Results of the Project, Endangered Mechanism and Environmental Background of Rare Species in Junggar Desert, Was Appraised

  On March 30, 2010, the results of the project, Endangered Mechanism and Environmental Background of Rare Species in Junggar Desert which was applied by Prof. Zhang Yuanming from Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, was appraised by the specialists organized by the Science and Technology Department of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region.

The project, focused on the status of biological diversity in Junggar Desert, evaluated the endangered and survival situations of the important species, studied the conservation biology of key species and important natural resources, and proposed practical conservation strategies. The relationships between the important biological groups and their adaptation mechanisms to environments were also studied.

The project established the Germplasms Database for Higher Plants in Junggar Desert, and an evaluation system of comprehensive coefficient for rare and endangered plants. The research group also studied the stress mechanism of Eremosparton songoricum and proposed consevation strategies. The project analyzed the habitat selection of desert ungulate species and their population viability, establishing a index system of habitat suitability evaluation. The project investigated the impacts of desert rodents and human disturbances on the desert plant communities, biological soil crusts and soil properties, and the impacts of biological soil crust on the seed plant diversity, as well as the stable effects of environmental factors and ephemeral plants in Junggar Desert. Then, the results of the project point out that grazing had significant impact on the biodiversity of desert communities and soil physical and chemical properties, which resulted in a decrease of ground surface stability, and thus significantly affected the sustainable development of desert ecosystems and biological diversity. The project also indicated that developed biological soil crusts decreased the desert plant diversity and maintaining quantificational disturbance intensity is important to ground surface stability. In conclusion, this project provided useful data for scientific management of ecological systems.