Sandy Habitats Play an Important Role in Shrub Encroachment in Grasslands

Shrub species have increased in density and cover desertification areas, however, the role of sandy habitats contributing to expansion shrubs is poorly understood. Although effect on plant growth reproduction been demonstrated, most existing studies lack either experimental demonstration or an integrated study during whole shrub life cycle. We performed field laboratory experiments examine responses four stages cycle (seed germination, growth, seed reproduction, clonal reproduction) (including sand substrate, burial wind erosion) for Caragana shrubs. Results showed that both substrate facilitated seedling biomass, sapling establishment, root-shoot ratio Caragana. Meanwhile, they strongly number preservation, thus enhanced sexual reproduction. Sand favored by promoting formation branch-derived ramets, while erosion benefited facilitating root-derived ramets. These results suggested Caragana, which could explain why abundance, area height areas was higher than grasslands. Our provided promoted population highlighted significant encroachment