Abstract:

Following investigation and sampling of Badain Jaran Desert periphery and hinterland, this study has summarized the life forms and community types of vegetation in the area, analyzed the diversity, dominance, and evenness index of vegetation, and then investigated the response of vegetation community to soil water. The results obtained are as follows. First, a total of 52 genera and 56 species of plants belonging to 20 families were recorded in this survey, which belonged to 8 types of life forms, including arbors, small arbors, shrubs, small shrubs, semi-shrubs, grassy vines, perennial herbs, and annual herbs. The vegetation communities were mostly shrubs and perennial herbs, and most of them were desert xerophytes or super xerophytic perennials. Second, the overall biodiversity index of the Badain Jaran Desert community is low, whereas the species richness and diversity indices around the lakes in the desert hinterland are relatively high, and those in the marginal area are low. The shrub layer is dominant and uniformly distributed in the plant community, and the herb layer consists of various forms of vegetation. Third, the Badain Jaran Desert has low soil water content, and more than 61% of the region has less than 5% soil moisture. The soil moisture content is negatively correlated with the Simpson dominance index (C), and positively correlated with the Shannon-Winner diversity index (H′), Simpson Diversity Index (D), and Alatato uniformity index (E_a). Additionally, Simpson Dominance Index (C), Shannon-Winner Diversity Index (H′), and Simpson Diversity Index (D) have good cubic function fitting effect on response relations of soil moisture.

Key words: Badain Jaran Desert, species diversity, community characteristics, soil water content