title: Effects of artificial sand fixing on community characteristics of a rare desert shrub.
abstract: Eremosparton songoricum (Fabaceae) is a rare, native, clonal small shrub of the deserts of central Asia. Although human activities have greatly fragmented the distribution of E. songoricum, it occurs in areas where artificial sand fixing (AS) has been implemented. We sought to explore whether AS promotes survival and growth of E. songoricum. In the Gurbantunggut Desert of northwestern China in June 2010, we established 10 plots in an area where sand fixing occurred (5-10 years previously) and 11 plots on original sand substrate on which some plants had settled without fixing sand. Sand fixing changed soil properties and biological characteristics in sand-fixed plots. The soil surface where sand fixing occurred was covered by algal crusts and some lichen, but not bare sand (BS). Soil nutrients; water content of deep soil (30-150 cm); overall plant and herbaceous species richness, diversity, abundance, and cover; above- and belowground biomass; and cover, biomass, and height of E. songoricum in the sand-fixed plots were significantly greater than in plots of BS. However, distribution of E. songoricum individuals in the 2 types of plots did not differ. Our results indicate AS may enhance survival of E. songoricum and increase the overall diversity and stability of the desert plant community. We suggest AS as a way to protect this rare desert plant in situ.
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Biogeography and Bioresource in Arid Land, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, South Beijing Road 818, Urumqi, Xinjiang, 830011, China; Turpan Eremophytes Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Turpan, Xinjiang, 838008, China.
authors.forename: Huiliang
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Ye
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Tao
authors.forename: Dong
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Qiu
authors.forename: Daoyuan
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Yongkuan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhang
mesh_terms: D044822:Biodiversity; D018533:Biomass; D002681:China; D003247:Conservation of Natural Resources / Q000379:methods*; D003889:Desert Climate; D007887:Fabaceae / Q000254:growth & development / Q000502:physiology*; D018525:Germination; D011157:Population Dynamics
keywords: Desierto Gurbantunggut; Eremosparton songoricum; Gurbantunggut Desert; biological soil crusts; composición de especies; costras de suelo biológico; diversidad de especies; plant protection; protección de plantas; species composition; species diversity