Abstract: Seven factors in three elements including geography, soil and water, affecting strongly the Tamarix taklamakanensis populations, were chosen as the indicators to analyze the environmental factors affecting the growth and distribution of T. taklamakanensis populations using the factor analysis. The results showed that soil nutrient was the most important factor related to the survival and development of the populations. Regional severe environment and poor soil restricted obviously the growth and development of the populations. The effect of altitude on the growth and development of the populations was low, and altitude affected the growth and development of the populations together with other factors. The geographical factors affected indirectly the growth and development of the populations. The effect of soil moisture content on the populations reflected the characteristics of groundwater level and its salinity in the habitats. It is difficult to improve the soil which was formed in the longterm geologic evolution and climate change in the Kumtag Desert in a short term, and the shortage of soil nutrient will be continuously maintained in the future. Therefore, it is difficult to conserve and regenerate the plant populations. It is suggested to strengthen the conservation of T. taklamakanensis populations and their habitats and control regional desertification.

Key words: font-family: 宋体, mso-bidi-font-family: 宋体, mso-font-kerning: 1.0pt, mso-ansi-language: EN-US, mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN, factor analysis')">mso-bidi-language: AR-SA">factor analysis, Tamarix taklamakanensis, populations, environment factor, soil nutrient, Kumtag Desert