的结果。