TY - JOUR
T1 - Effects of direct seeding of four native species for reclamation of mined land in the cold desert of Xinjiang in northwest China
AU - Liu, Qing Hui
AU - Zhao, Xiao Ying
AU - Baskin, Carol C.
AU - Zhu, Cheng Lin
AU - Haster, Nabihan
AU - Wang, Wu
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2023 Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.
PY - 2023
Y1 - 2023
N2 - Direct seeding is a more cost-effective method for plant community restoration than transplanting pot-grown plants, but this method is not applicable to all plant species and all regions. To evaluate the effectiveness of direct seeding to restore mined cold desert vegetation without irrigation, Atraphaxis frutescens (L.) Ewersm., Calligonum junceum (Fisch. et Mey.) Litv., Peganum harmala L., and Seriphydium gracilescens (Krasch. et Iljin) Poljak. were directly sown in the bottom of dry furrows and on a flat site in the mined wasteland before the second snowfall in late autumn. Seedling emergence, survival, and growth were monitored for 3 years. For the four species, cumulative seed germination in the furrows ranged from 6.4 to 23.6% and the highest germination was 23.0 and 23.6% for A. frutescens and C. junceum, respectively. Survival at the end of 3 years was 7.0–56.1% for the four species. In the flat area, cumulative seedling emergence for C. junceum, A. frutescens, P. harmala, and S. gracilescens was 0, 0, 0.7, and 1.4%, respectively, and all seedlings died with the onset of drought. Thus, under natural precipitation conditions, the success of direct seeding depends on the microsite and species. We conclude that direct seeding can be an effective method for establishing the shrubs A. frutescens and C. junceum in mined wasteland if seeds are sown in furrows that have been created across the landscape.
AB - Direct seeding is a more cost-effective method for plant community restoration than transplanting pot-grown plants, but this method is not applicable to all plant species and all regions. To evaluate the effectiveness of direct seeding to restore mined cold desert vegetation without irrigation, Atraphaxis frutescens (L.) Ewersm., Calligonum junceum (Fisch. et Mey.) Litv., Peganum harmala L., and Seriphydium gracilescens (Krasch. et Iljin) Poljak. were directly sown in the bottom of dry furrows and on a flat site in the mined wasteland before the second snowfall in late autumn. Seedling emergence, survival, and growth were monitored for 3 years. For the four species, cumulative seed germination in the furrows ranged from 6.4 to 23.6% and the highest germination was 23.0 and 23.6% for A. frutescens and C. junceum, respectively. Survival at the end of 3 years was 7.0–56.1% for the four species. In the flat area, cumulative seedling emergence for C. junceum, A. frutescens, P. harmala, and S. gracilescens was 0, 0, 0.7, and 1.4%, respectively, and all seedlings died with the onset of drought. Thus, under natural precipitation conditions, the success of direct seeding depends on the microsite and species. We conclude that direct seeding can be an effective method for establishing the shrubs A. frutescens and C. junceum in mined wasteland if seeds are sown in furrows that have been created across the landscape.
KW - Abandoned mined land
KW - cold desert
KW - direct seeding
KW - emergence
KW - rehabilitation
KW - seedling growth
KW - seedling survival
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85148597521&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=85148597521&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1080/15324982.2023.2177212
DO - 10.1080/15324982.2023.2177212
M3 - Comment/debate
AN - SCOPUS:85148597521
SN - 1532-4982
VL - 37
SP - 461
EP - 472
JO - Arid Land Research and Management
JF - Arid Land Research and Management
IS - 3
ER -