Figure 5
The distribution patterns for H. ammodendron or H. persicum seedlings in soil N and P dimension.
(A) The soil N and P contents under seedlings of H. ammodendron or H. persicum recorded in the Gurbantonggut Desert. The plant distribution pattern under N:P ratio contour (B), soil resource availability (C) or soil resource imbalance (D) in the Gurbantonggut Desert where H. ammodendron or H. persicum seedlings were recorded. Euclidean geometry55 was employed to separate the quantity of N and P from the ratio (resource imbalance) in the resource availability of these different resources. For each species n = 120 and each symbol represents one location. Axes represent values of soil N (X-axis) and P (Y-axis). The small rectangle (located at N 2.8–11.2 mg/kg and P 0.465–3.72 mg/kg, hereafter referred to as area I) in plot A represents the niche breadth of H. persicum. The large rectangle (including areas I and II) represents the niche breadth of H. ammodendron (the red polygon referred to as area II).
