Effects of spring–summer grazing on longitudinal dune surface in southern Gurbantunggut Desert

Intensive grazing in spring–summer has been responsible for environmental degradation of the Gurbantunggut Desert in recent years. The coverage of plants and biological crusts, sand surface stability and physicochemical characteristics of soil on the dune surface were conducted in 2002 (winter grazing) and 2005 (spring–summer grazing). The results showed that over 80% of the total area of the dune surface was covered by well-developed biological crusts and plants in 2002, when the interdune and middle to lower part of dune slopes were stabilized and only the crest had 10–40 m wide mobile belt. Affected by spring–summer grazing in 2005, over 80% of the total cover of biological crust was destructed and the plant coverage only reached 1/5 of that in 2002, especially the ephemeral plant cover had a great change. The value of sand transport potential in 2005 only reached 1/3 of that in 2002, but the total surface activity in 2005 was 1.6 times stronger than that in 2002. Meanwhile the mobile area began to expand from the dune top to the whole dune surface following spring–summer grazing. Compared with 2002, medium sand content of the dune surface soil increased by 13.9%, while that of fine and very fine sands decreased by 7.4% and 8.0% respectively in 2005 and the soil organic matter in 2005 was only about 1/2 of that in 2002. It is obvious that the presence of snow cover and frozen soil in winter could avoid the surface structure destruction in winter, while spring–summer grazing made excessive damage to biologic crusts and ephemeral plants. Spring is the main windy season in Gurbantunggut Desert and therefore intensive activity of dune surface occurred following spring–summer grazing, which led to a great loss of fine sand and organic matter. It can be seen that grazing season have a significant influence on the sustainable development of the desert ecosystem in Northwest China. Foundation: National Basic Research Program of China, No.2009CB421303; National Natural Science Foundation of China, No.40771032; National Science Supporting Program, No.2007BAC17B03 Author: Wang Xueqin (1964–), Ph.D and Associate Professor, specialized in aeolian sand geomorphology, desertification and its control.     

放牧对古尔班通古特沙漠南部半固定沙垄地表性质的影响

Intensive grazing in spring-summer has been responsible for environmental deg- radation of the Gurbantunggut Desert in recent years. The coverage of plants and biological crusts, sand surface stability and physicochemical characteristics of soil on the dune surface were conducted in 2002 (winter grazing) and 2005 (spring-summer grazing). The results showed that over 80% of the total area of the dune surface was covered by well-developed biological crusts and plants in 2002, when the interdune and middle to lower part of dune slopes were stabilized and only the crest had 10-40 m wide mobile belt. Affected by spring-summer grazing in 2005, over 80% of the total cover of biological crust was destructed and the plant coverage only reached 1/5 of that in 2002, especially the ephemeral plant cover had a great change. The value of sand transport potential in 2005 only reached 1/3 of that in 2002, but the total surface activity in 2005 was 1.6 times stronger than that in 2002. Mean- while the mobile area began to expand from the dune top to the whole dune surface following spring-summer grazing. Compared with 2002, medium sand content of the dune surface soil increased by 13.9%, while that of fine and very fine sands decreased by 7.4% and 8.0% re- spectively in 2005 and the soil organic matter in 2005 was only about 1/2 of that in 2002. It is obvious that the presence of snow cover and frozen soil in winter could avoid the surface structure destruction in winter, while spring--summer grazing made excessive damage to biologic crusts and ephemeral plants. Spring is the main windy season in Gurbantunggut Desert and therefore intensive activity of dune surface occurred following spring-summer grazing, which led to a great loss of fine sand and organic matter. It can be seen that grazing season have a significant influence on the sustainable development of the desert ecosystem in Northwest China.     

放牧对古尔班通古特沙漠南部 沙垄地表性质的影响

分别于2002 年和2005 年对古尔班通古特沙漠南部的同一条半固定沙垄, 进行了放牧前后的地表覆盖(包括植物和生物结皮)、沙面活动强度和土壤理化性质的系统监测和研究。 主要结论如下: 2002 年, 自然沙垄80%以上的地表被植物和生物结皮所覆盖, 除沙垄顶部外, 其他部位基本处于稳定状态。2005 年受放牧干扰的影响, 生物结皮破损率达到80%以上, 同期植物覆盖不及2002 年的1/5, 特别是短命植物变化最明显。2005 年输沙势只有2002 年的1/3, 但沙面活动强度是2002 年的2.6 倍, 活动区域也从垄顶部扩展至整个沙垄表面。 放牧后地表组成物中的中沙含量增加了13.9%, 而细沙和极细沙含量分别减少了7.4%和 8.0%, 沙垄各部位有机质含量在放牧后一个风季即下降了近1/2。可见, 放牧造成地表保护条件的多重损害, 使沙漠地表稳定性趋于丧失。其细粒物质及有机质的大量流失, 也将对我国温带荒漠生态系统的可持续发展产生重要影响。     

古尔班通古特沙漠生物结皮小尺度分异的环境特征

古尔班通古特沙漠广泛存在的生物结皮,对地貌部位有极强的选择性分布,其实质是生物对环境条件综合适应的一种生态表现。2002年3~11月在个体沙丘表面初步开展了生物结皮类型小尺度环境分异规律研究。结果表明:苔藓结皮、地衣结皮和藻类结皮依次分布于垄间、沙垄两坡中部和坡上部,从垄间往垄顶,生物结皮盖度逐渐减小,厚度变薄,抗压性减弱。苔藓结皮分布区的物质组成以细沙和极细沙为主,春季表层土壤水分在5%以上,短命植物广泛发育,基质稳定;坡中部的地衣结皮分布区以细沙为主,春季表层土壤水分在4%左右,短命植物亦有广泛分布,地表受风沙活动影响较小;沙垄上部和顶部的藻类结皮分布区,是沙垄表面活动性最强和土壤水分最差的区域,物质组成以中沙为主,高等植物中白梭梭为优势种,可见藻结皮是三类结皮中最能适应恶劣环境的生物结皮类型。     

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.     

春夏季放牧对古尔班通古特沙漠南部土壤种子库和地上植被的影响

位于新疆北部准噶尔盆地腹地的古尔班通古特沙漠,是世界上温带荒漠生物多样性的精华和最为丰富的典型区域。历史上这里就是北疆羊和部分马匹重要的冬牧场,但近年来的放牧活动在春夏季也开始进入沙漠腹地,使地表性质与植被覆盖发生了明显改变。应用野外随机取样与室内萌发实验相结合的方法,对比研究了古尔班通古特沙漠南部春夏季放牧和冬季放牧沙垄土壤种子库差异及其与地上植被的关系。结果表明：冬季放牧沙垄种子库种数为24种,而春夏季放牧沙垄有20种,后者明显减少了植物种数。冬季放牧沙垄种子库密度为(353.2±87)粒·m-2,而春夏季放牧沙垄为(189.1±23)粒·m-2,比前者减少了88%。两类沙垄土壤种子库的生活型组成都以一年生植物为主,相似性系数为0.711。相同沙垄不同部位的物种相似性系数在0.429～0.600之间,异质性较大,尤其表现在除垄顶之外的其他部位。冬季放牧沙垄和春夏季放牧沙垄地上植被中分别有植物36种和26种,各生活型所有物种均为后者低于前者,其中短命、类短命物种数量减少幅度最大。春夏季放牧沙垄地上植被的物种多样性和均匀度降低,而优势度升高。回归分析显示,冬季放牧沙垄定植群落有21%的变异来源于土壤种子库,而春夏季放牧沙垄有51%的变异来源于土壤种子库,可见不同季节的放牧干扰显著影响土壤种子库及其与地上植被的相关关系。     

塔克拉玛干沙漠腹地沙丘表面温度特征初探

塔克拉玛干沙漠腹地沙丘表面温度因不同部位、不同时段差异很大。作者通过冬、夏典型时段的观测数据,对沙丘各个部位表层的温度分布特征做了初步的探讨和分析,主要结论有:①沙丘表面的日最高温度出现在落沙坡,落沙坡与沙丘其他部位的温度差以冬季沙丘右翼为最大。②沙丘表面日较差最大的部位是落沙坡,夏季大于冬季;日较差最小的部位冬季发生在右翼,而夏季则发生在顶部。③沙丘各部位浅层地温,也以落沙坡为最高。④沙丘不同部位表层导温率也有很大的差别。     

古尔班通古特沙漠短命植物分布 及其沙面稳定意义

从植被稳定沙面的角度出发,通过2002年对古尔班通古特沙漠南部沙垄表面植物种类、高度和盖度等的系统监测,阐明短命植物在单个沙丘上的时空分布规律。并对气象资料和人类活动扰动沙面后短命植物的自然侵入等进行综合分析,探讨沙面稳定中短命植物的重要作用。研究区总计有45种植物,其中短命植物29种。4月初短命植物萌动出土,在两个月左右的时间完成整个生长发育过程。4、5、6三个月正是北疆沙漠风沙活动强盛期,大部分沙垄表面乔灌木和长营养期草本植物盖度不足10%,而短命植物盖度则分别达到13.9%、40.2% 和14.1%,是古尔班通古特沙漠植被稳定沙面的主要贡献者。对工程行为扰动沙面后的植物恢复调查显示,短命植物是首先入侵的先锋植物。     

古尔班通古特沙漠南部防护体系建成10 a来的生境变化与植物自然定居

 于2000—2009年对古尔班通古特沙漠南部防护体系内的生境变化与自然定居植物进行了系统观测和研究。结果表明,草方格及人工植被相结合的综合防护体系可以有效固定重大工程扰动地表。防护体系建成初期,土壤水分条件好于原始地表,为人工林的生长和植物自然定居创造了良好条件。防护体系建成10 a后,土壤理化性质得到有效改善,普遍形成了地衣结皮,但土壤水分出现了减少的趋势。在未经扰动的原始地表,总计有植物48种,其中短命植物30种。防护体系建成初期自然定居植物仅有8种,10 a后多达33种,其中短命植物达到21种。定居植物多度由初期的1.4株·m-2增加到10 a后的14株·m-2,其中短命植物占到自然定居植物总株数的85％,很少观测到自然定居的乔灌木。自然定居植物呈明显的差异性分布,与风向对种源的影响密切相关。随着草本植物的进入、生物结皮的形成和土壤水分的减少,人工植被的稳定性问题尚需进一步研究和探讨。     

荒漠地区地表反照率与土壤湿度相关性研究

本试验分别对腾格里沙漠东南缘沙坡头地区流动沙丘和1964年建植的人工固沙植被区生物土壤结皮的地表反照率和土壤湿度进行了同步测定。分析了该区这两种地表类型的反照率与太阳高度角和土壤湿度的相关性,分别提出了地表反照率与太阳高度角和土壤表层(0～2 cm)湿度的经验拟合关系式。结果表明,地表反照率随太阳高度角增加呈指数递减;排除太阳高度角的影响后,地表反照率随土壤湿度的增加也呈指数递减关系;流沙地表反照率对土壤湿度变化的响应要比生物土壤结皮地表敏感。     

沙坡头固定沙丘结皮层的微生物区系动态

对中科院沙坡头沙漠研究试验站的人工植被固定沙丘、红卫自然植被固定沙丘的结皮层和流动沙丘表层(0~ 05cm)中的微生物类群数量的研究结果表明:①好气性细菌数量影响着微生物总数量的变化趋势;②微生物总数量分布依次排列为:自然植被固定沙丘>1956年栽植区>1964年栽植区>自然半固定沙丘>1982年栽植区>流动沙丘;③土壤微生物类群数量与结皮层的形成、植物覆盖度和土壤含水率等因子有密切的关系;④结皮层中的微生物类群数量与流动沙丘的固定程度呈正向关系。     

生物土壤结皮对土壤微生物量碳的影响

微生物量碳是土壤有机碳的重要组成部分,是判别退化系统生态修复的重要指标之一。为了探明生物土壤结皮对土壤微生物量碳的影响,以腾格里沙漠东南缘的人工固沙区不同生物土壤结皮覆盖的沙丘土壤为研究对象,根据固沙年限的不同将样地分为4个不同的区进行采样(1956、1964、1981年和1987年固沙区),并以流沙区为对照。与流沙区相比较,54龄、46龄、29龄和23龄固沙区的真藓结皮和藻结皮的存在均可显著提高其下土壤微生物量碳（P<0.05）,且固沙年限与结皮下土壤微生物量碳存在正相关关系;真藓结皮和藻结皮对其下土壤微生物量碳的影响仅限于0~20 cm的土层,随着土层的加深,其影响逐渐减弱,到20~30 cm土层与对照相比已无显著差异（P>0.05）。因此,对生物土壤结皮的干扰可能会造成土壤微生物量碳的损失。     

古尔班通古特沙漠南部风沙土性状在沙垄尺度上的空间变异

在新疆古尔班通古特沙漠南部纵向沙垄上,按5 m×5 m的网格采集浅层风沙土组合样品184件,调查植被样方100个,并测试了风沙土质地、pH、盐分、含水量、全N含量和有机质含量等理化性状。研究发现:受沙垄地貌和植被格局的影响,风沙土性状具有中等到强烈的空间相关性,空间依赖范围(变程)介于21.3~74.8m,大致对应着单一沙垄宽度或垄间地-沙垄-垄间地的地貌单元宽度。利用地统计分析求得不同取样尺度上的分维D。风沙土质地(粒径、平均粒径、分选系数)和盐分(电导率)及养分(有机质和全N含量)在0~40m的取样间隔下,D较大,空间变异程度基本处于中高水平;在90~150m的取样间隔下,D骤减,空间异质性大大增强。风沙土含水量的空间变异强度曲线为几段式形态,并且分维依次递减。     

Effects of dune stabilization on vegetation characteristics and soil properties at multiple scales in Horqin Sandy Land, Northern China

Ecological patterns and processes in dune ecosystems have been a research focus in recent years, however information on how dune stabilization influences vegetation and soil at different spatial scales...     

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.     

新疆喀拉库姆沙漠新月形沙丘不同部位粒度特征

对新疆叶尔羌河流域绿洲边缘喀拉库姆沙漠高度在3～12 m的新月形沙丘进行了粒度分析。结果表明:表层和下层沉积物均以细砂和极细砂为主,二者含量达82%以上。表层沉积物较下层稍粗,平均粒径分别为2.09 Φ和2.16 Φ。下层沉积物较表层分选性好,σ均值分别为0.48和0.62。表层和下层沉积物偏度均为正偏,SK均值分别为0.21和0.24。峰态均为尖窄,Kg均值分别为1.18和1.11。表层和下层沉积物平均粒径均表现为丘顶最粗,背风坡坡脚最细,由两侧坡脚至丘顶平均粒径变粗,平均粒径与其他粒度特征参数之间均存在良好的相关性。分析表明,喀拉库姆沙漠沙丘沉积物粒度特征除受物源这一背景制约外,还与区域构造、沙漠地貌、植被、气候和较为复杂的风沙动力学过程等众多因素有关。     

Variable vegetation cover and episodic sand movement on longitudinal desert sand dunes

Longitudinal (linear) sand dunes of the Simpson and Strzelecki dunefields in eastern central Australia present a paradox. Low levels of activity today stand in contrast to luminescence dating which has repeatedly shown deep deposits of sand on dune crests dating to within the late Holocene. In order to investigate the nature of dune activity in the Simpson–Strzelecki dunefield, vegetation and sand mobility were investigated by detailed vegetation survey and measurement of rippled area and loose sand depth of dunes at three sites along a climatic gradient. The response of both vegetation and sand movement to inter-annual climate variability was examined by repeat surveys of two sites in drought and non-drought conditions. Projected plant cover and plant + crust cover were found to have inverse linear relationships with rippled area and the area of deep loose sand. No relationship was found between these measures of sand movement and the plant frontal area index. A negative exponential relationship between equivalent mobile sand depth on dune surfaces and both vascular plant cover and vascular + crust cover was also found. There is no simple threshold of vegetation cover below which sand transport begins. Dunes with low perennial plant cover may form small dunes with slip faces leading to a positive feedback inhibiting ephemeral plant growth in wet years and accelerating sand transport rates. The linear dunefields are largely within the zone in which plant cover is sufficient to enforce low sand transport rates, and in which there is a strong response of vegetation and sand transport to inter-annual variation in rainfall. Both ephemeral plants (mostly forbs) and crust were found to respond rapidly to large (> 20 mm/month) rainfall events. On millennial time-scales, the level of dune activity is controlled by vegetation cover and probably not by fluctuations of wind strength. Land use or extreme, decadal time-scale, drought may destabilise dunes by removing perennial plant cover, accelerating wind erosion.     

古尔班通古特沙漠风沙地貌研究进展评述

古尔班通古特沙漠是中国最大的固定、半固定沙漠,也是中国境内受西风环流影响最明显的沙漠之一.本文简介古尔班通古特沙漠风沙地貌的研究历史,综述区域风况和输沙势特征、主要沙丘类型分布格局、风沙物质来源、沙丘粒度特征、沙漠环境演变和纵向沙垄发育模式以及现代沙丘动态变化等方面的研究进展,指出研究中存在的问题并展望未来研究方向.     

古尔班通古特沙漠南部风沙土粒度分布的空间异质性

系统采集古尔班通古特沙漠南部典型地段纵向沙垄和垄间地浅层风沙土(0～30 cm)样184件,运用常规粒度分析和地统计分析方法研究了古尔班通古特沙漠南部沙垄不同部位风沙土粒度组成、分布特征及空间变异。结果显示:风沙土机械组成的优势粒级是细沙和极细沙,不同地貌部位粒级组成差异明显。粘土和粉沙的含量为垄间地高于沙垄,背风坡高于迎风坡和垄顶。极细沙和细沙的含量是迎风坡最高,垄顶最低。中沙、粗沙和极粗沙的含量则是垄间地低于沙垄,垄顶最高。风沙土粗物质粒径φ1和平均粒径Mz从垄间地→背风坡→迎风坡→垄顶均由细变粗,分选系数σ则由差变好。同时,φ1、Mz和σ具有中等-强空间自相关性,其空间相关范围(变程)大小顺序为φ1<σ相似文献