Abstract
The riparian vegetation in the lower reaches of the Tarim River is an irreplaceable natural resource for its ecosystem, and also a guarantee for the transportation safety in this area. Here, we analyzed different plant influences on soil erosion and evaluate the main ecosystem service functions served by the riparian vegetation to study area. Results showed that the total amount of sand-fixation in the study area was 4.14×1013 t and that Tamarix chinensis had a greater influence on wind speed and sediment transport than Populus euphratica, and the Tamarix chinensis can be used as suitable vegetation for wind erosion measures and provide scientific basis for the optimization of vegetation matching and reasonable allocation scheme for ecological construction in arid areas. The total ecosystem service value was calculated to be $11.03×1011. Of the main ecosystem service functions, riparian vegetation primarily served as sand fixation. Results show that, this research was identical, and the construction of shelterbelt plays an important role in the promotion of wind and sand control measures. Finally, our findings highlights the need for further research on how vegetation function as windbreak and sand fixation.
Highlights
Ecosystem service valuation is an area of intense focus in ecology as it plays an important role in boosting sustainable ecosystem management and in efficient resource allocation [1, 2]
Its annual precipitation varies from 17.4– 42.0 mm, and the total annual potential evaporation is approximately 2500–3000 mm. This is an arid climate with frequent strong winds, the lower reaches of the Tarim River have been known as a “Green Corridor” due to the wealth of vegetation near the river, and the vegetation types mainly include Euphrat poplars (Populus euphratica Oliv.), Tamarix chinensis, Phragmites australis (Cav.)Trin, Halimodendron halodendron (Pall.) Vass, Fig 1
Sand fixation is known as soil erosion load and it is dependent on both wind speed and the threshold-controlled character of aeolian sediment transport [15, 16]
Summary
Ecosystem service valuation is an area of intense focus in ecology as it plays an important role in boosting sustainable ecosystem management and in efficient resource allocation [1, 2]. The capacity of an ecosystem to satisfy human well-being is dependent on its ecosystem functions [3], which include the ecological processes that control the flow of materials, energy, and nutrients in a given ecosystem [4, 5]. Riparian ecosystems are likely to play an essential role in determining the vulnerability of natural and human systems to climate change; they influence the capacity of these systems to adapt [6]. The function of a riparian ecosystem depends primarily on the maintenance of a natural hydrologic regime along with adequate biodiversity [7]. Both characteristics are vital for the delivery of provisioning, regulating, and cultural services [5].
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