Arid Zone Research ›› 2023, Vol. 40 ›› Issue (8): 1346-1357.doi: 10.13866/j.azr.2023.08.15

• Ecology and Environment • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Response of plant community distribution in the pre-montane desert grassland on the southern slope of Tianshan Mountain to environmental factors: A case study in Baicheng County

LU Yuanbo1,2,3(),YAN Cheng1,3(),SONG Chunwu1,3,4,LI Yajuan5,LAI Zhaoyun5   

  1. 1. Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi 830011, Xinjiang, China
    2. University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
    3. National Engineering Research Center for Desert-Oasis Ecological Construction, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi 830011, Xinjiang, China
    4. Mosuo Bay Desert Research Station, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shihezi 832000, Xinjiang, China
    5. Xinjiang Baicheng Runhua Coal Industry Co., Ltd., Baicheng 842300, Xinjiang, China
  • Received:2023-02-06 Revised:2023-03-24 Online:2023-08-15 Published:2023-08-24

Abstract:

To investigate the response of plant community distribution to topography and soil factors in the pre-mountain desert grassland of Baicheng County on the southern piedmont of Tianshan Mountain, we selected a typical area for investigation. We used the dominance method and canonical correspondence analysis (CCA) to study the relationship between plant community distribution and topography and soil factors in the mountain desert grassland. We observed differences in the species diversity of shrub and herb layers between survey sample sites. Specifically, the Shannon-Wiener index, Pielou index, and Simpson index on the eastern slope showed more shrubs than herbs; while on the western and northern slopes, these indexes showed more herbs than shrubs. The results of CCA show that topographic factors influenced plant community diversity in the order of slope orientation > slope gradient > slope position; and soil factors influenced plant community diversity in the order of soil moisture in the 30-100 cm soil layer > total soil porosity (STP) > soil moisture in the 0-30 cm soil layer (SMC-1). Topography and soil factors had certain screening effects on the formation of plant communities. Soil moisture in the 30-100 cm soil layer and slope orientation were the key factors affecting the distribution of plant communities in the pre-mountain desert grassland of Baicheng County on the southern piedmont of Tianshan Mountain.

Key words: terrain factors, soil factors, southern slopes of the Tianshan Mountains, cold and arid areas, canonical correspondence analysis