α Diversity of Desert Shrub Communities and Its Relationship with Climatic Factors in Xinjiang

In the past 30 years, Northwest China has experienced a warm and humid climate increase trend. How this change will affect species diversity of plant communities is hot issue in ecological research. study, four α indexes were applied 29 shrub at desert sites Xinjiang, including Margalef index, Simpson Shannon–Wiener Pielou to explore relationship between factors (mean annual temperature (MAT) mean precipitation (MAP)). The varied across these different communities. Tamarix ramosissima had highest while Krascheninnikovia ewersmannia lowest index; T. also showed index but Alhagi sparsifolia index. Ephedra przewalskii Karelinia caspica respectively. (except index) significantly positive correlation with MAP (p < 0.05) non-significantly MAT > 0.05). These results indicate that, compared temperature, water conditions are still more vital climatic factor affecting thus, recent “warm humid” trend Xinjiang affects