Study on functional traits of Haloxylon ammodendron leaves with different stubble strength in Ulanbuhe desert

To reveal the adaptation strategies of Haloxylon ammodendron leaves to the environment at different stubble strength and provide scientific basis for better nurturing degraded artificial H. ammodendron forests.

Taking a 20 year old artificial H. ammodendron forest near the northeast edge of the Ulanbuhe desert as the research object, a total of 9 indicators of leaf functional traits were measured after different proportions of flat cropping. The changes in leaf functional traits of H. ammodendron were explored and the differences between different growth periods after flat cropping were analyzed, aiming to reveal the adaptation strategies of H. ammodendron to arid desert environments after flat cropping.

Different proportions of flat stubble H. ammodendron showed varying degrees of compensatory growth, with the most obvious phenomenon of over compensatory growth observed in 0% of stubble; The 9 leaf traits tested showed significant differences between different growth stages under the same proportion of flat cropping treatment; During the same growth period, there were significant differences (P<0.05) in leaf fresh mass, saturated fresh mass, dry mass, and leaf area between 0% stubble and other (25%, 50%, 75%) stubble strength and CK. Except for 0% stubble, the coefficient of variation of leaf traits under other treatments and CK was less than 50%, belonging to moderate variation. The leaf traits with 0% stubble were most prone to strong variation. There was a certain correlation between the functional traits of various leaves of H. ammodendron, and flat cropping increased the correlation between leaf traits to a certain extent; Principal component analysis showed that fresh leaf mass and saturated fresh leaf mass could be used as the main indicators for evaluating the functional traits of flat cut H. ammodendron leaves.

Research has shown that it is necessary to carry out appropriate and reasonable pruning for degraded, withered and aging H. ammodendron. Ulanbuhe desert artificial H. ammodendron forests can adopt pruning with a height of 0% to promote forest growth and sustainable development, which is conducive to restoring their functions in desert ecosystems.