Life history response of Echinops gmelinii Turcz. to variation in the rainfall pattern in a temperate desert.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Current and future changes in rainfall amount and frequency may particularly impact annual plants in desert ecosystems. The winter annual Echinops gmelinii Turcz. is widely distributed in the desert habitats of northern China and is a dominant pioneer annual plant following sand stabilization in the Tengger Desert. This species plays a vital role in dune stabilization during spring and early summer, when wind erosion is the most severe and frequent. However, seedling emergence and regeneration in sandy soil are mainly determined by rainfall patterns. Therefore, understanding the life history response of this species to rainfall variation is necessary for understanding the change of population dynamics under the future climate change.

Methods

A field simulat

SUBMITTER: Wang Y 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6886482 | biostudies-literature | 2019

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature