Chin J Plan Ecolo ›› 1988, Vol. 12 ›› Issue (2): 91-103.

Special Issue: 青藏高原植物生态学:植被生态学

• Research Articles • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Vegetation Types on Northern Slopes and the Interior of Central Kunlun Mountains

Cui Heng-xin, Wang Bo, Qi Gui, Zhang Xiao-chun   

  • Published:1988-02-10
  • Contact: Lu Jun-pei

Abstract: The Central kunlun Mountains, starting from the wulus River in the west to the Andi River in the east, stretching more than 600 km, has an average elevation of 6000 m. Wild seed plants growing in the area are classified into 52 families, 211 genera and 398 species, the flora characterized by purity of floral composition and complicated geographical factors. On its northern slope, the precipitation of the mid-mountain zone and the lower-alpine zone ranges from 300–500 mm and the steppe zone is well developed, especially the steppe zone of the Cele Mountain region (middle section of the Central Kunlun Mountains) is best developed. Above the steppe zone there is no alpine desert, but alpine meadow.The vertical zonal distribution of the vegetation type on the northern slope are as follows. 1. Mountain desert, starting from the piedment line (mostly 2200 m or 2500 m) to 3000 m. 2. Mountain desert steppe 3000—3200 m. 3. Mountain typical steppe, 3200–3600 m. 4. Alpine steppe, 3600–3800 m (sunny slope up to over 4200 m). 5. Alpine meadow, 3800 –4200 m. 6. Alpine cushion vegetation found only in the eastern section and where in combination with the distribution of alpine meadow. 7. Sparse vegetation on alpine flowstone slope, 4200–5000 m.The interior of the Central Kunlun Mountains is extremely clod and dry, and mostly covered by deserts of gravels, where alpine deserts and alpine desert steppes appear in tracts dotting the mountain range.