Abstract:
Salix psammophyila,Artemisia ordosica,Hedysarum mongolicum and Caragana intermedia,based on their natural geographical distribution,hbitats and biological characteristics,and the results of principal component analysis and cluster analysis on their responses to simulated precipitations,could be classified into one type of deciduous shrub function with three sub-types:C.intermedia belongs to xeric sub-type,A.Ordosica and H.Mongolicum belong to xeric-mesophytic sub-type,while S.Psammophyila is mesophytic sub-type.