干旱区生态环境知识资源中心

Naturally occurring floods in the summer months are the main source of surface water application in the foreland of Qira oasis, which is characterized by a hyperarid climate and is located at the southern fringe of the Taklimakan Desert. We investigated the impact of repeated artificial flood irrigation on seedling recruitment and growth of Alhagi sparsifolia and Karelinia caspica plant communities which are part of the dominant vegetation in Qira oasis. Flood irrigation was applied three times during the growing season and we studied the effect of irrigation on species recruitment, vegetation growth, species composition, and changes in soil water and nutrient concentrations in the soil profile. Results show that (1) repeated flood irrigation had a positive effect on seedling recruitment of the two species, with vegetative recruitment via root tillers being more important than seed recruitment for both species. (2) Irrigation promoted the germination and establishment of herbaceous weed species, which increased species diversity as well as ground coverage. (3) Irrigation also increased soil water and soil nutrient concentrations in the upper soil layer and changed the soil nutrients in the vertical profile. Available N, P, K and the total P and K increased in the soil profile. Our study demonstrates that naturally occurring flood irrigation has significant ecological benefits and plays an important role in promoting the renewal of desert vegetation and a short-term increase of soil nutrients. Our study also highlights the potential negative consequences for vegetation composition and rejuvenation if naturally occurring floods in the study area are diminished by either the effects of climate change or human management.