In many arid ecosystems, vegetation frequently occurs in high-cover patches interspersed in a matrix of low plant cover. However, theoretical explanations for shrub patch pattern dynamics along climate gradients remain unclear on a large scale. This context aimed to assess the variance of the Reaumuria soongorica patch structure along the precipitation gradient and the factors that affect patch structure formation in the middle and lower Heihe River Basin (HRB). Field investigations on vegetation patterns and heterogeneity in soil properties were conducted during 2014 and 2015. The results showed that patch height, size and plant-to-patch distance were smaller in high precipitation habitats than in low precipitation sites. Climate, soil and vegetation explained 82.5% of the variance in patch structure. Spatially, R. soongorica shifted from a clumped to a random pattern on the landscape towards the MAP gradient, and heterogeneity in the surface soil properties (the ratio of biological soil crust (BSC) to bare gravels (BG)) determined the R. soongorica population distribution pattern in the middle and lower HRB. A conceptual model, which integrated water availability and plant facilitation and competition effects, was revealed that R. soongorica changed from a flexible water use strategy in high precipitation regions to a consistent water use strategy in low precipitation areas. Our study provides a comprehensive quantification of the variance in shrub patch structure along a precipitation gradient and may improve our understanding of vegetation pattern dynamics in the Gobi Desert under future climate change.
Early carbonate cements in the Yanchang Formation sandstones are composed mainly of calcite with relatively heavier carbon isotope (their δ^18O values range from -0.3‰- -0.1‰) and lighter oxygen isotope (their δ^18O values range from -22.1‰- -19.5‰). Generally, they are closely related to the direct precipitation of oversaturated calcium carbonate from alkaline lake water. This kind of cementation plays an important role in enhancing the anti-compaction ability of sandstones, preserving intragranular volume and providing the mass basis for later disso- lution caused by acidic fluid flow to produce secondary porosity. Ferriferous calcites are characterized by relatively light carbon isotope with δ^13C values ranging from -8.02‰ to -3.23‰, and lighter oxygen isotope with δ^18O values ranging from -22.9‰ to -19.7‰, which is obviously related to the decarboxylation of organic matter during the late period of early diagenesis to the early period of late diagenesis. As the mid-late diagenetic products, ferriferous cal- cites in the study area are considered as the characteristic authigenic minerals for indicating large-scaled hydrocarbon influx and migration within the clastic reservoir. The late ankerite is relatively heavy in carbon isotope with δ^13C values ranging from -1.92‰ to -0.84‰, and shows a wide range of variations in oxygen isotopic composition, with δ^18O values ranging from -20.5‰ to -12.6‰. They are believed to have nothing to do with decarboxylation, but the previously formed marine carbonate rock fragments may serve as the chief carbon source for their precipitation, and the alkaline diagenetic environment at the mid-late stage would promote this process. 相似文献