Abstract: The environmental capacity of desert scenic area with wetland landscape as the main body has its particularity. In this paper, the eco-tourism environment capacity is of the Shahu Lake scenic area is calculated and the corresponding restriction factors are analyzed. For the Shahu Lake scenic area, the spatial capacity, economic capacity and psychological capacity is big, while the tourism ecological capacity is small with significant difference. Especially for desert water front as the core area of the scenic area, vegetation environment capacity is the most sensitive factor of the eco-environment capacity of this scenic area type. Based on the results of capacity evaluation, three different capacity situations at high, medium and low are set up, and corresponding strategy about the scenic development and ecological environment protection is put forward.

Key words: eco-tourism environment capacity, wetland, desert scenic area, Shahu Lake