Sandstorms damage the photosynthetic activities of Haloxylon ammodendron seedlings

Shi, Shengjun; Zhou, Dangwei; Shi, Rui; Sun, Tao; Wang, Fanglin; Gao, Xuemin; Zhang, Yunian; Zhao, Peng Ju; Xu, Gaoxing; Tang, Jinnian

doi:10.1007/s11738-023-03528-5

Cited by 3 publications

(1 citation statement)

References 41 publications

(47 reference statements)

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…Mey.) Bunge; Shi et al ., 2022, 2023) instead reported significantly declined photosynthesis after sandblasting. These contrasting findings may reflect differences in the sandblasting intensities (e.g.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 96%

Sandblasting promotes shrub encroachment in arid grasslands

Niu,

Pierce,

Okin

et al. 2023

New Phytologist

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Summary Shrub encroachment is a common ecological state transition in global drylands and has myriad adverse effects on grasslands and the services they provide. This physiognomic shift is often ascribed to changes in climate (e.g. precipitation) and disturbance regimes (e.g. grazing and fire), but this remains debated. Aeolian processes are known to impact resource distribution in drylands, but their potential role in grassland‐to‐shrubland state changes has received little attention. We quantified the effects of ‘sandblasting’ (abrasive damage by wind‐blown soil) on the ecophysiology of dryland grass vs shrub functional types using a portable wind tunnel to test the hypothesis that grasses would be more susceptible to sandblasting than shrubs and, thus, reinforce transitions to shrub dominance in wind‐erodible grasslands when climate‐ or disturbance‐induced reductions in ground cover occur. Grasses and shrubs responded differently to sandblasting, wherein water‐use efficiency declined substantially in grasses, but only slightly in shrubs, owing to grasses having greater increases in day/nighttime leaf conductance and transpiration. The differential ecophysiological response to sandblasting exhibited by grass and shrub functional types could consequently alter the vegetation dynamics in dryland grasslands in favour of the xerophytic shrubs. Sandblasting could thus be an overlooked driver of shrub encroachment in wind‐erodible grasslands.

show abstract

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 96%

Sandblasting promotes shrub encroachment in arid grasslands

Niu,

Pierce,

Okin

et al. 2023

New Phytologist

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

Quantifying the influence of dominant factors on the long-term sandstorm weather - A case study in the Yellow River Basin during 2000–2021

Wang,

Sun,

Wang

et al. 2024

Atmospheric Research

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Assessing the Relationship between Ecological Water Demand of Haloxlon ammodendron and Its Wind Erosion Prevention Effect

Haimei

Liang

Liu

et al. 2023

Water

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Desert vegetation in the outer transition zone of an arid oasis serves as a protective barrier against wind and sand, safeguarding the oasis ecosystem. However, intensive agricultural water usage within the oasis has led to water depletion, posing a threat to the survival and growth of desert vegetation, as well as the associated increase in wind and sand phenomena. To ensure the sustainable distribution of water resources and maintain the stability of the oasis peripheral ecosystem, this study aimed to investigate the relationship between the ecological water demand of desert vegetation and its effectiveness in preventing wind erosion. Through a combination of field sample tests, field pit tests, and data analysis, this research focused on Haloxlon ammodendron, the most prevalent species on the oasis periphery, to explore the intricate relationship between its ecological water demand and resistance to wind erosion. The results showed that medium-vegetation-coverage soils exhibited a higher soil moisture content (7.02%) compared to high-vegetation-coverage soils (1.57%) and low-vegetation-coverage soils (3.41%). As the soil water content decreased, the growth rate of H. ammodendron’s plant height, new branches, and crown width decelerated. The ecological water requirement of H. ammodendron during its growth period was 70.95 mm under medium-vegetation-coverage conditions, exhibiting a significant increase of 14.6% and 12.3% compared to high- and low-vegetation-coverage conditions, respectively. Meanwhile, H. ammodendron exhibits remarkable wind erosion prevention effects in moderate coverage conditions, resulting in a significant reduction in surface sand collection and sand transport by 53.15% and 51.29%, respectively, compared to low vegetation coverage; however, no significant difference was observed when compared to high vegetation coverage. The SEM model results revealed that soil water content had an indirect effect on sand transport (R2 = 0.90) and sand collection (R2 = 0.96) through three pathways of action, namely: volatile water content–crown growth rate–wind speed–sediment discharge; volatile water content–plant height growth rate–vegetation coverage–wind speed–sediment discharge; and volatile water content–plant height growth rate–vegetation coverage–sediment accumulation. This study provides valuable insights for the scientific formulation and implementation of strategies aimed at protecting desert vegetation.

show abstract

Sandstorms damage the photosynthetic activities of Haloxylon ammodendron seedlings

Cited by 3 publications

References 41 publications

Sandblasting promotes shrub encroachment in arid grasslands

Sandblasting promotes shrub encroachment in arid grasslands

Quantifying the influence of dominant factors on the long-term sandstorm weather - A case study in the Yellow River Basin during 2000–2021

Assessing the Relationship between Ecological Water Demand of Haloxlon ammodendron and Its Wind Erosion Prevention Effect

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About