Bio-geomorphologic features and growth process of Tamarix nabkhas in Hotan River Basin, Xinjiang

Abstract

Tamarix nabkha is one of the most widespread nabkhas, distributing in the arid region of China. Based on the observations outdoors and the simulation experiments in laboratories, analysis in this paper refers to the biological geomorphologic features and growth process of Tamarix nabkhas in the middle and lower reaches of the Hotan River, Xinjiang. And the results indicate that the ecological type of Tamarix in the study area is a kind of Tugaic soil habitat based on the deep soil of the Populus Diversifolia forests and shrubs. This type of habitat can be divided into three kinds of sub-habitats which demonstrate the features of ecological environment of Tamarix nabkhas during the differential developed phases. Meanwhile, the Tamarix nabkha can exert intensified disturbance current on wind-sand flow on the ground, and its root and stems not only have strong potential of sprouting but are characteristic of wind erosion-tolerance, resistance to be buried by sand and respectively tough rigid of the lignified branches, for it has a rather longer life-time. Thus, the wind speed profile influenced by the Tamarix nabkha is different from the Phragmites nabkha and Alhagi nabkha. And the structure of the wind flow is beneficial to aeolian sand accumulating in/around Tamarix shrub，which can create unique Tamarix nabkhas with higher average gradient and longer periodicity of life. Tamarix nabkha evolution in the area experienced three stages: growth stage, mature and steady stage and withering stage. In each stage, morphological features and geomorphic process of Tamarix nabkha are different due to the discrepant interaction between the nabkha and aeolian sand flow.

Factors controlling the formation of coppice dunes (nebkhas) in the Negev Desert

“…Situated at the playa surfaces, wind erosion of the playa surface was excluded, while water erosion was minimal and therefore negligible for the formation of the UCMs in NRS. While wind scouring takes place at the dune crests (in agreement with other reports; see Li et al , ; Kröpfl et al , ), the strong cohesion of the surface does not facilitate wind erosion at the playa. The sandy texture of the mounds cannot also be explained by water erosion at the shrub vicinity or by deposition of sediments by runoff, as previously suggested for the central Negev (Shachak and Lovett, ).…”

“…UCMs have been reported in many parts of the world. While some attribute their formation to water erosion that takes place around the shrub (Rostagno and del Valle, ), or to sediment‐laden runoff (Eldridge and Rosentreter, ), most UCMs are thought to result from dust‐laden wind, which stem from up‐wind erosion of sediments and their accumulation under the shrubs (Olson, ; Hesp, ; Nickling and Wolfe, ; Tengberg, ; Tengberg and Chen, ; Langford, ; Dougill and Thomas, ; Wang et al , ; Seifert et al , ; Li et al , ; Zhang et al , ; Quets et al , ). Their formation was interpreted by some scholars to result from a combination of dust‐laden wind coupled with water erosion (Gibbens et al , ; El‐Bana et al , ), while others attribute their formation to a combination of dust‐laden wind and sediment‐laden runoff from upslope locations (Shachak and Lovett, ; Buis et al , ).…”

Saline soil enzyme activities of four plant communities in Sangong River basin of Xinjiang, China

“…Xinjiang, located in the hinterland of the Eurasian continent, is characterized by a typical arid climate and has a vast area of saline soil (Li et al, 2010). Plant species in this region mainly include shrubs, semi-shrubs, and small arbors.…”

Ecological benefit analysis of restoration of degraded environment by Artificial Tamarix-Cistanche

“…Growing along the edge of the desert, Tamarix Chinensis is able to resist the desert invasion (Li et al 2010;Liu et al 2008). Cistanche is also a valuable herb in traditional Chinese medicine.…”