Analysis on types and diversity of desert plant communities in Kumutage Desert

The line investigation method was used to study types and species diversities of desert plant communities in Kumutage Desert. The results indicated that there were three vegetation types in Kumutage desert, which were 1) the Gobi desert vegetation, including 17 desert plant communities distributed in front of the mountain in the south fringe of Kumutage Desert; 2) the desert meadow vegetation, including 12 desert plant communities in the east and north fringe of Kumutage Desert; and 3) the sandy desert vegetation, including 13 desert plant communities．Species diversities of desert plant communities in different areas were varied due to the difference of their distribution areas. However, Gobi desert vegetation in the south fringe was steady with higher species diversity index (1.437) and homogeneity index (0.824), but the dominance index was lower (0.302). There were less species composition and poor community stability of sandy desert vegetation, which the average indices of diversity and homogeneity were 0.725 and 0.533. Species diversity of the desert meadow vegetation in the east and north fringe was not very high and community relatively steady, which the average indices of diversity, evenness and dominance were 0.804, 0.807 and 0.547, respectively. With the drought intensification of climate and environment, the species diversity of Gobi desert vegetation tended to reduce, but the species diversity of desert meadow vegetation in the north fringe was significant higher than the central location caused by the different soil structure and composition. However, the factors, such as regional landform, geomorphy and hydrology, closely related to the diversity difference of desert plant communities of the two longitude lines.