Linking Populus euphratica hydraulic redistribution to diversity assembly in the arid desert zone of Xinjiang, China

Xiao-Dong Yang; Xue-Ni Zhang; Guang-Hui Lv; Arshad Ali

doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0109071

Linking Populus euphratica hydraulic redistribution to diversity assembly in the arid desert zone of Xinjiang, China

PLoS One. 2014 Oct 2;9(10):e109071. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0109071. eCollection 2014.

Authors

Xiao-Dong Yang¹, Xue-Ni Zhang², Guang-Hui Lv², Arshad Ali¹

Affiliations

¹ College of Ecological and Environmental Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China; Tiantong National Forest Ecosystem Observations and Research Station, Chinese National Ecosystem Observation and Research Network, Ningbo, China.
² Institute of Resources and Environment Science, Xinjiang University, Urumqi, China; Xinjiang Key Laboratory of Oasis Ecology, Ministry of Education, Urumqi, China.

Abstract

The hydraulic redistribution (HR) of deep-rooted plants significantly improves the survival of shallow-rooted shrubs and herbs in arid deserts, which subsequently maintain species diversity. This study was conducted in the Ebinur desert located in the western margin of the Gurbantonggut Desert. Isotope tracing, community investigation and comparison analysis were employed to validate the HR of Populus euphratica and to explore its effects on species richness and abundance. The results showed that, P. euphratica has HR. Shrubs and herbs that grew under the P. euphratica canopy (under community: UC) showed better growth than the ones growing outside (Outside community: OC), exhibiting significantly higher species richness and abundance in UC than OC (p<0.05) along the plant growing season. Species richness and abundance were significantly logarithmically correlated with the P. euphratica crown area in UC (R² = 0.51 and 0.84, p<0.001). In conclusion, P. euphratica HR significantly ameliorates the water conditions of the shallow soil, which then influences the diversity assembly in arid desert communities.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Validation Study

MeSH terms

China
Plant Roots / physiology
Populus / classification
Populus / physiology*
Species Specificity
Water*

Substances

Water

Grants and funding

This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 31060061), and Doctoral Program Foundation of Institutions of Higher Education of China (Grant No. 20106501110001). The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.