The patterns of biomass allocation are crucial for understanding the growth, reproduction, and community functions of plant individuals. We investigated the allometric growth characteristics and biomass allocation patterns of Salix gordejevii fascicular branches in various habitats of the Hunshandake Sandy Land to delve into their adaptability to environmental changes and role in the carbon cycle. We discovered the following: (1) The base diameter-to-branch length of S. gordejevii fascicular branches exhibited allometric growth relationships in mobile dunes and interdune lowlands, whereas it showed isometric growth relationships in semifixed and fixed dunes. As the soil moisture gradient increased, the length growth rate of S. gordejevii fascicular branches became faster than the base diameter growth rate in mobile dunes, demonstrated isometric growth in semifixed and fixed dunes, and was slow in interdune lowlands. (2) The biomasses of S. gordejevii fascicular branches significantly varied across different habitats, with the biomass of each component showing an increasing trend as habitat conditions improved. This study revealed the resource utilization strategies and adaptability of S. gordejevii fascicular branches in different habitats, providing new insights into the carbon sink function of desert ecosystems in semiarid regions.

Introduction: Understanding how human activities affect biodiversity is needed to inform systemic policies and targets for achieving sustainable development goals. Shallow tillage to remove Artemisia ordosica is commonly conducted in the Mu Us Desert. However, the impacts of shallow tillage on plant community species diversity, phylogenetic structure, and community assembly processes remain poorly understood.Methods: This study explores the effects of shallow tillage on species diversity including three a-diversity and two b-diversity indicators, as well as phylogenetic structure [phylogenetic diversity (PD), net relatedness index (NRI), and nearest taxon index (NTI)]. Additionally, this research analyzes the effects of shallow tillage on the community assembly process.Results and discussion: The results showed that the a-diversity index, b-diversity index, and PD of the shallow tillage (ST) communities were significantly higher than those of the non-shallow tillage (NT) communities, and the phylogenetic structures of both the ST and NT communities tended to be differentiated, with competitive exclusion being the main mechanism of plant assembly. However, shallow tillage increased the relative importance of the stochastic processes dominated by dispersal limitation, mitigating plant competition in the communities. This conclusion was supported by the Raup–Crick difference index-based analysis.Conclusion: Therefore, for the ecological restoration of the Mu Us Desert, species with adaptability and low niche overlap should be selected to increase the utilization efficiency of the environmental resources. The results of this study provide a foundation for policy development for ecosystem management and restoration in the Mu Us Desert.

Arthrospira platensis was collected from Lake Bayannur and adjacent alkaline lakes located in the Mo Us Sandy Land in the Erdos Plateau in China. After subjecting the samples to temperatures of 5ºC, 0ºC, and -5ºC for 5 days, algal morphology and ultrastructure were observed. There were minimal differences in the morphological and anatomical structures of A. platensis incubated at 5ºC and 0ºC; at -5ºC, however, significant variations were seen, including a significant decrease in the number of intact trichomes due to breakage, thinner cell walls, disappearance of phycobilisomes, reduced clarity of thykaloid membranes, an increase in carboxysome volume, a reduction in lipid body size, and an increase in the number of polyglucan granules. Additionally, longitudinal cell walls became wave-shaped while cross walls became arc-shaped. Erdos Plateau A. platensis appears to be a typical low-temperature Arthrospira strain because of its similar response at 5ºC and 0ºC but divergent response at - 5 ºC. These results could offer valuable insights into the management of criticality at low temperatures in industrial cultivation of the Erdos lakes’ strain of A. platensis.

Aims The relationship between dioecious plants and soil rhizosphere microorganisms remains unclear, particularly in diverse sandy environments where sex dimorphism is observed.Methods The study extensively investigated the microbial communities associated with male and female Salix gordejevii, which are widely utilized for wind deterrence and sand fixation in the arid and semi-arid regions of Inner Mongolia's middle-east area. Illumina sequencing was employed to examine the fungal and bacterial communities in the rhizospheres of male and female S. gordejevii plants across mobile, semi-arid, and fixed sandy sites.Results It was found that the bacterial community composition was largely affected by the sandy land types. The fungal community composition, however, was influenced by both the plant sexes and the site conditions. In the moving sandy site, diversity of fungi and bacteria in the rhizosphere of S. gordejevii was lower than that in the fixed sandy site. The assembly of the bacterial community in the rhizosphere of S. gordejevii was regulated by soil properties, with pH being identified as the most influential factor impacting bacterial diversity and richness.Conclusion The sharing of these core microbes among the samples implies the rhizospheres of S. gordejevii in different sandy sites exhibited a shared core community of fungi and bacteria, known for their ability to enhance plant growth and confer resistance against abiotic stress. These findings will not only unveil the impact of sexual dimorphism in S. gordejevii on microbial assemblages, but also contribute to the restoration of microbial diversity in degraded ecosystems.