The study area was located at the Linze Inland River Basin Integrated Research Station (LIRBIRS, 39° 21’ N, 100° 07’ E, 1,367 m above sea level) of the Ecosystem Research Network of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, in Pingchuan Town, Linze County, in the central part of the Hexi Corridor, Gansu Province, China (Figure 1A). The study area has a temperate continental desert climate, characterized by sparse precipitation throughout the year, which is concentrated in summer, as well as a dry climate, long day lengths, and intense solar radiation; the annual precipitation is 124.3 mm and the average annual temperature is 7.6°C. The annual average wind speed is 3.2 m·s-1, the maximum wind speed is 21 m·s-1, and the prevailing wind direction is northwesterly (Zhao et al., 2003 (link)). The precipitation and maximum wind speed dynamics during the fencing period (Figure 1C), which were determined using meteorological data obtained from the desert ecosystem meteorological long-term experiment sample sites at LIRBIRS, indicated fluctuations but no significant annual increases or decreases. The study area is dominated by semi-fixed dunes with a simple plant community structure and few species. Xerophytes and semi-shrubby vegetation dominate. The xerophytes and ultra-xerophytes do not typically include short-lived or annual plants. Representative plants include Reaumuria songorica, Nitraria tangutorum, Calligonum chinense, Haloxylon ammodendron, and Agriophyllum squarrosum, which exhibit a mixed spatial distribution, constituting a unique patch vegetation pattern. The dominant herb species are Artemisia scoparia, Suaeda glauca, Halogeton arachnoideus, and Eragrostis minor, with sporadic Zygophyllum kansuense and Allium mongolicum.
Free full text: Click here