Psammophytic woodlands of the steppe zone in Inner Mongolia

Originated from various vegetation types, psammophytic woodlands on sandy dunes of the steppe zone in Inner Mongolia are rather diverse. The commonest types are woodlands with Pinus sylvestris var. mongolica, P. tabulaeformis, Picea meyeri, Juniperus rigida, Populus davidiana, and Betula platyphylla. In Daqinggou of Horqin sandy land, a mixed broad-leaved woodland consists of Quercus, Acer, Fraxinus, Juglans, Chosenia, Populus, and Ulmus. Palaeoecological evidence demonstrates that these woodland stands are Middle Holocene remnants. The plant communities of psammophytic woodlands are simplified in floristic composition and structure. The relict woodland stands play an important role in the conservation and restoration of vegetation in Inner Mongolia. Only three nature reserves of relict woodland types in Inner Mongolia have been established. Based on this study, an additional reserve is suggested to conserve the complex of psammophytic woodlands.EcologySCI(E)0ARTICLE4348-352