Abstract: Using a field monitoring experiment, we analyzed the hazard effects of salt dust deposition on the photosynthetic characteristics, salt ion contents, and cell physiological functions of cotton leaves in Aibi Lake basin. The results showed that salt dust deposition led to increases in Na⁺, Cl^-, and SO₄^2- contents and a decrease in K⁺ content in cotton leaves, which influenced the absorption of nutrition elements by cotton leaves and made the leaves suffering from salt ion poisoning. Salt dust deposition significantly blocked the cotton leaf stomata and affected the photosynthetic indexes such as net photosynthetic rate, respiratory rate, light use efficiency, water use efficiency, transpiration, and the temperature of cotton leaves. Moreover, the salt dust deposition significantly increased the malondialdehyde content but decreased the chlorophyll and carotenoid contents in cotton leaves. Cotton leaves adjusted the loss of cell solvent by increasing the contents of the soluble sugar and proline and by increasing the activities of enzymes in antioxidant system to remove the harmful matters such as the reactive oxygen species, thereby reducing the damage caused by salt dust deposition and maintaining normal physiological functions of leaves.

Key words: plant diversity, altitude, soil moisture and temperature, slope aspect