Chin J Plant Ecol ›› 2008, Vol. 32 ›› Issue (5): 1126-1133.DOI: 10.3773/j.issn.1005-264x.2008.05.017

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COMMUNITY COMPOSITION AND NICHE CHANGE CHARACTERISTICS OF DOMINANT SPECIES IN THE WIND-BREAKING AND SAND-FIXING FOREST, XINJIANG, CHINA

CHEN Yan-Rui1,2,3, YIN Lin-Ke2,*()   

  1. 1Key Laboratory of Oasis Ecology and Desert Environment, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi 830011, China
    2Turpan Eremophytes Botanic Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Turpan, 838008, China
    3Graduate University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
  • Received:2008-02-18 Accepted:2008-05-13 Online:2008-02-18 Published:2008-09-30
  • Contact: YIN Lin-Ke

Abstract:

Aims Our purpose is to examine changes in community composition and niche characteristics of dominant species in an artificial plant community in the wind-breaking and sand-fixing forest in the lower reaches of the Tarim River, Xinjiang, China. Findings will provide a case for sustainable management of artificial plant communities in desert inland river basins.

Methods Using representative plots, we sampled 24 locations for species diversity, community structure and interspecific relationships from August 2004 to June 2007. Dominant species were identified based on species’ Importance Index in the communities. Niche breadth and overlap were calculated and analyzed using Simpson’s and Pianka’s methods.

Important findings Community composition between planted and existing communities changed in the seven years. Species diversity increased over four years and then decreased, and community structure became more complex. After four years, the invasion of native species changed the artificial community into an artificial-natural plant community, with changes in dominant species. Niche breadths of dominant species were Phragmites communis>Karelinia caspica>Calligonum caput-medusae>Elaeagnus angustifolia>P. euphratica>Tamarix ramosissima>Haloxylon ammodendron>H. glomeratus.The niche overlap value between C. caput-medusae and P. euphratica was the largest among dominant species. At the present stage of community succession, there is no relationship between niche breadth and niche overlap of dominant species, which shows that there is competition among plants and high spatial heterogeneity of environmental resources.

Key words: Tarim River, artificial-natural plant community, dominant species, niche