Preliminary study of water sources for maintenance and water utilization strategies of Haloxylon ammodendron in the arid desert area of northwestern China

Natural vegetation in arid desert areas has been severely affected by uneven spatial-temporal precipitation and underground water distribution. Therefore, it is quite necessary to reserve maintenance water sources and water utilization strategies of natural vegetation. In our experiment, the Haloxylon ammodendron was selected to learn about the maintenance water sources and water utilization strategies. The results displayed that H. ammodendron could utilize various water sources, in which groundwater (30%) and shallow soil water (average 35%) accounted for very huge proportion to be the most important maintenance water sources H. ammodendron does not directly absorb from snowfall, but the application of shallow soil water was stemed from melt snow. The utilization percentage of groundwater is relatively higher in winter (80%) and summer (30%). The utilization percentages of different water sources change with the actual situations of these water sources; Precipitation is also one of main water sources of H. ammodendron (respond quickly but not influential). The mainly water of H. ammodendron in the study area are as follows: groundwater, shallow soil water formed by snowmelt, medium and large precipitation. Therefore, H. ammodendron can make efficient use of water sources in arid desert areas, and transform water sources reasonably under the tremendous variations in water conditions to meet the water requirements.