ABSTRACT
Stem photosynthesis (Pg) is an alternative and significant carbon source, playing a crucial role in plant survival under extreme environment. The main aims of this study were to quantify stem and leaf photosynthesis, find out the main drivers of Pg, and estimate the contributions of Pg to plant individual carbon balance of two dominant species Haloxylon ammodendron and Tamarix ramosissima in Gurbantunggut Desert. A Li-Cor 6400 portable photosynthesis system and a special chamber were used to measure leaf and stem photosynthesis. Ancillary measurements included leaf/stem functional trait (chlorophyll content, water content, leaf/stem area, carbon/nitrogen content, etc.) and environmental factors (air temperature and humidity, photosynthetically active radiation, soil temperature, and soil water content). Our results showed that Pg of H. ammodendron and T. ramosissima was 2.37 and 0.98 µmol·m-2·s-1, Pg refixation CO2 of stem respiration by 65%-76% and 57%-77% in H. ammodendron and T. ramosissima. Pg was influenced by photosynthetically active radiation, air temperature, soil temperature and water vapor deficit. Pg assimilation CO2 accounted for 8.2%-16.6% and 3.6%-8.3% of CO2 assimilation of H. ammodendron and T. ramosissima, respectively. The maximum value appeared at noon when temperature was high. There might be fundamental defects if we ignore the contribution of branch photosynthesis when predicting carbon process of desert ecosystem under the background of climate change.
Subject(s)
Chenopodiaceae , Tamaricaceae , Desert Climate , Ecosystem , Photosynthesis , Plant LeavesABSTRACT
An investigation was made on the standing vegetation and soil seed bank in desert riparian forest in lower reaches of Tarim River under effects of river-flooding. The results showed that the standing vegetation in non-flooded and flooded sites was composed of 14 species in 13 genera of 8 families, and 26 species in 21 genera of 10 families, respectively, and some shallow-rooted and hygrophilous species were recorded in flooded sites. The indices per unit area plant species number, vegetative coverage, plant density, and species diversity of the vegetation were all higher in flooded than in non-flooded sites. The species number of the soil seed bank in flooded sites was 19, with 5 species more than that in non-flooded sites, and the seed bank density in flooded sites was 2.94 times higher than that in non-flooded sites. The proportion of annual herbaceous species seeds in flooded sites increased by 23.07% while that of shrub species seeds decreased by 20.99%, compared with those in non-flooded sites, and the proportion of perennial herbaceous species seeds had less difference between these two sites. River-flooding increased the diversity of soil seed bank. In flooded and non-flooded sites, the co-occurrence species in seed bank and in standing vegetation were 18 and 9, with the similarity coefficients of species composition between soil seed bank and standing vegetation being 0.842 and 0.667, respectively.
Subject(s)
Desert Climate , Floods , Seeds/classification , Soil/analysis , Trees/growth & development , Biodiversity , China , RiversABSTRACT
A field germination experiment of soil seed bank was carried out on two typical floodplains in the lower reaches of Tarim River, and a comparison was made between the soil seed banks and corresponding seedling banks on the two floodplains, aimed to assess the contribution of soil seed bank to the regeneration of damaged vegetation. The results showed that there were 12 plant species in the soil seed banks, and the life forms were mainly perennial herbs and shrubs. The soil seed banks had a density of 282.5 seeds m(-2) and 173.2 seeds x m(-2), and the seeds in top soil (0-2 cm) accounted for 76.9% and 71.0% of the total, respectively. The soil seed banks had significant effects on the seedlings species composition and density, and 84.7% and 99.4% of the seedlings on the two floodplains were emerged from corresponding soil seed banks. The similarity coefficient between soil seed bank and seedling bank of the two floodplains was 0.72 and 0.63, respectively, and there existed significant positive correlation between seedling density and soil seed bank density, illustrating that soil seed bank made important contribution to the natural regeneration of vegetation.