Surface sediment grain size differentiation and depositional environment in Badain Jaran Desert and its peripheral areas

doi:10.7522/j.issn.1000-694X.2025.00092

Journal of Desert Research ›› 2026, Vol. 46 ›› Issue (2): 24-33.DOI: 10.7522/j.issn.1000-694X.2025.00092

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Surface sediment grain size differentiation and depositional environment in Badain Jaran Desert and its peripheral areas

Jun Liu¹^,²(), Haibing Wang¹^,²^,³(), Hejun Zuo¹^,²^,³, Haoqin Yang¹, Chengxian Liao¹

^1.College of Desert Control Science and Engineering /, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University，Hohhot 010011，China
^2.Inner Mongolia Key Laboratory of Aeolian Sand Physics and Sand Control Engineering /, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University，Hohhot 010011，China
^3.State Key Laboratory of Water Engineering Ecology and Environment in Arid Area, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University，Hohhot 010011，China

Received:2025-04-22 Revised:2025-06-13 Online:2026-03-20 Published:2026-04-13
Contact: Haibing Wang

Abstract

Abstract:

In order to reveal the grain size differentiation patterns and sedimentary dynamic mechanisms of multi-landform surface sediments from multi-landform perspective in Badain Jaran Desert and its peripheral areas. Total of 418 surface sediment samples were collected in Badain Jaran Desert and its peripheral areas with different landforms and granular size parameters， variance statistics， and probabilistic cumulative curve were integrated to perform analysis. The results showed that：（1） The peripheral gobi desert exhibited a trimodal distribution pattern with gravel content decreased significantly from coarse gobi （36.29%） to extremely fine Gobi （1.82%） accompanied by an increase in fine sand proportion （21.14%→43.13%） which reflected a synergistic evolutionary process transitioning from fluvial-dominated alluviation to aeolian erosion. （2）Sediments size from dune chains in the desert hinterland predominantly displayed unimodal distribution with significantly better sorting characteristics （0.56-0.62 Φ） compared to peripheral landforms. The range of grain size differentiation from saltation component in compound mega-dune chains was 28.31% smaller than that of barchan dunes which indicated that dune morphological complexity enhanced sediment grain size sorting through micro-wind field. （3） Sedimentary environments were considered as transition from gobi， fluvial in dry riverbed， aeolian erosion to pure eolian processes in dune fields. Sand mound around shrubs and extremely fine gobi represent wind-water interaction interfaces. The results of this study systematically elucidated the surface sediment grain size differentiation and sedimentary dynamic mechanisms among desert and peripheral landform units and will provide a theoretical basis for zonal prevention of aeolian disasters and ecological restoration in arid regions.

Key words: fluvial-aeolian interactions, grain size differentiation, geomorphic evolution, Badain Jaran Desert

CLC Number:

P931.3

Jun Liu, Haibing Wang, Hejun Zuo, Haoqin Yang, Chengxian Liao. Surface sediment grain size differentiation and depositional environment in Badain Jaran Desert and its peripheral areas[J]. Journal of Desert Research, 2026, 46(2): 24-33.

Figures/Tables 7

References 38

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砾石粒径	<1%	1%~25%	>25%
>16 mm	组分不计入定名	粗砾质戈壁	粗砾戈壁
8~16 mm	组分不计入定名	中砾质戈壁	中砾戈壁
4~8 mm	组分不计入定名	细砾质戈壁	细砾戈壁
2~4 mm	组分不计入定名	极细砾质戈壁	极细砾戈壁

砾石粒径	<1%	1%~25%	>25%
>16 mm	组分不计入定名	粗砾质戈壁	粗砾戈壁
8~16 mm	组分不计入定名	中砾质戈壁	中砾戈壁
4~8 mm	组分不计入定名	细砾质戈壁	细砾戈壁
2~4 mm	组分不计入定名	极细砾质戈壁	极细砾戈壁

地貌类型	砾石	极粗沙	粗沙	中沙	细沙	极细沙	粉粒	黏粒
干河床	18.82±2.86^c	0.88±0.88^a	3.09±2.15^a	11.44±3.54^ab	31.36±3.14^ab	21.98±2.89^c	11.59±2.42^bc	0.84±0.20^b
粗砾质戈壁	36.29±2.43^e	0.00±0.00^a	0.01±0.00^a	3.80±0.78^a	21.14±3.31^a	14.35±1.85^b	22.09±4.1^d	2.32±0.57^d
中砾质戈壁	26.60±2.20^d	0.00±0.00^a	0.04±0.02^a	6.11±1.07^a	33.00±1.42^bcd	22.67±1.44^c	10.60±1.15^b	0.97±0.20^bc
细砾质戈壁	11.49±1.02^b	0.00±0.00^a	0.25±0.22^a	8.09±2.72^a	38.24±1.88^bcd	27.76±2.35^d	13.43±2.57^bc	0.75±0.16^b
极细砾质戈壁	1.82±0.71^a	0.46±0.42^a	4.97±4.18^ab	17.56±4.26^b	43.13±4.25^cd	21.26±3.50^c	9.86±3.42^b	0.94±0.48^bc
灌丛沙堆	0.47±0.47^a	0.00±0.00^a	2.60±1.21^a	28.60±4.06^c	48.68±2.65^d	16.63±2.34^b	2.78±0.46^a	0.24±0.05^a
干湖	0.04±0.03^a	0.09±0.08^a	5.67±2.17^abc	26.20±3.74^c	35.05±3.36^bcd	17.02±2.47^b	14.58±3.52^c	1.35±0.29^c
新月形沙丘及沙丘链	0.31±0.10^a	4.11±0.89^a	15.35±1.34^c	44.83±1.18^d	31.17±1.35^ab	3.70±0.34^a	0.52±0.15^a	0.02±0.02^a
复合型沙丘链	0.05±0.02^a	1.51±0.42^a	14.49±1.58^bc	48.31±1.02^d	32.14±1.53^bcd	3.14±0.31^a	0.35±0.01^a	0.00±0.00^a
复合型巨大沙丘链	0.00±0.00^a	0.01±0.01^a	4.21±0.91^a	48.72±1.24^d	42.51±1.59^bcd	4.13±0.42^a	0.42±0.04^a	0.00±0.00^a

地貌类型	砾石	极粗沙	粗沙	中沙	细沙	极细沙	粉粒	黏粒
干河床	18.82±2.86^c	0.88±0.88^a	3.09±2.15^a	11.44±3.54^ab	31.36±3.14^ab	21.98±2.89^c	11.59±2.42^bc	0.84±0.20^b
粗砾质戈壁	36.29±2.43^e	0.00±0.00^a	0.01±0.00^a	3.80±0.78^a	21.14±3.31^a	14.35±1.85^b	22.09±4.1^d	2.32±0.57^d
中砾质戈壁	26.60±2.20^d	0.00±0.00^a	0.04±0.02^a	6.11±1.07^a	33.00±1.42^bcd	22.67±1.44^c	10.60±1.15^b	0.97±0.20^bc
细砾质戈壁	11.49±1.02^b	0.00±0.00^a	0.25±0.22^a	8.09±2.72^a	38.24±1.88^bcd	27.76±2.35^d	13.43±2.57^bc	0.75±0.16^b
极细砾质戈壁	1.82±0.71^a	0.46±0.42^a	4.97±4.18^ab	17.56±4.26^b	43.13±4.25^cd	21.26±3.50^c	9.86±3.42^b	0.94±0.48^bc
灌丛沙堆	0.47±0.47^a	0.00±0.00^a	2.60±1.21^a	28.60±4.06^c	48.68±2.65^d	16.63±2.34^b	2.78±0.46^a	0.24±0.05^a
干湖	0.04±0.03^a	0.09±0.08^a	5.67±2.17^abc	26.20±3.74^c	35.05±3.36^bcd	17.02±2.47^b	14.58±3.52^c	1.35±0.29^c
新月形沙丘及沙丘链	0.31±0.10^a	4.11±0.89^a	15.35±1.34^c	44.83±1.18^d	31.17±1.35^ab	3.70±0.34^a	0.52±0.15^a	0.02±0.02^a
复合型沙丘链	0.05±0.02^a	1.51±0.42^a	14.49±1.58^bc	48.31±1.02^d	32.14±1.53^bcd	3.14±0.31^a	0.35±0.01^a	0.00±0.00^a
复合型巨大沙丘链	0.00±0.00^a	0.01±0.01^a	4.21±0.91^a	48.72±1.24^d	42.51±1.59^bcd	4.13±0.42^a	0.42±0.04^a	0.00±0.00^a

地貌类型	样点数量/组	M_z/Φ	σ/Φ	SK	K_g
干河床	11	1.79±0.28^ab	2.42±0.23^e	-0.25±0.09^b	2.15±0.25^e
粗砾质戈壁	14	1.46±0.29^a	3.88±0.20^g	-0.29±0.08^b	0.69±0.05^a
中砾质戈壁	17	1.37±0.14^a	2.99±0.12^f	-0.43±0.05^a	1.75±0.26^d
细砾质戈壁	10	2.89±0.14^d	1.85±0.13^d	-0.11±0.05^c	2.82±0.15^f
极细砾质戈壁	13	2.73±0.25^cd	1.04±0.17^b	0.17±0.07^e	1.36±0.17^c
灌丛沙堆	17	2.36±0.09^c	0.70±0.04^a	0.08±0.02^d	1.12±0.10^b
干湖	22	2.79±0.21^d	1.29±0.13^c	0.35±0.04^f	1.41±0.11^c
新月形沙丘及沙丘链	167	1.65±0.05^ab	0.62±0.01^a	0.07±0.01^d	0.98±0.01^b
复合型沙丘链	109	1.71±0.04^ab	0.60±0.01^a	0.06±0.00^d	0.97±0.00^b
复合型巨大沙丘链	38	1.97±0.03^b	0.56±0.00 ^a	0.06±0.00^d	0.97±0.00^b

Surface sediment grain size differentiation and depositional environment in Badain Jaran Desert and its peripheral areas

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