Abstract: Seed germination of 10 ephemeral plant species under burial treatment and their relationship with seed mass and seed shape were tested.The aims were determined at the aspects of the population regeneration strategies and ecological mechanisms of the ephemeral plant species in the Junggar Desert.The results showed that the seed mass and seed shape were significantly different among the species.The germination percentages and rates of all the fresh matured seeds were very low,indicating that most fresh matured seeds of the ephemeral plant species had dormancy.The germination traits of the 10 ephemeral plant species under a 9-month burial treatment were significantly different.Based on their germination patterns,the plant species were divided into three types:improving type (Eremopyrum triticeum,Alyssum desertorum,Neotorularia korolkovii,Plantago minuta,Plantago cornuti and Glaucium squamigerom),inhibiting type (Trigonella arcuata) and constant type (Ceratocephalus orthoceras,Euclidium syriacum and Descurainia sophia).There were no significant correlations between the germination percentage and germination rate and the seed mass for the fresh matured seeds and burial treatment seeds,however,there were the positive correlations between the germination percentage and germination rate and the seed shape for the fresh matured seeds and burial treatment seeds.It could be concluded that the germination traits and dormancy release mechanisms differed among species,and the population regeneration strategies and ecological mechanisms of the species were vital under natural selection in desert.This conclusions are greatly useful for conserving and regenerating ephemeral plants under severe environment in desert.

Key words: ephemeral plant, seed shape, germination rate, population regeneration, burial, Junggar Basin, Xinjiang