Responses of root growth of Alhagi sparsifolia Shap. (Fabaceae) to different simulated groundwater depths in the southern fringe of the Taklimakan Desert, China

Alhagi sparsifolia Shap. （Fabaceae） is a spiny, perennial herb. The species grows in the salinized, arid regions in North China. This study investigated the response characteristics of the root growth and the dis- tribution of one-year-old A. sparsifolia seedlings to different groundwater depths in controlled plots. The eco- logical adaptability of the root systems of A. sparsifolia seedlings was examined using the artificial digging method. Results showed that： （1） A. sparsifolia seedlings adapted to an increase in groundwater depth mainly through increasing the penetration depth and growth rate of vertical roots. The vertical roots grew rapidly when soil moisture content reached 3%-9%, but slowly when soil moisture content was 13%-20%. The vertical roots stopped growing when soil moisture content reached 30% （the critical soil moisture point）. （2） The morphological plasticity of roots is an important strategy used by A. sparsifolia seedlings to obtain water and adapt to dry soil conditions. When the groundwater table was shallow, horizontal roots quickly expanded and tillering increased in order to compete for light resources, whereas when the groundwater table was deeper, vertical roots developed quickly to exploit space in the deeper soil layers. （3） The decrease in groundwater depth was probably respon- sible for the root distribution in the shallow soil layers. Root biomass and surface area both decreased with soil depth. One strategy of A. sparsifolia seedlings in dealing with the increase in groundwater depth is to increase root biomass in the deep soil layers. The relationship between the root growth/distribution of A. sparsifolia and the depth of groundwater table can be used as guidance for harvesting A. sparsifolia biomass and managing water resources for forage grasses. It is also of ecological significance as it reveals how desert plants adapt to arid environments.

Root characteristics of Alhagi sparsifolia seedlings in response to water supplement in an arid region,northwestern China

The effect of variation in water supply on woody seedling growth in arid environments remain poorly known.The subshrub Alhagi sparsifolia Shap.（Leguminosae）,distributed in the southern fringe of the Taklimakan Desert,Xinjiang,northwestern China,has evolved deep roots and is exclusively dependent on groundwater,and performs a crucial role for the local ecological safety.In the Cele oasis,we studied the responses of A.sparsifolia seedling roots to water supplement at 10 and 14 weeks under three irrigation treatments （none water supply of 0 m3/m2 （NW）,middle water supply of 0.1 m3/m2 （MW）,and high water supply of 0.2 m3/m2 （HW））.The results showed that the variations of soil water content （SWC） significantly influenced the root growth of A.sparsifolia seedlings.The leaf area,basal diameter and crown diameter were significantly higher in the HW treatment than in the other treatments.The biomass,root surface area （RSA）,root depth and relative growth rate （RGR） of A.sparsifolia roots were all significantly higher in the NW treatment than in the HW and MW treatments at 10 weeks.However,these root parameters were significantly lower in the NW treatment than in the other treatments at 14 weeks.When SWC continued to decline as the experiment went on （until less than 8％ gravimetric SWC）,the seedlings still showed drought tolerance through morphological and physiological responses,but root growth suffered serious water stress compared to better water supply treatments.According to our study,keeping a minimum gravimetric SWC of 8％ might be important for the growth and establishment of A.sparsifolia during the early growth stage.These results will not only enrich our knowledge of the responses of woody seedlings to various water availabilities,but also provide a new insight to successfully establish and manage A.sparsifolia in arid environments,further supporting the sustainable development of oases.

Two Ultraviolet Radiation Datasets that Cover China

Ultraviolet（UV） radiation has significant effects on ecosystems, environments, and human health, as well as atmospheric processes and climate change. Two ultraviolet radiation datasets are described in this paper. One contains hourly observations of UV radiation measured at 40 Chinese Ecosystem Research Network stations from 2005 to 2015. CUV3 broadband radiometers were used to observe the UV radiation, with an accuracy of 5%, which meets the World Meteorology Organization＇s measurement standards. The extremum method was used to control the quality of the measured datasets. The other dataset contains daily cumulative UV radiation estimates that were calculated using an all-sky estimation model combined with a hybrid model. The reconstructed daily UV radiation data span from 1961 to 2014. The mean absolute bias error and root-mean-square error are smaller than 30% at most stations, and most of the mean bias error values are negative, which indicates underestimation of the UV radiation intensity. These datasets can improve our basic knowledge of the spatial and temporal variations in UV radiation. Additionally, these datasets can be used in studies of potential ozone formation and atmospheric oxidation, as well as simulations of ecological processes.

Regulation of the water status in three co-occurring phreatophytes at the southern fringe of the Taklamakan Desert

Aims We investigated the regulation of the water status in three predominant perennial C3 phreatophytes(Alhagi sparsifolia,Populus euphratica,Tamarix ramosissima)at typical sites of their occurrence at the southern fringe of the hyperarid Taklamakan Desert(north-west China).Methods In the foreland of the river oasis of Qira(Cele),we determined meteorological variables,plant biomass production,plant water potentials(WL)and the water flux through the plants.We calculated the hydraulic conductance on the flow path from the soil to the leaves(kSL)and tested the effects of kSL,WL and the leaf-to-air difference in the partial pressure of water vapour(Dw)on stomatal regulation using regression analyses.Important Findings Despite high values of plant water potential at the point of turgor loss,all plants sustained WL at levels that were high enough to maintain transpiration throughout the growing season.In A.sparsifolia,stomatal resistance(rs;related to leaf area or leaf mass)was most closely correlated with kSL;whereas in P.euphratica,~70%of the variation in rs was explained by Dw.In T.ramosissima,leaf area-related rs was significantly correlated with WL and kSL.The regulation mechanisms are in accordance with the growth patterns and the occurrence of the species in relation to their distance to the ground water.

中亚气候变化:中德合作研究成果

Central Asia(CA)occupies the hinterland of the Eurasian continent,containing the countries of Uzbekistan,Kyrgyzstan,Turkmenistan,Tajikistan,and Kazakhstan[1,2].Being isolated by the Pamir Mountains in Tajikistan,the Tibetan Plateau and the Tian Shan Mountains on the border between China and Kyrgyzstan.

Water use efficiency and yield responses of cotton to field capacity-based deficit irrigation in an extremely arid area of China

The objectives of present investigation were to test the effects on water use efficiency(WUE)and cotton yield of implementing a range of deficit irrigation regimes triggered at specific fractions of root zone soil moisture,field capacity(θfc)and different crop phenological stages.The study was conducted on southern oasis of the Taklamakan desert,China.The cotton crop’s WUE was quantified,as were leaf photosynthesis and yield.From a photosynthetic perspective,deficit irrigation resulted in 16.8%,10.3%and 2.2%increases in leaf WUE underθfc-based regulated deficit irrigation(T1,T2,and T3),compared to the control,respectively.Cotton yield and its components were significantly affected by irrigation depths(p≤0.05).A relatively high seed yield(0.65 kg/m3)and the highest WUE were achieved,under T3(70%θfc at seedling stage,60%θfc at squaring,50%θfc at full-bloom,70%θfc at boll,70%θfc at boll cracking stage),showing it to be the most effective and productive irrigation schedule tested.As the application ofθfc-based deficit irrigation in surface-irrigated cotton fields showed great potential in saving water,maintaining a high WUE,and improving cotton seed yield,a management strategy consisting or irrigation thresholds of 70%θfc in the root zone at the seedling,boll and boll cracking stages,and of 60%θfc at the squaring stage,and 50%θfc at the full-bloom stage,would be recommended for this extremely arid region.