Community characteristics and windbreak-sand fixation effectiveness of the shrub shelterbelts atop the Mogao Grottoes

doi:10.7522/j.issn.1000-694X.2025.00132

Journal of Desert Research ›› 2025, Vol. 45 ›› Issue (5): 350-359.DOI: 10.7522/j.issn.1000-694X.2025.00132

Community characteristics and windbreak-sand fixation effectiveness of the shrub shelterbelts atop the Mogao Grottoes

Yuan Zhao¹(), Hongtao Zhan²^,³^,⁴, Rongliang Jia⁵, Fei Qiu²^,³^,⁴, Ping Zhang¹, Guobin Zhang²^,³^,⁶()

^1.College of Forestry and Prataculture / State Key Laboratory of Efficient Production of Forest Resources，Ningxia University，Yinchuan 750021，China
^2.Gansu Provincial Research Center for the Protection of Dunhuang Cultural Heritage，Dunhuang 736200，Gansu，China
^3.National Research Center for Conservation of Ancient Wall Paintings and Earthen Sites，Dunhuang 736200，Gansu，China
^4.Dunhuang Academy Preservation Technology Service Center，Lanzhou 730000，China
^5.State Key Laboratory of Ecological Safety and Sustainable Development in Arid Lands / Shapotou Desert Research and Experiment Station，Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources，Chinese Academy of Sciences，Lanzhou 730000，China
^6.Dunhuang Academy，Dunhuang 736200，Gansu，China

Received:2025-06-04 Revised:2025-08-28 Online:2025-09-20 Published:2025-09-27
Contact: Guobin Zhang

Abstract

Abstract:

This study investigates the structural evolution of protective forest belts and their long-term benefits in safeguarding cultural relics within wind-sand environments. Focusing on the protective forest belt atop the Mogao Grottoes， the research employs the "space-for-time substitution" method to systematically examine forest belts and their quicksand control areas established in 1993， 1999， and 2011. The study evaluates the temporal evolution of community structure， protective benefits， and vegetation characteristics. The findings revealed several trends in the development of the forest belt over time. （1） As the planting years increased， the forest structure became more complex， with an increase in shrub diversity and a pattern of initial increase followed by a decrease in herbaceous plant diversity. The community diversity， as measured by the Shannon-Wiener index， was highest in the 31-year-old forest， followed by the 25-year-old， 13-year-old， and shifting sand areas. （2） The height， coverage， and abundance of the forest belt first increased and then decreased， with the 25-year-old forest exhibiting the optimal characteristics. The porosity of the forest belt continued to decrease， suggesting an enhancement in its wind-blocking capabilities. （3）The protection benefits exhibited a temporal pattern of initial strength followed by diminished effects. The 25-year-old forest belt demonstrated the most robust performance in enhancing microclimate， providing windbreak， and suppressing sand movement. （4）Principal component analysis revealed that the height and coverage of the forest belt were positively associated with the protection benefits， while porosity was negatively correlated with the height of sand accumulation. These findings underscore the critical role of forest belt structural characteristics in determining its ecological functions. The study identified pivotal moments in the succession of shelter forests and suggested optimising species allocation based on planting years and structural traits. It emphasised timely management to delay degradation and enhance stability and sustainability.

Key words: Mogao Grottoes, evolution of shelter forest, shelterbelt structure, effect of wind-breaking and sand-fixation

CLC Number:

S718.5

Yuan Zhao, Hongtao Zhan, Rongliang Jia, Fei Qiu, Ping Zhang, Guobin Zhang. Community characteristics and windbreak-sand fixation effectiveness of the shrub shelterbelts atop the Mogao Grottoes[J]. Journal of Desert Research, 2025, 45(5): 350-359.

Figures/Tables 8

References 53

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建植年龄/a	灌木树种	科	属	种	草本物种	科	属	种
0	梭梭、沙拐枣、泡泡刺	3	3	3	羽状三芒草、沙蒿	2	2	2
13	梭梭、柠条、花棒、沙拐枣	3	4	4	羽状三芒草、河西菊、鹅绒藤、沙蒿	3	4	4
25	梭梭、柽柳、柠条、泡泡刺、花棒、沙拐枣	5	6	6	羽状三芒草、河西菊、鹅绒藤、沙蒿、盐生草、苦苣菜、虎尾草、雾冰藜、甘青铁线莲、骆驼刺、狗尾草、假苇拂子茅、赖草、沙生针茅	6	14	14
31	梭梭、柽柳、柠条、泡泡刺、花棒、沙拐枣	5	6	6	鹅绒藤、沙蒿、盐生草、苦苣菜、虎尾草、雾冰藜、甘青铁线莲、骆驼刺、狗尾草、假苇拂子茅、刺沙蓬、肉苁蓉、乳苣	6	13	13

建植年龄/a	灌木树种	科	属	种	草本物种	科	属	种
0	梭梭、沙拐枣、泡泡刺	3	3	3	羽状三芒草、沙蒿	2	2	2
13	梭梭、柠条、花棒、沙拐枣	3	4	4	羽状三芒草、河西菊、鹅绒藤、沙蒿	3	4	4
25	梭梭、柽柳、柠条、泡泡刺、花棒、沙拐枣	5	6	6	羽状三芒草、河西菊、鹅绒藤、沙蒿、盐生草、苦苣菜、虎尾草、雾冰藜、甘青铁线莲、骆驼刺、狗尾草、假苇拂子茅、赖草、沙生针茅	6	14	14
31	梭梭、柽柳、柠条、泡泡刺、花棒、沙拐枣	5	6	6	鹅绒藤、沙蒿、盐生草、苦苣菜、虎尾草、雾冰藜、甘青铁线莲、骆驼刺、狗尾草、假苇拂子茅、刺沙蓬、肉苁蓉、乳苣	6	13	13

植物种	生活型	不同建植年龄群落重要值/%
植物种	生活型	0 a	13 a	25 a	31 a
梭梭(Haloxylon ammodendron)	灌木	13.48	22.38	23.70	19.34
柽柳(Tamarix chinensis)		—	―	16.88	17.30
沙拐枣(Calligonum mongolicum)		16.84	17.41	22.25	17.78
泡泡刺(Nitraria sphaerocarpa)		9.97	―	23.59	13.34
柠条(Caragana korshinskii)		—	17.95	26.74	18.60
花棒(Hedysarum scoparium)		—	22.69	15.24	12.12
苦苣菜(Sonchus oleraceus)	多年生草本植物	—	―	3.21	6.17
乳苣(Lactuca tatarica)		—	―	―	3.05
河西菊(Launaea polydichotoma)		—	5.47	3.25	―
沙蒿(Artemisia frigida)		5.35	7.12	6.31	6.57
骆驼刺(Alhagi camelorum)		—	―	2.71	3.12
假苇拂子茅(Calamagrostis pseudophragmites)		—	―	4.21	3.89
赖草(Leymus secalinus)		—	―	3.08	―
羽状三芒草(Aristida pennata)		3.75	15.62	5.63	―
鹅绒藤(Cynanchum chinense)		—	6.21	13.55	14.31
甘青铁线莲(Clematis tangutica)		—	―	4.08	3.17
肉苁蓉(Cistanche deserticola)		—	―	―	3.97
沙生针茅(Slipa glareosa)	一年生草本植物	—	―	3.57	―
狗尾草(Setaria viridis)		—	―	4.11	7.21
虎尾草(Chloris virgata)		—	―	5.52	4.27
雾冰藜(Grubovia dasyphlla)		—	―	4.71	8.21
刺沙蓬(Salsola tragus)		—	―	―	4.98
盐生草(Halogeton glomeratus)		—	―	12.15	11.15

植物种	生活型	不同建植年龄群落重要值/%
植物种	生活型	0 a	13 a	25 a	31 a
梭梭(Haloxylon ammodendron)	灌木	13.48	22.38	23.70	19.34
柽柳(Tamarix chinensis)		—	―	16.88	17.30
沙拐枣(Calligonum mongolicum)		16.84	17.41	22.25	17.78
泡泡刺(Nitraria sphaerocarpa)		9.97	―	23.59	13.34
柠条(Caragana korshinskii)		—	17.95	26.74	18.60
花棒(Hedysarum scoparium)		—	22.69	15.24	12.12
苦苣菜(Sonchus oleraceus)	多年生草本植物	—	―	3.21	6.17
乳苣(Lactuca tatarica)		—	―	―	3.05
河西菊(Launaea polydichotoma)		—	5.47	3.25	―
沙蒿(Artemisia frigida)		5.35	7.12	6.31	6.57
骆驼刺(Alhagi camelorum)		—	―	2.71	3.12
假苇拂子茅(Calamagrostis pseudophragmites)		—	―	4.21	3.89
赖草(Leymus secalinus)		—	―	3.08	―
羽状三芒草(Aristida pennata)		3.75	15.62	5.63	―
鹅绒藤(Cynanchum chinense)		—	6.21	13.55	14.31
甘青铁线莲(Clematis tangutica)		—	―	4.08	3.17
肉苁蓉(Cistanche deserticola)		—	―	―	3.97
沙生针茅(Slipa glareosa)	一年生草本植物	—	―	3.57	―
狗尾草(Setaria viridis)		—	―	4.11	7.21
虎尾草(Chloris virgata)		—	―	5.52	4.27
雾冰藜(Grubovia dasyphlla)		—	―	4.71	8.21
刺沙蓬(Salsola tragus)		—	―	―	4.98
盐生草(Halogeton glomeratus)		—	―	12.15	11.15

指标	建植年龄/a
指标	0	13	25	31
Shannon-Wiener多样性指数	1.52	1.99	2.74	2.81

Community characteristics and windbreak-sand fixation effectiveness of the shrub shelterbelts atop the Mogao Grottoes

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