Relative Ecological Value of Major Plants in Minqin Desert Area

This paper analyzed relative ecological value of several major plants in Minqin desert grassland using layered projection of plant canopy. The results showed that ecological functions of natural Nitraria tangutorum and Ephedra sinica woods of a unit area were much better than those of artifi cial Haloxylon ammodendron woods, relative ecological value of N. tangutorum, E. sinica and Artemisia desertorum were much higher than that of artifi cial H. ammodendron woods. Layered projection explains clearly the ecological functions and relative ecological value of desert vegetation of the same coverage. It is inaccurate to indicate wind prevention and sand fi xation of desert vegetation in deserts using ecological function service value and ecological niche calculated on the basis of two-dimensional vegetation coverage, but three-dimensional projection degree should be applied to indicate ecological functions and relative ecological value of vegetation. Application of layered projection of plants in calculating ecological functions and relative ecological value of desert plants(vegetation) is the innovation point of this research.