随着人类活动对生态环境的影响日益剧增，干扰对生物个体、种群动态、群落结构和生态系统功能的影响机理逐渐成为当今生态学研究的热点和难点，其中植物对土地利用过程中的人类干扰的反应是生态学上的一个关键问题。各种干扰事件如放牧、火烧、风沙、砍伐和刈割对植被的作用都是干扰的生态作用研究的组成部分，这些干扰对植被更新和生长有着重要的影响。
疏叶骆驼刺在塔克拉玛干沙漠南缘绿洲-沙漠过渡带广泛分布，是当地阻挡风沙入侵的重要屏障和重要的牧草资源。然而，由于当地居民的过度采伐和放牧，疏叶骆驼刺植被遭受大面积的破坏和退化，许多学者提出应加强对疏叶骆驼刺植被的保护。但现有研究缺乏从资源利用层面，探讨砍伐和火烧等主要的人类活动干扰对疏叶骆驼刺植被生产力的影响。
中国科学院新疆生态与地理研究所曾凡江研究员指导博士生李海峰针对上述问题，通过连续两年的试验观测，研究了不同干扰处理（春季砍伐、春季火烧和秋季砍伐）对疏叶骆驼刺再生的影响，结果表明：春季火烧和春季砍伐均显着降低了疏叶骆驼刺的株高和地上生物量，不利于骆驼刺的再生长；秋季适度砍伐则使疏叶骆驼刺地上生物量累积显着增加，有利于疏叶骆驼刺植被生产力的提高。该研究为更好地保护和合理利用疏叶骆驼刺植被资源提供科学依据。
相关研究结果以Effects of cutting and burning on regeneration of Alhagi sparsifolia Shap. on the southern fringe of the Taklamakan Desert, North-west China为题发表于The Rangeland Journal。(生物谷Bioon.com)
DOI:10.1071/RJ12020
PMC:
PMID:
Effects of cutting and burning on regeneration of Alhagi sparsifolia Shap. on the southern fringe of the Taklamakan Desert, North-west China
Haifeng Li A B C, Fanjiang Zeng A C D, Dongwei Gui A C, Ligang Zhang A B C, Cong Song A B C, Weicheng Luo A B C and Shoulan Peng A B C
Indigenous vegetation such as Alhagi sparsifolia Shap. (Fabaceae) has been severely damaged in recent years because of the growing population and increasing land use on the southern margin of the Taklamakan Desert. Alhagi sparsifolia plays an important role in supporting the fragile ecosystem in the oasis foreland as it has multiple ecological and economic functions. Cele Oasis, located on the southern rim of the Taklamakan Desert, was used to investigate the impact of human disturbance on regeneration of A. sparsifolia in the oasis–desert ecotone. Observations of A. sparsifolia in response to cutting and burning were conducted in 2010 and 2011. The results showed that burning in spring significantly decreased height and biomass in comparison to cutting in the fall. Moreover, biomass was decreased by spring burning more than by spring cutting. Burning in spring is no advantage for the growth and survival of A. sparsifolia. Cutting in fall appears to be a useful treatment for increasing the production from and survival of A. sparsifolia that could facilitate the sustainable development of the Cele Oasis.
