Effects of restoration of artificial sand-fixing vegetation on the diversity of reptiles and mammals in the middle reaches of the Heihe River Basin

doi:10.7522/j.issn.1000-694X.2024.00055

Journal of Desert Research ›› 2024, Vol. 44 ›› Issue (6): 167-177.DOI: 10.7522/j.issn.1000-694X.2024.00055

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Effects of restoration of artificial sand-fixing vegetation on the diversity of reptiles and mammals in the middle reaches of the Heihe River Basin

Jiliang Liu¹(), Yilin Feng², Yongzhen Wang¹, Chengchen Pan¹, Tianling Bao¹, Jialong Ren³, Wenzhi Zhao¹()

^1.Key Laboratory of Ecological Safety and Sustainable Development in Arid Lands，Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources，Chinese Academy of Sciences，Lanzhou 730000，China
^2.Chengdu Institute of Biology，Chinese Academy of Sciences，Chengdu 610213，China
^3.College of Geographic Sciences，Shanxi Normal University，Taiyuan 030031，China

Received:2023-10-22 Revised:2024-05-22 Online:2024-11-20 Published:2024-12-06
Contact: Wenzhi Zhao

Abstract

Abstract:

Conversion of natural mobile and fixed sandy dune into artificial sand-fixing vegetation changes the vegetation and soil environment， which in turn affects the vertebrates and invertebrate diversity. In this paper， we establish long-term monitoring sites for desert animal diversity in mobile sandy dune （MSD）， 5-10-year-old （HAP_5-10）， and 20-30-year-old Haloxylon ammodendron plantation （HAP_5-10 and HAP_20-30） located in the Zhangye Oasis of the middle reaches of the Heihe River Basin. Reptiles， mammals and arthropods in the MSD， HAP_5-10， and HAP_20-30 habitats were observed using pitfall trapping and infrared-triggered cameras， and to determine the patterns of response of reptile and mammal diversity and the interaction with arthropods to the restoration of artificial sand-fixing vegetation. The results showed that conversion of natural mobile sandy dunes into Haloxylon ammodendron plantations changed the assemblage of reptiles， and the abundance and species richness of reptiles in the MSD were higher than those in HAP_20-30 habitats. Phrynocephalus przewalskii and Scincella doriae captured increased slightly in HAP_5-10 habitats compared to MSD habitats， but decreasing in HAP_20-30 habitats. Eremias przewalskii caught in MSD was significantly higher than in HAP_5-10 and HAP_20-30 habitats. The mammal assemblages also showed significant variations between MSD with HAP_5-10 and HAP_20-30 habitats. Conversion of mobile sandy dune to H. ammodendron plantations significantly increased the monthly relative abundance index， species richness and diversity index of mammals. The activity intensity of both Rhombomys opimus and predatory mammals （e.g.， Otocolobus manul and Vulpes vulpes） increased and then decreased with the number of years of restoration of the H. ammodendron plantations. Conversion of mobile sandy dune to H. ammodendron plantations also affected arthropod， reptile and theropod interactions. The activity intensity of Felis silvestris was significantly negatively correlated with that of R. opimus， and that of Vormela peregusna was significantly positively correlated with that of R. opimus， and activity intensity of O. manul and V. peregusna was negatively correlated with abundance of E. przewalskii. The abundance of reptiles was significantly negatively with the abundance of Arachnida， and the activity intensities of O. manul and V. vulpes was significantly positively correlated with the abundance of Coleoptera. In addition， it was found that the conversion of mobile sandy dunes into H. ammodendron plantations reduced the predation intensity of arachnid arthropods on beetles （Coleoptera） and ants （Formicidae）. In conclusion， the transformation of mobile sandy dunes into H. ammodendron plantations had increased the abundance of R. opimus， reptiles and arthropods， and the intensity of predatory animals such as V. peregusna， O. manul and V. vulpes had increased and altered arthropod， reptile and animal interactions， which affects the desert animal diversity and their ecological functions.

Key words: the middle reaches of the Heihe River Basin, mobile sandy dunes, Haloxylon ammodendron plantations, reptiles, mammals

CLC Number:

Q958

Jiliang Liu, Yilin Feng, Yongzhen Wang, Chengchen Pan, Tianling Bao, Jialong Ren, Wenzhi Zhao. Effects of restoration of artificial sand-fixing vegetation on the diversity of reptiles and mammals in the middle reaches of the Heihe River Basin[J]. Journal of Desert Research, 2024, 44(6): 167-177.

Figures/Tables 8

Fig.1 Monthly precipitation （A） and monthly average temperature （B） in the study area in 2023 and over 10 years between 2014 and 2023

Fig.2 Comparison of the number of individuals and species in reptiles captured in the mobile sandy dune， 5-10-year-old， and 20-30-year-old Haloxylon ammodendron plantations

Fig.3 Comparison of the abundance of three reptile species captured in the mobile sandy dune， 5-10-year-old， and 20-30-year-old Haloxylon ammodendron plantation

Fig.4 Non-metric multidimensional scaling （NMDS） plots indicating 2-dimensional distances of mammals in the mobile sandy dune （○）， 5-10-year-old （△）， and 20-30-year-old （□） Haloxylon ammodendron plantations

Fig.5 Comparison of the monthly relative abundance index， species richness and diversity index in mammals observed in the mobile sandy dune， 5-10-year-old， and 20-30-year-old Haloxylon ammodendron plantation

Fig.6 Comparison of the monthly relative abundance of dominant mammals in the mobile sandy dune （MSD）， 5-10-year-old （HAP5-10）， and 20-30-year-old （HAP20-30） Haloxylon ammodendron plantation

Table 1 Spearman correlations of abundance and Arachnida， Coleoptera， and Formicidae with activity intensity of predatory mammals

捕食性动物	昆虫
捕食性动物	蛛形纲（Arachnida）	鞘翅目（Coleoptera）	蚁科（Formicidae）
月相对多度指数	-0.08	0.50	-0.18
物种数	0.24	0.55	0.21
亚洲野猫（Felis silvestris）	-0.37	-0.37	-0.28
兔狲（Otocolobus manul）	-0.08	0.65⁺	-0.01
虎鼬（Vormela peregusna）	0.41	0.52	0.29
赤狐（Vulpes vulpes）	0.00	0.64⁺	-0.15
狗獾（Meles meles）	-0.23	0.52	0.02

Table 2 Spearman correlations of abundance and Arachnida， Coleoptera， and Formicidae with reptiles

爬行动物	昆虫
爬行动物	蛛形纲（Arachnida）	鞘翅目（Coleoptera）	蚂蚁（Formicidae）
个体数	-0.43^*	0.24	-0.28
物种数	-0.35⁺	-0.08	-0.25
荒漠沙蜥（Phrynocephalus przewalskii）	-0.36⁺	0.17	-0.31
虫纹麻蜥（Scincella doriae）	-0.38⁺	-0.33⁺	-0.32
荒漠麻蜥（Eremiasprzewalskii）	-0.16	0.21	-0.02

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Effects of restoration of artificial sand-fixing vegetation on the diversity of reptiles and mammals in the middle reaches of the Heihe River Basin

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