Abstract:

On the basis of plot survey, the vegetation status along the four monitoring sections including Yengisu, Karday, Aragan and Yiganbjima in the lower reaches of the Tarim River was investigated. Based on the 2×2 contingency tables, the variance ratio method (VR), correlation coefficient (AC), c² test and M. Godron stability measurement were used to research the interspecific association and stability of the plant communities in the lower reaches of the Tarim River. The test results of the overall correlation revealed that there were no the plant communities with significantly positive associations along the four sections. The vegetation succession in the study area did not reach a stable level yet, and the plant communities along the Aragan and Yiganbjima sections were still at the early developing stage. The interspecific association of the vegetation communities was not significant, the distribution was loose and even independent. Structure of the communities was unstable, and the dependence among the species in the same plot was not strong. There was a certain competition and exclusive effect between the plant species in some plant communities. According to the interspecific association, the plant communities in the lower reaches of the Tarim River could be divided into three ecological species groups.

Key words: vegetation')">

vegetation, interspecific association, interspecific relationship, stability; lower reaches of the Tarim River