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Physiological acclimation strategies of riparian plants to environment change in the delta of the Tarim River, China

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Environmental Geology

Abstract

The occurrence and development of riparian forests, which were mainly dominated by mesophytes species related closely with surface water. Since there was no water discharged to the lower reaches of Tarim River in the past three decade years, the riparian forests degrade severely. The groundwater table, the saline content of the groundwater, as well as the content of free proline, soluble sugars, plant endogenous hormones (abscisic acid (ABA), and cytokinins (CTK)) of the leaves and relative rates of sap flow of the Populus euphratica Oliv. (arbor species), Tamarix ramosissima Ldb. (bush species), and Apocynum venetum L. (herb species) were monitored and analyzed at the lower reaches of the Tarim River in the study area where five positions on a transect were fixed at 100 m intervals along a sampling direction from riverbank to the sand dunes before and after water release. The physiological responses and acclimation strategies of three species to variations in water and salinity stress were discussed. It was found that A. venetum population recovered to groundwater table ranging from −1.73 to −3.56 m, and when exposed to saline content of the groundwater ranging from 36.59 to 93.48 m mol/L; P. euphratica appeared to be more sensitive to the elevation of groundwater table than the A. venetum and T. ramosissima at groundwater table ranging from −5.08 to −5.80 m, and when exposed to saline content of the groundwater ranging from 42.17 to 49.55 m mol/L. T. ramosissima tended to be the best candidate species for reclamation in this hyper-arid area because it responded to groundwater table ranging from −1.73 to −7.05 m, and when exposed to saline content of the groundwater ranging from 36.59 to 93.48 m mol/L. These results explained the distribution patterns of desert vegetation in the lower reaches of the Tarim River. Understanding the relationships among ecological factors variables, physiological response and acclimation strategies of plant individuals could provide guidance to sustainable management, reclamation and development of this and similar regions.

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Acknowledgments

The authors are grateful to NSFC (National Science Foundation of China; Project no. 30470330, 30770334, 90502004) and STSPC (Science and Technology Support Plan of China in eleven-fifth; Project no. 2006BAC01A03-2) for the financial support of the work.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Ningbo Institute of Technology, Zhejiang University, 315100, Ningbo, People’s Republic of China

    Xiao Ruan, Qiang Wang & Hao Jiang

  2. College of Forest, Xinjiang Agriculture University, 830052, Urumqi, People’s Republic of China

    Cun-De Pan

  3. Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 830011, Urumqi, People’s Republic of China

    Ya-Ning Chen

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  1. Xiao Ruan
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  2. Qiang Wang
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  3. Cun-De Pan
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  5. Hao Jiang
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Correspondence to Qiang Wang.

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Ruan, X., Wang, Q., Pan, CD. et al. Physiological acclimation strategies of riparian plants to environment change in the delta of the Tarim River, China. Environ Geol 57, 1761–1773 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00254-008-1461-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00254-008-1461-3

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