In many arid ecosystems, vegetation frequently occurs in high-cover patches interspersed in a matrix of low plant cover. However, theoretical explanations for shrub patch pattern dynamics along climate gradients remain unclear on a large scale. This context aimed to assess the variance of the Reaumuria soongorica patch structure along the precipitation gradient and the factors that affect patch structure formation in the middle and lower Heihe River Basin (HRB). Field investigations on vegetation patterns and heterogeneity in soil properties were conducted during 2014 and 2015. The results showed that patch height, size and plant-to-patch distance were smaller in high precipitation habitats than in low precipitation sites. Climate, soil and vegetation explained 82.5% of the variance in patch structure. Spatially, R. soongorica shifted from a clumped to a random pattern on the landscape towards the MAP gradient, and heterogeneity in the surface soil properties (the ratio of biological soil crust (BSC) to bare gravels (BG)) determined the R. soongorica population distribution pattern in the middle and lower HRB. A conceptual model, which integrated water availability and plant facilitation and competition effects, was revealed that R. soongorica changed from a flexible water use strategy in high precipitation regions to a consistent water use strategy in low precipitation areas. Our study provides a comprehensive quantification of the variance in shrub patch structure along a precipitation gradient and may improve our understanding of vegetation pattern dynamics in the Gobi Desert under future climate change.
本文基于正压浅水模型，分析基态位涡（Potential Vorticity：PV）结构对热带气旋（Tropical Cyclone：TC）类涡旋系统稳定性及其波动特征的影响.通过引入基态PV结构参数：宽度δ（眼墙内外边界涡度发生陡变的半径长度之比）和中空度γ（眼心相对涡度与内核区域平均相对涡度之比），设计具有相同基流最大切向风速和最大风速半径的170组不同基态PV环结构的敏感性试验，并讨论了不同基态PV结构下涡旋系统最不稳定波数（the most unstable wavenumber：MUWN）和系统最不稳定模态（the most unstable mode of System：MUMS）的特征频率及其不稳定增长率的大小.结果指出：当PV环较宽，系统表现为低波数最不稳定，相应的MUMS为低频波且增长率小；当PV环较窄，系统表现为高波数不稳定，且PV环越实最不稳定波数越高；当PV环窄且空时，MUMS均为中高频波动，且不稳定增长率随PV环的宽度变窄和中空度变空而明显增大.分析典型PV结构下系统演变特征可知，当PV环较宽，MUMS表现为具有平衡约束的低频波动的线性不稳定特征；当PV环趋向窄且空时，MUMS的平衡性约束趋向弱化，同时不稳定增长表现为明显的指数型增长.进一步讨论系统内部非对称结构的形成和传播机制发现，对于弱不稳定的PV环来说，低波数波最不稳定的特征波动具有典型涡旋Rossby波特征；而对于强不稳定的PV环来说，高波数不稳定的特征波动混合波性质明显. 相似文献
