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.
At present, researches on climate change of the Heihe River basin mainly focus on the relationship between basin climate change
and regional water resources, regional desertification and dynamic climatic seasons of sandstorm, but less on climate change
of oasis region, where there are more intense and frequent human activities. Based on data of precipitation, temperature,
strong wind and dust events frequencies obtained from the six meteorological stations of Zhangye region in Heihe River basin,
the features of climate change during 1968–2005 were carefully studied. Results show that the regional temperature rise rate
exceeded the average level of China. The annual precipitation changed a little, but the precipitation had a slowly increasing
trend in spring and winter. Frequencies of strong wind and sandstorm days show obviously descending trends, which had a close
correlation with the regional temperature rise and the precipitation increase in spring and winter. Meanwhile, further human
economic activities and exploitations to the oasis in the inland valley of arid regions also affected the climate change of
this region, which has a sensitive and fragile eco-environment.
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Translated from Journal of Desert Research, 2007, 27(6): 1048–1054 [译自: 中国沙漠] 相似文献
Studies indicate that the climate has experienced a dramatic change in the Heihe River Basin with scope of temperature rise reaching 0.5-1.1oC in the 1990s compared to the mean value of the period 1960-1990, precipitation increased 18.5 mm in the 1990s compared to the 1950s, and 6.5 mm in the 1990s compared to the mean value of the period 1960-1990, water resources decreased 2.6×108 m3 in the 1990s compared to the 1950s, and 0.4×108 m3 in the 1990s compared to the mean value of the period 1960-1990. These changes have exerted a greater effect on the local environment and socio-economy, and also made the condition worsening in water resources utilizations in the Heihe Rver Basin. 相似文献