Abstract:

In order to explore the composition， characteristics and patterns of the plant community， and to serve the sand-fixing and ecological construction better， we investigated natural and artificial vegetation in both individual and community scale around the south edge of Badain Jaran Sand Sea， a desert with high shifting sand dunes in northern China.， The results shows that there were 31 species of desert plants， including 12 species of shrubs， 11 species of perennial herbs， and 8 species of annual or biennial herbs ， based on the 13 investigated plots data. The population density was from 3 000 to 14 000 hm^-2， and the vegetation patterns were characterized by small patch area and low largest patch index （LPI）. The dominant species were prominent in the areas， indicating a relatively poor community stability. Because of the growth and distribution of natural vegetation communities and the construction of sand-fixing plantation successfully along the extension zones of the desert， it should be possible and feasible to establish and benefit sand-fixing vegetation by means of establishment of native plants plantation on the edge. In the future， under the concept of the Full-array ecosystems （mountains-rivers-forests-farmlands-lakes-grasslands-deserts）， it is necessary to strengthen the analysis of the relationships between water， vegetation and desert on a regional scale， as well as the questions in authenticity， integrity and connectivity of the ecosystem and the maintenance of ecosystem stability. Meanwhile， it is of great importance on optimizing the ecological landscape pattern and determining the ecological protection targets and construction scales. In order to provide scientific and technological support for regional ecological construction and protection， the research on the native plants about adaptation mechanism to arid climate and the reproduction and conservation technology should be processed scientifically.

Key words: Badain Jaran Sand Sea, vegetation composition, vegetation pattern, vegetation soil moisture bearing capacity, vegetation sand control