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Ecol Evol

Title:		Nutrient variation induced by rodent disturbance in Haloxylon ammodendron as a target transfer strategy
Author(s):		Zhao W; Dang H; Zhang T; Dong J; Chen H; Xiang W;
Address:		College of Life Sciences Shihezi University Shihezi City China. Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps Key Laboratory of Oasis Town and Mountain-basin System Ecology Shihezi City China. Key Laboratory of Oasis Eco-agriculture College of Agriculture Shihezi University Shihezi City China
Journal Title:		Ecol Evol
Year:		2021
Volume:		20211125
Issue:		23
Page Number:		17260 - 17272
DOI:		10.1002/ece3.8362
ISSN/ISBN:		2045-7758 (Print) 2045-7758 (Electronic) 2045-7758 (Linking)
Abstract:		"Nutrients form a link between herbivores and plant. This study explored the physiological and ecological response mechanism of Haloxylon ammodendron population to rodent disturbance in Gurbantunggut Desert from the perspective of nutrient cycle. Through field investigation, we quantified rodent disturbance intensity (DI) to H. ammodendron and analyzed the ecological response mechanism of H. ammodendron population to rodent disturbance from the perspective of plant and soil nutrient cycling and changes. The results indicated that moderate rodent DI (number of effective burrows = 3-6) was the maximum limit that can be tolerated by H. ammodendron; the threshold for optimal H. ammodendron response to rodent disturbance was mild (number of burrows = 1-3). Meanwhile, the rodent disturbance caused significant nutrient enrichment (e.g., organic carbon, available phosphorus, and available potassium) in the deeper soil (at 20-40 and 40-60 cm depth) and significantly reduced the soil total salt content (p < .05). Furthermore, as the DI increased, the branches of H. ammodendron showed significantly increased soluble total sugar, crude fiber, and total nitrogen contents (p < .05) but significantly decreased crude fat and crude protein contents (p < .05); these results are related to the nutritional target transfer strategy evolved by H. ammodendron for long-term resistance to rodent disturbance. The current study clarified the optimal disturbance model for mutually beneficial H. ammodendron-great gerbil relationship, on the basis of which the ecological response mechanism of H. ammodendron population to rodent disturbance in deserts was illustrated. The current study provides a scientific basis for the protection mechanisms of desert plants to rodent disturbance"
Keywords:		Gurbantunggut Desert Haloxylon ammodendron nutrient variation rodent disturbance;
Notes:		"PubMed-not-MEDLINEZhao, Wenqin Dang, Hanli Zhang, Tao Dong, Jianrui Chen, Hongwei Xiang, Wenjie eng England 2021/12/24 Ecol Evol. 2021 Nov 25; 11(23):17260-17272. doi: 10.1002/ece3.8362. eCollection 2021 Dec"