Groundwater Controls on Plant Community Structure and Species Specific Water Use Strategies in the Desert Oasis Ecotone of the Junggar Basin

) species maintained stable and differentiated ecological roles, respectively. Our findings establish a nonlinear framework linking groundwater depth, species strategies, and hydrological niche dynamics. This mechanism profoundly influences community stability, providing critical insights for predicting plant dynamics and guiding groundwater management in arid ecosystems.