Table 1 Primary dominant plant species and their plant functional type (PFT) and relative importance value (RIV, %) along well transects

0–20

–

Convolvulus ammanii (GE, 50%)

Peganum nigellastrum (GT, 50%)

100–120

Allium mongolicum (EH, 17%)

Stipa gobica (EH, 33%)

Peganum nigellastrum (GT, 50%)

Allium polyrrhizum (EH, 50%)

Convolvulus ammanii (GE, 50%)

200–220

Allium polyrrhizum (EH, 33%)

Convolvulus ammanii (GE, 33%)

Peganum nigellastrum (GT, 33%)

300–320

Allium polyrrhizum (EH, 33%)

Stipa gobica (EH, 50%)

Stipa glareosa (EH, 33%)

400–420

Cleistogenes soongorica (EH, 50%)

Stipa gobica (EH, 50%)

Iris bungei (EH, 33%)

500–520

Stipa glareosa (EH, 33%)

Stipa gobica (EH, 50%)

Stipa glareosa (EH, 50%)

600–620

Convolvulus ammanii (GE, 33%)

Stipa gobica (EH, 50%)

Stipa glareosa (EH, 50%)

700–720

Agropyron cristatum (EH, 33%)

Stipa gobica (EH, 50%)

Stipa glareosa (EH, 33%)

800–820

Agropyron cristatum (EH, 33%)

Stipa gobica (EH, 50%)

Stipa glareosa (EH, 50%)

Cleistogenes squarrosa (EH, 33%)

900–920

Stipa glareosa (EH, 50%)

Stipa gobica (EH, 50%)

Stipa glareosa (EH, 50%)

1000–1020

Cleistogenes soongorica (EH, 50%)

Stipa gobica (EH, 50%)

Stipa glareosa (EH, 50%)

1100–1120

Stipa glareosa (EH, 50%)

Stipa gobica (EH, 50%)

Stipa glareosa (EH, 50%)

1200–1220

Stipa glareosa (EH, 50%)

Stipa gobica (EH, 50%)

Stipa glareosa (EH, 60%)

1300–1320

Stipa glareosa (EH, 33%)

Stipa gobica (EH, 50%)

Stipa glareosa (EH, 50%)

1400–1420

Stipa glareosa (EH, 33%)

Stipa gobica (EH, 50%)

Stipa glareosa (EH, 50%)

1500–1520

Stipa glareosa (EH, 50%)

Stipa gobica (EH, 50%)

Stipa glareosa (EH, 50%)

1600–1620

Stipa glareosa (EH, 17%)

Stipa gobica (EH, 50%)

Stipa glareosa (EH, 50%)