Typical desert vegetation types and community characteristics in Zanda, Xizang, China

doi:10.17521/cjpe.2025.0015

Abstract

Abstract:

The Xiangquan River valley of Zanda in the western Ngari Prefecture is one of the main distribution areas of the mountainous desert on the Qingzang Plateau, but there is a lack of data on the background of desert vegetation in this area. Based on the field survey of 42 desert plots in Zanda County, Nagri, Xizang from 2018-2023, this study analyzed the classification and community characteristics of desert vegetation in the Xiangquan River basin. The results showed that there were 8 desert alliances in Zanda County, Xizang, including two temperate shrub deserts: Caragana versicolor desert and Ephedra intermedia desert, and six temperate semi-shrub and herbaceous deserts, Ajania fruticulosa desert, Ephedra gerardiana desert, Krascheninnikovia ceratoides desert, Krascheninnikovia eversmanniana desert, Lactuca orientalis desert and Seriphidium thomsonianum desert. Notably, five desert alliances (C. versicolor, E. gerardiana, K. eversmanniana, L. orientalis, and S. thomsonianum deserts) are newly recorded desert types. A total of 82 species of vascular plants belonging to 51 genera and 20 families were recorded. Among them, the life forms were mainly hemicryptophytes and perennial forbs. The water ecological type were mostly hyperxerophytic and typical xerophytes, including most of the edificators and companions of desert vegetation, such as Ajania fruticulosa, Ephedra intermedia, Krascheninnikovia ceratoides, Lactuca orientalis, and Krascheninnikovia eversmanniana. The Central Asia-Middle Asia component is the most important component of the geographical floristic type, followed by the Qingzang Plateau and the Eastern Paleoarctic. This study provides basic data and information for understanding the status and distribution of desert vegetation resources in this region, and for classifying the desert vegetation types in the Qingzang Plateau for better regional biodiversity conservation.

Key words: Qingzang Plateau, montane desert, temperate shrub desert, temperate semi-shrub and herb desert, ecological type for water

WANG Shi-Song, QU Xiao-Yun, DONG Shao-Qiong, LI Jia-Hong, YANG Qi, HOU Man-Fu, ZHAO Li-Qing, GUO Ke, LIU Chang-Cheng, XU Xiao. Typical desert vegetation types and community characteristics in Zanda, Xizang, China[J]. Chin J Plant Ecol, 2025, 49(5): 801-812.

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URL: https://www.plant-ecology.com/EN/10.17521/cjpe.2025.0015

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Figures/Tables 11

References 23

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植被亚型 Vegetation Formation	群系 Alliance	样地 Plot	经度 Longitude (° E)	纬度 Latitude (° N)	海拔 Altitude (m)
温性灌木荒漠 Temperate Shrub Desert	变色锦鸡儿荒漠 Caragana versicolor Desert	S1	79.08	32.16	4 747
		S2	79.22	31.80	4 610
		S3	79.10	31.88	4 674
		S4	79.52	31.29	4 673
		S5	79.55	31.30	4 497
	中麻黄荒漠 Ephedra intermedia Desert	S6	79.75	31.55	3 755
		S7	79.39	31.78	4 232
		S8	78.76	31.80	3 236
		S9	78.79	31.80	3 124
		S10	79.66	31.49	3 611
温性半灌木与草本荒漠 Temperate Semi-Shrub and Herb Desert	灌木亚菊荒漠 Ajania fruticulosa Desert	S11	79.73	31.45	3 750
		S12	79.74	31.45	3 795
		S13	79.84	31.56	4 102
		S14	79.77	31.73	4 356
		S15	79.74	31.71	4 207
		S16	79.79	31.47	3 720
		S17	78.95	31.78	3 481
		S18	79.76	31.47	3 692
	山岭麻黄荒漠 Ephedra gerardiana Desert	S19	79.39	31.78	4 221
	驼绒藜荒漠 Krascheninnikovia ceratoides Desert	S20	79.12	31.86	4 658
		S21	80.00	31.17	4 488
		S22	79.75	31.59	3 779
		S23	79.76	31.41	3 950
		S24	79.19	31.79	4 605
		S25	79.20	31.99	4 541
		S26	78.97	31.80	4 383
		S27	79.75	31.47	3 681
		S28	79.84	31.33	4 081
		S29	80.03	31.15	4 481
		S30	80.07	31.17	4 087
	心叶驼绒藜荒漠 Krascheninnikovia eversmanniana Desert	S31	78.76	31.80	3 200
	心叶驼绒藜荒漠 Krascheninnikovia eversmanniana Desert	S32	78.92	31.79	3 210
	雀苣荒漠 Lactuca orientalis Desert	S33	78.76	31.80	3 201
	西藏绢蒿荒漠 Seriphidium thomsonianum Desert	S34	78.73	31.81	3 632
		S35	78.76	31.81	3 278
		S36	78.78	31.80	3 184
		S37	78.80	31.80	3 000
		S38	78.74	31.81	3 503
		S39	78.80	31.78	3 222
		S40	78.80	31.79	3 062
		S41	78.92	31.79	3 211
		S42	78.95	31.78	3 456

植被亚型 Vegetation Formation	群系 Alliance	样地 Plot	经度 Longitude (° E)	纬度 Latitude (° N)	海拔 Altitude (m)
温性灌木荒漠 Temperate Shrub Desert	变色锦鸡儿荒漠 Caragana versicolor Desert	S1	79.08	32.16	4 747
		S2	79.22	31.80	4 610
		S3	79.10	31.88	4 674
		S4	79.52	31.29	4 673
		S5	79.55	31.30	4 497
	中麻黄荒漠 Ephedra intermedia Desert	S6	79.75	31.55	3 755
		S7	79.39	31.78	4 232
		S8	78.76	31.80	3 236
		S9	78.79	31.80	3 124
		S10	79.66	31.49	3 611
温性半灌木与草本荒漠 Temperate Semi-Shrub and Herb Desert	灌木亚菊荒漠 Ajania fruticulosa Desert	S11	79.73	31.45	3 750
		S12	79.74	31.45	3 795
		S13	79.84	31.56	4 102
		S14	79.77	31.73	4 356
		S15	79.74	31.71	4 207
		S16	79.79	31.47	3 720
		S17	78.95	31.78	3 481
		S18	79.76	31.47	3 692
	山岭麻黄荒漠 Ephedra gerardiana Desert	S19	79.39	31.78	4 221
	驼绒藜荒漠 Krascheninnikovia ceratoides Desert	S20	79.12	31.86	4 658
		S21	80.00	31.17	4 488
		S22	79.75	31.59	3 779
		S23	79.76	31.41	3 950
		S24	79.19	31.79	4 605
		S25	79.20	31.99	4 541
		S26	78.97	31.80	4 383
		S27	79.75	31.47	3 681
		S28	79.84	31.33	4 081
		S29	80.03	31.15	4 481
		S30	80.07	31.17	4 087
	心叶驼绒藜荒漠 Krascheninnikovia eversmanniana Desert	S31	78.76	31.80	3 200
	心叶驼绒藜荒漠 Krascheninnikovia eversmanniana Desert	S32	78.92	31.79	3 210
	雀苣荒漠 Lactuca orientalis Desert	S33	78.76	31.80	3 201
	西藏绢蒿荒漠 Seriphidium thomsonianum Desert	S34	78.73	31.81	3 632
		S35	78.76	31.81	3 278
		S36	78.78	31.80	3 184
		S37	78.80	31.80	3 000
		S38	78.74	31.81	3 503
		S39	78.80	31.78	3 222
		S40	78.80	31.79	3 062
		S41	78.92	31.79	3 211
		S42	78.95	31.78	3 456

植被亚型 Vegetation Formation	群系 Alliance	群丛数 Number of Association
温性灌木荒漠 Temperate Shrub Desert	变色锦鸡儿荒漠 Caragana versicolor Desert	3
温性灌木荒漠 Temperate Shrub Desert	中麻黄荒漠 Ephedra intermedia Desert	3
温性半灌木与草本荒漠 Temperate Semi-Shrub and Herb Desert	灌木亚菊荒漠 Ajania fruticulosa Desert	4
	山岭麻黄荒漠 Ephedra gerardiana Desert	1
	驼绒藜荒漠 Krascheninnikovia ceratoides Desert	7
	心叶驼绒藜荒漠 Krascheninnikovia eversmanniana Desert	2
	雀苣荒漠 Lactuca orientalis Desert	1
	西藏绢蒿荒漠 Seriphidium thomsonianum Desert	4

植被亚型 Vegetation Formation	群系 Alliance	群丛数 Number of Association
温性灌木荒漠 Temperate Shrub Desert	变色锦鸡儿荒漠 Caragana versicolor Desert	3
温性灌木荒漠 Temperate Shrub Desert	中麻黄荒漠 Ephedra intermedia Desert	3
温性半灌木与草本荒漠 Temperate Semi-Shrub and Herb Desert	灌木亚菊荒漠 Ajania fruticulosa Desert	4
	山岭麻黄荒漠 Ephedra gerardiana Desert	1
	驼绒藜荒漠 Krascheninnikovia ceratoides Desert	7
	心叶驼绒藜荒漠 Krascheninnikovia eversmanniana Desert	2
	雀苣荒漠 Lactuca orientalis Desert	1
	西藏绢蒿荒漠 Seriphidium thomsonianum Desert	4