Spatial Distribution of Optimal Plant Cover and Its Influencing Factors for Populus simonii Carr. on the Bashang Plateau, China

Yu Zhang, Wei Li, Shaodan Li, Baoni Xie, Fangzhong Shi and Jianxia Zhao
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Yu Zhang: School of Geographical Sciences, Hebei Normal University, Shijiazhuang 050024, China
Wei Li: School of Land Science and Space Planning, Hebei GEO University, Shijiazhuang 050031, China
Shaodan Li: School of Geographical Sciences, Hebei Normal University, Shijiazhuang 050024, China
Baoni Xie: School of Land Science and Space Planning, Hebei GEO University, Shijiazhuang 050031, China
Fangzhong Shi: School of Natural Resources, Faculty of Geographical Science, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China
Jianxia Zhao: College of Geography and Land Engineering, Yuxi Normal University, Yuxi 653100, China

Land, 2022, vol. 11, issue 6, 1-15

Abstract: The Bashang Plateau is the core zone of the agro-pastoral ecotone in northern China and represents an ecological barrier for preventing the invasion of wind-blown sand in the Beijing–Tianjin–Hebei region. Increasing plant cover to control soil erosion is an effective measure to address land degradation; however, plant cover is different from climatic conditions. In this study, we determined the optimal spatial distribution of Populus simonii Carr., which is a widely planted species used for revegetation on the Bashang Plateau. A modified Biome-BGC model was used to simulate the dynamics of the net primary productivity (NPP), actual evapotranspiration (AET), and leaf-area index (LAI). The model was validated using field-observed tree-ring and MODIS AET and NPP data. The dynamics of AET, NPP and LAI for P. simonii at 122 representative sites in the study area for the period 1980–2019 were simulated by the validated model. The results showed that the spatial distributions of mean AET, NPP, and LAI generally decreased from southeast to northwest. The ranges of optimal plant cover in terms of maximum LAI for P. simonii were 3.3 in the Fengning–Weichang area, 1.9 in the Shangyi–Zhangbei–Guyuan area and 1.3 in the Kangbao area. Mean annual precipitation (MAP), elevation, soil texture and mean annual temperature were the main factors influencing the distribution of AET, NPP and LAI. As the MAP decreased, the correlations between AET, NPP, LAI and precipitation gradually decreased. In different subregions, the factors influencing optimal-plant-cover distribution varied significantly. These quantitative findings provide the optimal plant cover for the dominant tree in different subregions and provide useful information for land degradation management on the Bashang Plateau.

Keywords: Bashang Plateau; Populus simonii forest; optimal plant cover; leaf-area index; Biome-BGC model (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q15 Q2 Q24 Q28 Q5 R14 R52 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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