Study on biomass allocation and growth in Ceratocephalus testiculatus population of Takeermohuer desert

The ephemeral species Ceratocephalus testiculatus was mainly distributed in Takeermohuer Desert at Yili in Xinjiang. A nature reserve plot and an artificial woodland were chosen to investigate biomass allocation and growth rhythm of C. testiculatus, based on field investigation and laboratory analysis. The results indicated that height, total biomass, leaf biomass, scape biomass, and frutescence biomass at the nature reserve plot were significantly higher than that in the artificial woodland. However, root, leaf, and scape biomass allocation were significantly lower, and only frutescence biomass allocation was significantly higher. Biomass of leaf, scape, and frutescence increased as a power function with increase in total biomass in each plot. A linear relationship between root biomass and total biomass was observed, and the highest rate of increase was evident in the artificial woodland. The rates of reproductive allocationⅠand Ⅱ (i.e., frutescence biomass/total biomass and scape biomass/total biomass, respectively) were relatively stable, and height and total biomass of the plants hardly affected them. Changes in leaf biomass significantly affected root biomass and reproductive biomass in the nature reserve plot. However, it affected reproductive biomass of plants in the artificial woodland significantly. C. testiculatus populations adjust biomass of vegetative and reproductive modules and allocation rates for adapting to different environments, and ensuring reproductive success and attainment of the largest reproductive allocation ratio in the short span of growth.