title: Experimental study on water transport observations of desert riparian forests in the lower reaches of the Tarim River in China.
abstract: Studying the water use processes of desert riparian vegetation in arid regions and analyzing the response and adaptation strategies of plants to drought stress are of great significance for developing ecological restoration measures. Based on field monitoring and test analyses of physiological ecological indicators of dominant species (Populus euphratica and Tamarix chinensis) in the desert riparian forest in the lower reaches of the Tarim River, the water relations of P. euphratica and T. chinensis under drought stress are discussed and some water use strategies put forward. The results show that (1) concerning plant water uptake, desert riparian forests depend mainly on groundwater to survive under long-term water stress. (2) Concerning plant water distribution, the survival of P. euphratica and nearby shallow root plants is mainly due to the hydraulic lift and water redistribution of P. euphratica under drought stress. (3) Concerning plant water transport, P. euphratica sustains the survival of competitive and advantageous branches by improving their ability to acquire water while restraining the growth of inferior branches. (4) Concerning plant transpiration, the sap flow curves of daily variations of P. euphratica and T. chinensis were wide-peak sin and narrower-peak respectively. T. chinensis has better environmental adaptability.
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Desert and Oasis Ecology, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 818 South Beijing Road, Urumqi, Xinjiang, 830011, China. chenyn@ms.xjb.ac.cn.
authors.forename: Yaning
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Desert and Oasis Ecology, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 818 South Beijing Road, Urumqi, Xinjiang, 830011, China.
authors.forename: Weihong
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Desert and Oasis Ecology, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 818 South Beijing Road, Urumqi, Xinjiang, 830011, China.
authors.forename: Honghua
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Desert and Oasis Ecology, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 818 South Beijing Road, Urumqi, Xinjiang, 830011, China.
authors.forename: Yapeng
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Desert and Oasis Ecology, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 818 South Beijing Road, Urumqi, Xinjiang, 830011, China.
authors.lastname: XinmingHao
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Desert and Oasis Ecology, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 818 South Beijing Road, Urumqi, Xinjiang, 830011, China.
authors.forename: Aihong
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Fu
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Desert and Oasis Ecology, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 818 South Beijing Road, Urumqi, Xinjiang, 830011, China.
authors.forename: Jianxin
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ma
mesh_terms: D002681:China; D003889:Desert Climate; D055864:Droughts; D065928:Forests; D060587:Groundwater; D018526:Plant Transpiration; D032107:Populus / Q000502:physiology*; D045483:Rivers; D013312:Stress, Physiological; D032363:Tamaricaceae / Q000502:physiology*; D014867:Water / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D014867:Water
keywords: Desert riparian forest; Hydraulic lift; Tarim River basin; Water source; Water transport