Fixing active sand dune by native grasses in the desert of Northwest China  

作　　者：Linfei Zhong Xiangyan Feng Wenzhi Zhao 

机构地区：[1]Linze Inland River Basin Research Station,Key Laboratory of Ecohydrology of Inland River Basin,Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources,Chinese Academy of Sciences,Lanzhou 730000,China [2]Breeding Base for State Key Lab.of Land Degradation and Ecological Restoration in Northwestern China,Key Lab.of Restoration and Reconstruction of Degraded Ecosystems in Northwestern China of Ministry of Education,School of Ecology and Environment,Ningxia University,Yinchuan 750021,China

出　　处：《Ecological Processes》2024年第4期229-241,共13页生态过程(英文)

基　　金：National Natural Science Foundation of China(42230720);Central-guided Local Science and Technology Development Program(2024ZY0014).

摘　　要：Background Desertifcation is the most severe environmental problem in arid and semi-arid regions and has caused great economic loss every year.However,artifcial sand fxation barriers function on sand fxation for only 10–20 years.Searching for a native species with long-term sand fxation efect and strong environmental adaptive capacity,and low water consumption is needed.In this study,we investigated the environmental adaption and sand fxation efect of a grass from Poaceae family(Psammochloa villosa)that is indigenous to the desert of Northwest China.Results The results showed that P.villosa has a streamlined leaf form,strong mechanical strength,and fexibility to adapt to wind.Leaf curling of P.villosa under drought decreased water loss rate through decreased evaporation area to adapt to drought.Signifcant negative relationship between adventitious root length and horizontal root burial depth indicates that adventitious roots help P.villosa absorb water and nutrients from soil under shallow sand burial condition,which enables P.villosa to adapt to diferent sand burial conditions.P.villosa fxed sand dunes through the distribution of the population at the top of the dune and the vertical relationship between the direction of windblown sand and the direction of growth of P.villosa,which stopped the expansion of the dune.Conclusions Growth characteristics of wind and drought tolerant leaf traits and adventitious roots under sand burial indicate that P.villosa is well adapted to dry sandy desert conditions and burial by sand.The distribution of the P.villosa population on the sand dune is a“brake”on its expansion.These fndings provide new insight for active sand dune fxation and desertifcation control using native grass in the desertifed regions.

关 键 词：Sand dune fixation GRASS DESERTIFICATION ADAPTION Psammochloa villosa 

分 类 号：H32[语言文字—法语]