The Jiziwan of the Yellow River is the core area of the Three North Projects in the modern age， which plays a significant role in supplying sediment to the middle and lower portions of the Yellow River. However， as a newly proposed comprehensive strategy region for controlling desertification， the development characteristics and driving factors of desertification in Jiziwan of the Yellow River remain unknown. Based on Landsat series images in Jiziwan of the Yellow River from 1975 to 2020， the desertification data of this study were interpreted using a combination of object-oriented and visual interpretation methods， and the spatio-temporal changes of desertification and its driving factors were quantitatively analyzed. The main conclusions are as follows： （1） Temporally， with 2000 serving as the time node， the trend of desertified land in Jiziwan of the Yellow River， began to shift initially and subsequently reversed. The extent of desertification has reversed to be comparable with that in 1975， but the desertified area has only reversed to the level of 1990. （2） Spatially， there was partial reversal but overall deterioration between 1975 and 2000， and general reversal with localized deterioration between 2000 and 2020， mostly in the middle of the Otok Banner in the Mu Us Sandy Land. （3） Changes in desertification in this region are jointly governed by climate change and human activity， but the contribution rate of climate change is substantially higher than that of human activities. The research results can provide support for combating desertification in Jiziwan of the Yellow River and the ecological protection， as well as promoting ecological conservation and high-quality development of the Yellow River.

Land desertification poses a significant threat to global food security， exerting severe adverse impacts on ecological and social systems， while also resulting in substantial economic losses. With the development of photovoltaic technology and the maturation of its industrial chain， coupled with the favorable solar and thermal conditions as well as cost-effective land availability in arid and semi-arid regions， large-scale construction of photovoltaic power stations has become feasible， and consequently， a novel technique known as photovoltaic desertification control has emerged to effectively combat desertification. This technology represents an innovative approach that integrates photovoltaic power generation， desertification prevention， and water-saving agricultural technology. Its primary objective is to harness the abundant solar energy resources in deserts for clean energy production while simultaneously preventing desertification through a multi-scale spatial layout of engineering， ecological measures， and photovoltaic sand control units （i.e， individual power stations）. This comprehensive strategy aims to enhance the ecological environment and achieve a mutually beneficial outcome for both productivity and ecology. Drawing on relevant literature and the practical experience of our research group， this paper provides a comprehensive review of the development trajectory of photovoltaic desertification control technology. It introduces the concept and benefits of the photovoltaic- soil-vegetation coupling system to enhance understanding， while elucidating the fundamental principles， specific measures， and practical significance of this technology. Furthermore， it presents future prospects for research and implementation. The aim of this review is to provide valuable guidance for the further optimization of photovoltaic desertification control technology and its large-scale application.

This study utilizes the Wind Erosion Prediction System （WEPS） algorithm， combined with multi-source geographical data， to calculate soil wind erosion and PM₁₀ in the core area of the battle against desertification along the Hexi Corridor-Taklimakan Desert edge since 2000. It analyzes the spatiotemporal variation characteristics and primary influencing factors. The results indicate that within the total study area of 806 700 km2， the multi-year average wind erosion modulus is 3 553 t·km^-2， with high wind erosion concentrations observed in the southeastern margin of the Taklamakan Desert and the central Hexi Corridor. Overall， due to decreasing wind speeds， increasing vegetation cover， and increased precipitation in the study area， the wind erosion modulus exhibits a downward trend， with an average decrease rate of 41 t·km^-2 per decade， and the area experiencing reduction accounts for 48% of the total. Meanwhile， the annual average PM₁₀ emission is 3.11×10⁷ t， with an average annual rate of 38.53 t·km^-2. Among the seasons， spring exhibits the highest wind erosion modulus， accounting for 47% of the annual total. Correlation analysis reveals that wind speed， vegetation cover， and soil moisture are key influencing factors， with wind speed contributing over 90% to wind erosion.

Water productivity refers to the quantity or value of products produced by per unit volume or value of water resources. Improving water productivity is an important direction for the sustainable development of desert oasis. The Hexi Corridor is not only an important ecological barrier of northwestern China， but also a typical irrigated agricultural area in the northwestern China. After more than 70 years of development， the Hexi Corridor has made very significant achievements in oasis irrigation agriculture， national economic development and ecological protection construction. However， low agricultural water productivity still affects the development of oasis profoundly. This paper combs the current status of utilization of water and soil resources in the Hexi Corridor， analyzes the characteristics of oasis soil organic matter and water holding capacity as well as their relationships with water productivity， and proposes the approaches to improve oasis water productivity by increasing soil organic matter and soil water holding capacity. In order to protect the safety and stability of the Hexi Corridor ecological barrier and the sustainable development of oasis agriculture， it is recommended that respecting the process of oasisization in oasis management， protecting irrigated desert soil resources， and restricting the conversion of irrigated desert soil cultivated land with good productivity into non-cultivated land strictly； determining the areas that should be prioritized for improvement according to the soil condition， especially the soil with surface organic matter of 1.0%-1.8% and field capacity between 20% and 25%； in order to realize the improvement of agricultural water productivity in the oasis of the Hexi Corridor.

The Hexi Corridor is a key region for economic crop production in Gansu Province， and also an important grain production base in China. In order to explore the spatio-temporal distribution characteristics of the main climatic elements and climate production potential in this region under the background of global climate change， and to clarify the patterns of change in climate production potential， this study utilized annual average temperature and precipitation data from 1960 to 2022， collected from 20 counties and districts in the Hexi Corridor. The climate production potential of the Hexi Corridor was estimated using the Miami model， Thornthwaite Memorial model， and Liebig's law of the minimum factor. The spatial-temporal variation characteristics of climate elements and climate production potential were also analyzed. Furthermore， future climate changes and related production potential in the Hexi Corridor were projected using CMIP6 model data， under Shared Socioeconomic Pathways （SSPs） including SSP1-2.6， SSP2-4.5， SSP3-7.0， and SSP5-8.5 scenarios. The results indicate that the average temperature in the Hexi Corridor has shown an overall increasing trend， while the average precipitation has shown an overall decreasing trend over the past 63 years. Under the combined influence of precipitation， topography， and altitude differences， the temperature and potential evapotranspiration have shown an increasing trend， with the temperature potential exhibiting a spatial distribution pattern of gradually decreasing from north to south. However， the precipitation， and standard climate production potential have shown a decreasing trend， with low values concentrated in the northern desert area. Under the four projected scenarios， the climatic types in the southern high-altitude oasis zones and the northern near-desert regions respectively show trends towards "warm-wetting" and "warm-drying" developments.

Precipitation change is an important regulatory factor for the restoration and functional maintenance of degraded vegetation in arid desert steppe. It is of great significance to study the responses of plant diversity and above-ground net primary productivity （ANPP） to precipitation changes during the restoration of degraded desert steppe ecosystems. Therefore， the research object was the herbage community in the Urat desert steppe in Inner Mongolia， which was drought-treated for 5 years （2017-2021） （control， rain reduction of 20%， 40% and 60%） and then restored for 2 years （2022 and 2023）. We measured species diversity， plant functional traits and ANPP during the restoration process， and studied the legacy effects of different drought intensities and the effects of growing season precipitation changes on the resilience of desert steppe plant communities， providing theoretical basis for ecological restoration of degraded desert steppe. The results showed that： （1） Two years after the drought ended， there was no significant difference in species richness for other treatments and density， plant functional traits and ANPP for all treatments， except that the species richness of 40% treatment was significantly lower than that of the control， indicating that the desert steppe had strong resilience. （2） During recovery， growing season precipitation has significant effects on vegetation restoration： restore 1 year （2022）， the growing season has relatively high， the leaf nitrogen content of 40% treatment was significantly greater than the control， meanwhile， the species richness， density， plant height， specific leaf area， leaf dry matter content， leaf thickness and ANPP for all treatments were not significantly different from the control. However， in the second year of restoration （2023）， the growing season drought significantly reduced the species richness， density， ANPP， SLA and LT， while the leaf carbon and nitrogen content was the opposite. （3） The structural equation model showed that during the restoration process， the change of growing season precipitation indirectly affected species richness and ANPP by influencing LT， and LT was an important factor affecting species richness and productivity during the restoration process. Arid desert steppe has a certain recovery ability after drought relief. The change of growing season precipitation determines the recovery of plant community diversity and productivity in arid desert steppe， and the increase of plants with thicker leaves can promote the recovery process of plant community after drought in arid desert steppe.

Ghost dune is a kind of aeolian sand landform which is different from the traditional cumulated dune. It belongs to eroded dune and is a negative landform. This paper takes the fluvial ghost dune in the north of Jiayuguan City in Hexi Corridor as the research object. By comparing satellite images and field sedimentary profile data， this paper verifies and discusses its morphological characteristics， formation model， differences from the lava flow ghost dune and its environmental significance. The results show that： （1） The fluvial ghost dunes are mainly distributed near the mountain pass of the river channel， and most of them present a distribution pattern of approximately parallel arcs arranged at different intervals. The arcs have different lengths， and some of them are buried by the dunes and discontinuous， which is similar to the base of the lee slope of the barchan dune. （2） The fluvial ghost dune sedimentary profile can be divided into three layers： the clay layer composed of silty clay （with mud cracks）， the transition layer dominated by fine sand and extremely fine sand， and the eolian layer dominated by fine sand. The form， sedimentary profile and water accumulation on the leeward slope of the dune in the image all indicate that the fluvial ghost dune is formed by the fluvial water carrying sediment and burying the leeward slope of the dune. （3） The reasonable relationship between topography， dune direction and temporary river direction is the key factor for the formation of fluvial ghost dune， which is easier to form when the lee slope of barchan dune faces the direction of water flow. （4） Compared with lava flow ghost dunes， due to the low density， low viscosity and strong fluidity of the fluvial medium， it usually forms an incomplete ghost dune with a curved shape and is easy to be eroded by wind and vice versa. There are also more water flows than lava flows， which can form multi-stage fluvial ghost dunes.

To investigate the dynamic characteristics of groundwater table depth （GTD） in different hydrological regions of arid oasis areas under the development of irrigated agriculture， the oasis area in the central part of Sangong River Basin in Xinjiang was selected as the target study region， and this oasis area was divided into three hydraulic units from south to north， i.e.， the alluvial fan oasis area （ADFO）， upper alluvial plain oasis area （APOU） and lower alluvial plain oasis area （APOL）. Using the GTD data of 9 long-term monitoring wells as well as irrigation agriculture development， hydrometeorological and regional socio-economic information from 1995 to 2016， the variation characteristics and influencing factors of GTD were analyzed based on a variety of powerful methods such as ensemble empirical mode decomposition， wavelet analysis and grey correlation degree， and a BP neural network model was developed to predict the change of GTD in the studied region under the future changing environment. We note that the interannual variations of GTD fluctuated greatly in the oasis area of Sangong River Basin， with a continuous downward trend during the past 22 years， especially in ADFO area with an average annual decline rate of 1.03 m. The change points of GTD for all wells were found to have occurred during 2006-2010， which represents the transition period of agricultural irrigation schemes from traditional flood irrigation to water-saving irrigation， and the GTD during the water-saving irrigation period （after 2012） was deeper than that the traditional flood irrigation period （before 2006） in each hydrological region， with an increase of ADFO （12.25-15.59 m） > APOU （5.30-8.23 m） > APOL （1.03-1.71 m）. The main influencing factors of GTD change in the basin are the cultivated land area， groundwater pumping and mountain annual runoff. The simulation and validation results indicate that the BP neural network model coupled with groundwater table depth in different hydrological regions has good modelling accuracy， and under the implementation of the policy of reducing water consumption by returning farmland from 2017 to 2036， the GTD in the ADFO， APOU and APOL will rise by 6.74 m， 2.55 m and 0.35 m， respectively. This study would provide directives for maintaining the sustainability of groundwater in oasis-desert systems in other similar endorheic watersheds.

Creep is one of the three fundamental forms of blown sand movement and is currently a less-studied research area. Granule ripples， as a unique aeolian landform， are characterized by surfaces covered with coarse particles and composed of bimodal sediments. Their formation and evolution are closely related to creep movement， and the scientific community's understanding of their morphodynamic processes is quite limited. Therefore， this paper uses granule ripples as a study subject to investigate the laws of creep movement and explore their geomorphological significance. The research was conducted in the Sanlunsha area of the northern Kumtagh Desert， using a novel creep sand trap. We conducted 10 continuous in-situ observations over a period of 14 months. The results indicate that the creep sand flux on the surface of granule ripples ranges from 0.047 g·cm^-2·min^-1 to 0.352 g·cm^-2·min^-1， with significant seasonal variations. The grain size distribution of the creep material is bimodal， well-sorted， coarse-skewed， and has platy kurtosis. The content of medium and fine sand can reach 85%， while coarse sand and larger particles account for more than 10%. Creep sand fluxes exhibited clear variations depending on grain size， with the highest fluxes occurring in medium and fine sands， and measurably lower fluxes in very coarse sands and very fine gravels. There is a correlation between the creep sand flux and the average sand-driving wind speed. The strongest creep sand flux occurred during summer dust storms， while the weakest occurred in winter. In addition to wind conditions， the grain size characteristics of the sediments and the supply of sand from different directions also influence the creep sand flux and material composition. From a sedimentological perspective， the creep movement on the surface of granule ripples significantly contributes to the formation of their internal poured-in structures and coarse-fine interlayered forest laminations. This research provides new insights into the physical processes of wind-driven creep and the evolution of granule ripple bedforms. The traditional method of classifying creep based on grain size is questionable， and a more in-depth study of the mechanisms of creep movement and its geomorphological significance is necessary.

The high-quality economic development and the security of the oasis ecosystem in the middle and lower reaches of the Shule River Basin are intimately connected to the runoff emerging from the upper reaches. The Changma River， as the principal channel of the Shule River， exhibits extreme sensitivity to variations in climate and underlying surface changes. This study， focusing on the Changma River Basin and employing the Budyko hypothesis for the attribution analysis of runoff variations， arrives at the following primary conclusions： （1） Runoff， climate， and underlying surface factors all display pronounced characteristics of abrupt change， with the overall climate trend leaning towards warmer and more humid conditions. （2） Runoff exhibits the highest sensitivity to changes in precipitation， followed by underlying surface changes and potential evapotranspiration. In 1965-2015， the runoff in the Changma River demonstrated a significant increasing trend， with climate change （precipitation and potential evapotranspiration） and changes in the underlying surface contributing 37.31% and 62.79% to the runoff quantity changes， respectively. Changes in the underlying surface emerge as the predominant cause of runoff variations， with an increase in precipitation playing a secondary role. （3） The leaf area index is the factor most correlated with changes in runoff， followed by precipitation and soil water content. The change of underlying surface factors can explain the changes in runoff to a greater extent.

Pinus tabulaeformis，an endemic and widely distributed conifer in China， is widely distributed conifer species in China， and it is also the main afforestation species in the northern region of China. The impact of climate change on the growth of P. tabuliformis has become a hot research topic of genecology. In this study， based on the results of research on the chronology of P. tabuliformis， we systematically sorted out and analyzed the characteristics of the response of its radial growth to climatic factors under the influence of different precipitation， temperature， and other factors in the northern region of China. Our aim was to clarify the regional differentiation characteristics and provide a theoretical and decision-making basis for the management of natural and planted forests of P. tabuliformis. The results showed the following： （1） The main factor limiting the radial growth of P. tabuliformis is precipitation during the growing season. In regions with annual precipitation lower than 400 mm， hydrothermal factors in the growing season mainly influence the radial growth. In regions with annual precipitation of 400-600 mm， the radial growth of P. tabuliformis is mainly limited by temperature and precipitation. In regions with annual precipitation higher than 600 mm， the radial growth of P. tabuliformis is mainly affected by May precipitation and temperature and their combined effect of drought stress （2） The “lagging effect” of precipitation （e.g.， the previous precipitation of September） on the radial growth of P. tabuliformis is a significant factor， and it is mainly observed in regions with annual precipitation lower than 600 mm and annual mean temperatures below 9 ℃. （3） Winter temperature promotes the growth of P. tabuliformis in regions with annual precipitation higher than 600 mm and annual mean temperatures higher than 9 ℃. However， it inhibits the growth in regions with annual precipitation lower than 600 mm and annual mean temperatures lower than 9 ℃. Under the climatic background of global warming， the distribution of P. tabuliformis is likely to shift from arid and semi-arid regions to relatively humid regions and from low to high altitudes.

China's desert area is critical for the current and future development of the photovoltaic sector. Combining the construction of photovoltaic power stations with ecological environment repair is an essential prerequisite for the development of the desert-based economy， which must be considered from the basic site selection planning stage. A more comprehensive consideration of environmental factors can help carry out targeted zoning planning for desert areas and implement precise and effective ecological construction work. This paper takes the Badain Jaran Desert and the surrounding desert area as the study area， and adds the environmental constraints affecting the later ecological construction on the basis of the original constraints on photovoltaic power plant siting. It divides the region into four first-level subdivisions according to the suitability for photovoltaic power station construction and further subdivides them into eight sub-zones based on elements such as topography and precipitation. It also puts forward the countermeasures for the ecological construction corresponding to each sub-zone. The ecological construction in areas with less than 50 mm of annual precipitation mainly focuses on the effectiveness of windbreaks and sand fixation， while areas with 50~200 mm of precipitation should have both windbreak and sand fixation as well as ecological restoration effectiveness. In the gobi region， attention should be paid to the protection of the gravel surface， and in the desert region， attention should be paid to the prevention and control of wind and sand hazards.

Based on Landsat satellite imagery with a resolution of 30 meters covering the period from 1990 to 2020， land use/land cover information was interpreted and extracted. The study used dynamic change rate and land use transfer matrix methods to systematically analyze the spatiotemporal patterns of land use changes in the Ten Tributaries Basin over the past three decades. Additionally， using the Random Forest models， the driving forces of the structural transformation of land use were explored. The results showed that： （1） During the study period， forest area continued to expand， while sandy areas gradually decreased. The most significant increase was observed in construction land （47.5%）， followed by forest land （36.8%）， with no drastic changes in the structure of other components. （2） Frequent attribute transformations occurred among land use types， with mutual transformation between farmland land and grassland， and conversions from grassland and sandy land to forest land and construction land being the main characteristics. （3） In comparison to climate change， human activities played a predominant role in driving the structural transformation of land use in the basin， which were particularly reflected in the input of forest land， the output of grassland and construction land， and the transformation dynamics of sandy land.

Sandy medicinal plants are plant groups with both economic and ecological benefits，and they are widely distributed in the sandy habitats of the arid regions of northwestern China.Comprehensive understanding and utilization of the ecological functions of sandy medicinal plants are of great significance to regional ecological construction and conservation of medicinal resources.Taking the main sandy medicinal plants in arid region as an example，this paper analysed the ecological benefits and mechanisms of sandy medicinal plants in arid areas from the aspects of windbreak and sand fixation，soil fertility enhancement，saline and alkaline land management and species diversity improvement，with a view to providing theoretical basis and reference for their application in the ecological management in arid sandy areas.

The Yarlung Zangbo River basin has the ideal conditions for aeolian sand deposition， such as sand source， wind power and accumulation site， and aeolian geomorphology are widely distributed in the wide valley of the river. Based on high-resolution remote sensing images from 1970 to 2022 and meteorological data， this study analyzed the morphological evolution and migration characteristics of typical climbing dune in Mainling Great Valley section of Yarlung Zangbo River. The results showed that： （1） From 1970 to 2010， the overall scale of climbing dune in Maicun Village increased significantly， and then remained relatively stable. From 1970 to now， the surface sand ridges of climbing dunes are more and more densely distributed， and the intersection is more and more complicated. For the climbing dune as a whole， there is little correlation between the morphological parameters， but there is a good correlation between most of the morphological parameters of the surface sand ridges. （2） The prevailing wind direction in Mainling Counrty was N and NNE， while the sand-driving wind direction is SW and SSW. The resultant drift direction is 53.87°， and the region has experienced a low wind energy environment （DP=28.18 VU） and moderate wind direction variability （RDP/DP=0.72） over the years. （3） From 2010 to 2022， the sueface sand ridges of climbing dunes moved 15.71 m towards the NNE. The sand ridges migration rate is 0.23-26.79 m·a^-1， and the average migration rate is 2.57 m·a^-1. The low wind energy environment in the study area leads to slow sand ridges movement. Additionally， influenced by topography， near-surface air currents and large-scale wind conditions jointly govern the movement of the sand ridges， resulting in a discrepancy between their actual movement direction and the resultant drift direction. Terrain， wind conditions， vegetation， precipitation and the characteristics of the dunes themselves combine to create special climbing dune， making it a unique and eye-catching aeolian geomorphology landscape.

Soil moisture critically limits the growth of sand-binding vegetation.Analysis of soil moisture distribution patterns in sandy areas， and their correlation with topography and vegetation factors， provides a scientific basis for desertification control. This study focuses on soil moisture in fixed sand dunes within the Hongwei natural vegetation area of the Tengger Desert. Employing methodologies including generalized linear models （GLM）， generalized additive models （GAM）， and random forest （RF）， the research explores the impacts of topography and vegetation factors on soil moisture at various depths. Findings indicate distinct layers within the 0-300 cm soil depth， specifically a surface layer （0-40 cm）， a middle layer （40-200 cm）， and a deep layer （200-300 cm）， each showing significant differences. The RF model exhibits superior accuracy compared to the GLM and GAM models， suggesting that soil moisture decreases with increasing differences in terrain height. Moreover， surface and middle soil moisture levels rise with higher herbaceous coverage， while middle and deep soil moisture levels initially decrease and then increase with greater shrub abundance and biomass. The study suggests that future revegetation and sand fixation efforts should focus on controlling the density and placement of sand-binding shrubs and herbaceous plants to facilitate the restoration of sand-binding vegetation in the study area.

The development of energy and mineral resources often leads to varying degrees of pollution in the regional ecological environment. Evaluating the status and sources of heavy metal pollution in typical coal mining areas can provide valuable insights for soil pollution prevention and the construction of green mines. This study measured the concentrations of ten metal elements （As， Cd， Co， Cr， Cu， Mn， Ni， Pb， Zn， Fe） in water， vegetation and soil samples collected from typical coal mining areas and their surrounding regions in Hami. The spatial distribution and concentration levels of these metals were systematically analyzed using pollution indexes， the Nemerow Integrated Pollution Index， the Geo-accumulation Index and the Potential Ecological Risk Index. This study assessed the degree of heavy metal pollution and potential ecological risk in the soil of the typical coal mining area in the Hami. Multivariate analysis and the postive matrix factorization （PMF） model were used to identify potential pollution sources of soil heavy metal pollution. The results indicated that the enrichment of heavy metals varied across different mining areast. The pollution indexes and Nemerow Integrated Pollution Index revealed that As， Cu and Zn had the highest levels of enrichment in the study area. According to the Geo-accumulation Index， all the elements were generally at the unpolluted level. Additionally， our results implied that As， Co and Cu were the dominant contributors to ecological risk in the region， accounting for over 77% of the total cumulative risk. Multivariate analysis and the PMF model identified the primary sources of soil heavy metals as a mix of natural factors and transportation （34.57%）， industrial discharge （18.39%）， soil-forming parent materials （18.24%）， transportation （16.67%） and mining activities （12.13%）.

Wind-blown sand disaster is the most important environmental problem faced by large-scale concentrated solar power plant in the gobi area. In order to find out the law of wind-blown sand movement in the gobi concentrated solar power plant， we carried out high-frequency wind-blown sand transport process and wind dynamic environment observation research in west Dunhuang gobi tower concentrated solar power plant. The observation results show that： （1） The construction of large concentrated solar power plant significantly reduces the wind speed near the surface， and the wind speed at the height of 0.5 m and 2 m from the surface decreases by 39.67% and 37.35%， respectively. The annual sand transport potential inside the power station is reduced by 93.62% compared with that outside the power station. （2） The surface sand accumulation results in the decrease of the sand driving wind speed in the power station and the increase of the sand transport rate in the near ground. The u_t of sand generating wind speed at 2 m height in the power station is 7.36 m·s^-1， which is 36.52%-63.2% lower than the general gobi surface. During the observation period， the sediment transport in the 0.05 m height range of the power station is 3.64 times that outside the power station. （3） The wind and sand transport in the power station is intermittent， but near continuous transport occurs in the period of strong dust， and the saltation intermittent parameter γ_ρ is up to 99%. （4） The sediment transport rate in and out of the power station decreases exponentially with the increase of height. The average saltation layer height z_q of the sand in the power station ranges in 0.1-0.35 m， and the average is 0.15 m， which is about 20% lower than the general gobi surface.

Influenced by the thermal properties of the desert subsurface， the nocturnal atmospheric boundary layer in the desert region exhibits significant alterations in stratification stability， boundary layer dynamics， and thermodynamics， impacting the emission and dispersion processes of dust aerosols. Despite being a crucial source of dust aerosols in Asia， there is a lack of quantitative assessment of the effects of nocturnal atmospheric stratification stability， boundary layer dynamics， and thermodynamics on dust aerosols in the Taklamakan Desert. To address this gap， this paper utilizes GPS sounding and near-surface atmospheric observations to analyze the structural changes of the boundary layer and the characteristics of near-surface dust aerosol concentration under different stability conditions during the night. The study also investigates the mechanisms driving the changes in near-surface stratification stability and the thermal and dynamical factors influencing dust aerosol variations. The findings reveal that under clear and floating dust weather， the stability of the nocturnal boundary layer can be categorized as weak， strong， and very strong stability， while a neutral boundary layer occurs during dust storms. The strong weather processes disrupt the stable boundary layer structure. Enhanced stability of the near-surface layer at night favors the accumulation of dust aerosols under clear and floating dust weather， with the opposite effect observed during dust storms. Vertical wind shear predominantly influences the variation in dust aerosol concentration. This shear is intensified at night under clear and floating dust weather， promoting vertical diffusion of dust aerosols and reducing near-surface concentrations. Conversely， during dust storms， a significant positive correlation exists between vertical wind shear disturbed by the weather system and dust aerosol concentration， facilitating local dust uplift and the transport of upper-layer dust to the near-surface layer， thereby enhancing dust aerosol concentrations. The results of this study will contribute to a deeper understanding of desert land-atmosphere interactions， physical processes in the nocturnal boundary layer， and the impacts of these interactions.

The rhizosphere microbial community significantly influences the growth and adaptation of halophytic plants in saline-alkaline soils. In this study， we selected three species of the genus Kalidium—Kalidium gracile， Kalidium foliatum， and Kalidium sinicum—whose fragmented/localized distributions are found within the Minqin Liangu Cheng National Nature Reserve. Using high-throughput sequencing technology， we analyzed the composition and diversity of the rhizosphere soil bacterial communities associated with these three species and investigated their environmental driving factors. The results showed that the soils in the distribution areas of all three species were classified as saline-alkaline. The distribution areas of K. foliatum and K. gracile primarily contained sulfates and chlorides， while the soil in the distribution area of K. sinicum was predominantly chloride. The dominant phyla in the rhizosphere soil samples of all three species were Proteobacteria and Bacteroidota. Notably， the α-diversity index of the rhizosphere soil samples from K. gracile was significantly higher than those of the other two species. Additionally， the distribution of 11 key microbial biomarkers in the rhizosphere soils varied among the different species. A positive correlation was observed between the pH of the rhizosphere soil and bacterial diversity， while the abundance of Flavobacteriales exhibited a negative correlation with salt ion concentrations. The relative abundance of dominant bacteria in the rhizosphere soil communities across the three Kalidium species showed variation that was positively correlated with the total soil salinity and the concentrations of major salt ions. These findings suggest that changes in soil pH and ion concentrations are key factors contributing to the differences in the bacterial community structure of the rhizosphere soils associated with the three Kalidium species in the Minqin Liangu Cheng Nature Reserve， which， to some extent， influence the regional distribution of these halophytic plants.

As the most serious ecological and environmental problem in Tibet Plateau in recent years， desertification not only determines the ecological and environmental quality of the entire Qinghai-Tibet Plateau， but also affects the sustainable development of the ecological environment in China. This paper reviews the latest progress of desertification research on the Tibetan Plateau from four aspects： spatial and temporal distribution pattern of desertification， formation process of aeolian sand landform， vegetation sand control measures and desertification monitoring techniques. According to the existing problems in the study of desertification on the Tibetan Plateau， the future research priorities were put forwarded： （1） increase the overall study of desertification regionality and the linkage between upper， middle and lower rivers in the Tibetan Plateau. （2） identify the sources of sand materials and their relative contributions to the aeolian processes in river valleys. （3） analyze the effects of vegetation sand control measures on the movement of sandy materials. （4） establish a new technology for monitoring desertification on the Tibetan Plateau. Some suggestions on desertification control in Tibet Plateau were put forwarded in order to provide reference for the sustainable development of ecological environment in Tibet Plateau.

Revegetation is an effective way to reverse desertification， promote soil organic carbon sequestration and address climate change in arid and semi-arid regions. However， the effectiveness of SOC in improving soil quality and mitigating climate change are largely dependent on the composition and stability of SOC. In this study， we investigated the contents of SOC， mineral-associated organic carbon （MAOC）， and particulate organic carbon （POC） in the 0-10 cm soil layer of sand-fixing vegetation areas in a chronosequence along the southern edge of the Tengger Desert， and the relationship between SOC and its fractions and biotic and abiotic factors were analyzed. The results showed that： the contents of SOC， MAOC， and POC， as well as the proportion of MAOC to total SOC were significantly higher in the sand-fixing vegetation areas compared to mobile sand dune （MSD）， and they notably increased with time during the revegetion process， while an opposite trend was found for the proportion of POC to SOC. After 41 years of revegetation， the contents of SOC， MAOC， POC increased dramatically from 0.27， 0.009， 0.26 g·kg?1 in MDS to 2.86， 1.03， 1.83 g·kg?1， respectively， representing increased by 9.59， 113.44， 6.04 times， respectively. The proportion of MAOC to SOC ranged from 3.35% to 36.47%， suggesting a gradual enhancement in SOC stability as vegetation restoration progressed. Pearson correlation coefficient analysis and structural equation modeling further indicated that variations in MAOC and POC contents and their proportions to SOC were intimately linked to changes in vegetation characteristics， soil physicochemical properties， microbial community composition， enzyme activity， and microbial biomass carbon derived from revegetation. Among these factors， soil physicochemical properties were the key driving factor， with standardized overall effects on MAOC and POC of 0.965 and 0.86， and -0.172 and 0.281， respectively. Our findings indicate that revegetation is an effective to enhance carbon sink potential and promote the long-term sequestration of SOC in arid sandy regions.

Promoting the development of new energy and reforming the energy structure are fundamentally crucial in addressing climate change and energy scarcity. Vigorously developing photovoltaic new energy is an important approach to achieving the goal of "carbon emission peak and carbon neutralization". In recent years， photovoltaic new energy has experienced a significant surge in growth. However， due to limited land resources under the national food security strategy， constructing photovoltaic power stations faces major constraints. To tackle this challenge， the state encourages the construction of large-scale photovoltaic power station in sandy desert， gravel desert， and desert while strictly ensuring ecological protection. The topography of desert areas is intricate， characterized by harsh wind and sand environments， making the destruction of vegetation a straightforward process， however， restoring ecological systems in such conditions poses significant challenges. Effectively enhancing the efficiency of photovoltaic power generation while simultaneously safeguarding vegetation presents a formidable challenge during the construction of large-scale photovoltaic power stations. This study focuses on the investigation and analysis of natural environmental conditions， vegetation status， and soil water characteristics in the project area located at the southern of Tengger Desert. Furthermore， we examine the correlation between sand-fixing shrub cover and shrub mortality as well as the relationship between soil water content and both shrub cover and shrub mortality. Based on the long-term ecological research findings of sand-fixing vegetation， this study proposes scientific recommendations for plant protection and ecological restoration in desert areas， aiming to facilitate the exploration and development of anintegrated model combining desert photovoltaic construction with ecological protection and restoration. These proposals aim to provide technical support for establishing high-quality large-scale demonstration base of desert photovoltaic power stations combined with effective desert governance.

Phenotypic plasticity is a crucial mechanism for plants to adapt to environmental changes. However， its spatial adaptation to large-scale desert photovoltaic power stations remains poorly understood. This study investigated the sand-fixing plants at different positions under and between the photovoltaic panels of large-scale photovoltaic power stations in the southeastern edge of Tengger Desert. It revealed the adaptation mechanisms of sand-fixing plants to photovoltaic power stations from the perspectives of morphology， biomass， and distribution. After implementing ecological restoration， the photovoltaic array significantly altered the individual phenotypes of sand-fixing plants. Plant height， root length， ground diameter， above-ground and below-groundbiomass were significantly reduced under panel compared with inter-panel spaces. There were also varying degrees of differences in inter-panel （lower） spaces. Photovoltaic panels are more conducive to the growth of sand-fixing plants. The root-shoot ratio （R/S） near the rain line of photovoltaic panels is significantly lower than that between them； this serves as an important mechanism for sand fixation plants to adapt to water and light resource redistribution within photovoltaic power stations while conforming to optimal allocation hypothesis. Photovoltaic arrays significantly changed the spatial distribution characteristics of plant communities； species richness， diversity， vegetation coverage， and density were all significantly reduced under PV panels compared with those between them. Photovoltaic arrays also influenced relationships between plant community characteristics and biomass as well as R/S； species richness and plant density regulated both biomass and distribution patterns in sand-fixing vegetation. By modifying environmental conditions such as light and microclimate， photovoltaic arrays exert a significant influence on the growth and R/S of sand-fixing plants. These research findings can serve as a crucial theoretical foundation for promoting sustainable development in large-scale desert photovoltaic power stations and facilitating scientific ecological restoration.

Under the dual constraints of resources and environment， examining the calculation indicators， evolutionary characteristics， and regional differences of agricultural non-point source pollution in the Yellow River Basin plays an important foundational role in promoting ecological protection and high-quality agricultural development. This article takes agricultural fertilizers， livestock and poultry farming， and crop solid waste as pollution units， uses inventory analysis method to calculate the agricultural non-point source pollution emissions and emission intensity of nine provinces in the Yellow River Basin from 2006 to 2022， and uses DAGUM GINI coefficient method to calculate the regional differences. Research has shown that： （1） The overall trend of agricultural non-point source pollution emissions and emission intensity in the Yellow River Basin is deteriorating， with an average annual growth rate of 1.85% and 1.06%， respectively. The main source is COD pollutants. （2） There are significant differences in agricultural non-point source pollution caused by various pollution sources in the Yellow River Basin. Livestock and poultry farming has the highest contribution rate to COD and TP， while crop solid waste has the highest contribution rate to TN. （3） From 2006 to 2022， the regional internal differences in the intensity of agricultural non-point source pollution emissions in the Yellow River Basin have shown a narrowing trend， with regional differences being the main source， and there is an imbalance in pollution control between regions.

The material composition and geochemical characteristics of surface sediments in arid areas are important for revealing the source， formation process and sedimentary environment. The multi-index parameters of particle size and full particle size parameters reveal the differentiation characteristics of the origin， origin and action process of the Hobq Desert sediment in three regions， which were shown as follows： The sediment in the eastern part of the Hobq Desert was thin， with a mean particle size of 0.17 mm， the largest full particle size distribution parameter C （755.66）， the smallest μ and Dc values （-0.36 and 0.010）； The sediment in north branch of the west was middle， the average particle size was 0.30 mm， and the full particle size distribution parameters was 537.91， -0.32 and 0.12， respectively； These two areas have strong sand activity， and sediments are mainly wind sand sediments formed by long-distance transfer of particle suspension and transition， mainly medium-high disturbance and recursive suspension deposition， and sediment components are highly mixed with homology. The sediment component of the south branch of the west was coarse， with an average particle size of 0.29 mm， the smallest full-grain diameter distribution parameter C （289.94）， and the largest μ and Dc values （-0.15 and 0.25）， including some river sediments.

Desertification poses a severe challenge to the ecological environment of the Mu Us Desert. However， current desertification monitoring is subject to the limitations of strong subjectivity in visual interpretation and slow data updates. Therefore， there is an urgent needing to develop objective and rapid quantitative monitoring methods for desertification. With the emergence and development of remote sensing cloud computing， such as Google Earth Engine （GEE） not only provide multi-source remote sensing data but also has efficient computational performance， which creates conditions for rapid desertification monitoring. Therefore， based on the GEE platform and Landsat imagery， this study constructs an Albedo-NDVI feature space model for the Mu Us Desert from 2000 to 2022 and uses the Geographic Detector Model to quantitatively analyze the driving factors affecting desertification evolution. The conclusions are as follows： （1） The overall trend of desertification in the study area has improved， with an annual increase in the area of light desertification and non-desertification， and the area of recovery is larger than that of degradation. The spatial distribution shows obvious heterogeneity， with the northwestern area being more heavily desertified， and the southeastern area being lightly desertified and with a faster rate of reversal. （2） The evolution of desertification in the Mu Us Desert is the result of the combined action of multiple factors， among which precipitation and GDP factors have the highest explanatory power over the 22 years， with average q values of 0.078 and 0.105， respectively， which indicated that they are the main driving factors affecting desertification in the study area.

Based on remote sensing Ecological Index （RSEI）， the spatial and temporal changes of ecological quality in 6 Basins in Qilian Mountains from 2000 to 2020 were analyzed， and the effects of driving factors on ecological quality were analyzed by using geographic detectors. The results showed that： （1） RSEI was not significantly increased in Qilian Mountains in 21 a. The proportion of ecological quality remained unchanged， degraded and improved was 78.19%， 4.25% and 17.55%， respectively. The ecological levels of each tributary basin generally exhibit a spatial distribution characterized by a gradual decrease from the upper reaches to the middle and lower reaches. （2） The change of ecological quality in Heihe River Basin， Shule River Basin and Qaidam Basin has a trend of "polarization"， that is， the lower reaches of the basin， the core area of Qaidam basin and other areas with poor ecological quality have degradation risks， while the middle and upper reaches of the basin and the mountainous areas with medium and good ecological quality continue to improve. （3） The results of the geographic detector show that， in general， the explanatory power of natural-human interaction on ecological quality in each basin is better than that of nature-nature and humanity-human interaction. Climate and elevation play a core role in the change of ecological quality in each basin， while the influence of human factors is significantly different. Shiyang River and Heihe River basins， Qaidam Basin， Qinghai Lake and Huangshui River basins are mainly affected by the proportion of primary， secondary and tertiary production respectively， while Shule River Basin is less affected by human factors. The results of this study can provide the decision basis for the sustainable development of Qilian Mountains.

The Gonghe Basin is located in a sensitive area of climate change on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau， and is facing serious desertification threats due to extreme climate conditions and irrational human activities. In this study， we used MEDALUS model to evaluate the spatiotemporal variation characteristics of desertification sensitivity from 2000 to 2020 based on the climate quality index （CQI）， vegetation quality index （VQI）， soil quality index （SQI） and management quality index （MQI）， and then analyzed the driving mechanism of desertification sensitivity using Geodetector. The results showed： （1） The land desertification in the study area was mainly characterized by medium to high sensitivity， showing a spatial pattern of high sensitivity in the central region and low sensitivity in the surrounding areas. （2） From 2000 to 2020， the desertification sensitivity of the Gonghe Basin significantly decreased， and the land area with high and extremely high desertification sensitivity had markedly declined. （3） The influence of climate quality index and vegetation quality index on desertification sensitivity was higher than that of soil quality index and management quality index； the desertification sensitivity of Gonghe Basin was affected by both natural and human factors， and the interaction between vegetation quality index and management quality index was the dominant factor of desertification sensitivity.

The arid and semi-arid region in northern China is an important ecological security barrier and a key area of the Silk Road Economic Belt. Arid and semi-arid grassland ecosystem has important ecological and production functions， which profoundly affects the ecological environment and， social and economic development of the area. With the intensification of climate change and anthropogenic activities， the plants and soil in the arid and semi-arid grassland ecosystem have undergone significant changes. The responses of plant-soil to precipitation and ecosystem management measures in arid and semi-arid grassland in northern China were reviewed in this paper. The effects of precipitation increase and decrease， grazing， enclosure and nutrient addition on plant characteristics （diversity， functional traits， productivity， etc.） and soil properties （soil physicochemical properties and soil respiration， etc.） were clarified. The changes of grassland plants and soil under precipitation changes and different management measures in arid and semi-arid areas were described systematically. These understanding can provide reference for rational use of grassland resources， restoration of degraded ecosystems and desertification management. At the same time， it can deepen the understanding of the response of grassland ecosystem to climate change and anthropogenic activities， so as to predict the future evolution trend of grassland ecosystem more reliably， and provide reference materials for accurately assessing the risks faced by ecological construction in northern China. The research of ecosystem stability and multi-functionality in the process of desertification land management should be strengthened in the future.

Classical aeolian geomorphology theory holds that each types of dune has individual wind regime and development environments， implying that different types of dunes should not coexist under nearly same wind regime. However， the coexistence of barchan and dome dunes has been observed on both Earth and Mars， contradicting traditional aeolian geomorphology theories， and the development environment and dynamics of such coexisting landforms are currently unclear. This study focuses on the area in the Qaidam Basin where barchan and dome dunes coexist， comprehensively analyzing the morphological characteristics， dynamic changes， and wind regime to explore the causes of their coexistence. The results indicate that the dune morphology in the coexisting areas of the Qaidam Basin is relatively small. Dome dunes are nearly circular or elliptical， while the barchans are characterized fat or short fat. The relationship between the annual migration rate and bottom area of barchan and dome dunes in the same region follows the same power function distribution， and the morphological changes of the dunes exhibit two patterns： evolution from dome dunes to barchan and transformation from barchan to dome dunes. The wind regime is characterized by a bidirectional wind with a distinct prevailing wind and a certain strength of secondary winds. There is a seasonal variation between 78°-95° in the direction of sand transport， and the seasonal variation in the main wind direction or sand transport direction provides the driving force for the coexistence of crescent and dome shaped sand dunes and the transformation of sand dune morphology.

Cascade dams alter the hydrological characteristics along with material transport and transformation patterns of rivers， thereby influencing water environment quality. Therefore， exploring the spatio-temporal distribution impact of nitrogen （N） and phosphorus （P） nutrients in the upper reaches of Heihe River under cascade dams and analyzing eutrophication risks is of certain reference significance for ecological restoration and cascade water resources management in Heihe River Basin. This study conducted statistical analysis on multi-year data of 10 water physicochemical indicators at 16 major monitoring sections in the upper reaches of Heihe River. The results demonstrate that there were significant spatio-temporal differences in the physicochemical properties of the water in the upper reaches of Heihe River. The overall water quality is weakly alkaline with good self-purification capacity， and the concentrations of total nitrogen （TN） and total phosphorus （TP） comply with Class III and Class II water quality standards. For temporal distribution， the concentrations of TN， ammonia nitrogen （NH₃-N）， and nitrite nitrogen （NO{}_{\mathrm{2}}^{-}-N） in the upper reaches of Heihe River are higher during the dry season than the flood season， while TP concentration is higher during the flood season than the dry season. In terms of spatial distribution， the distribution of nutrient salts in individual reservoirs exhibits potential cumulative effects， but under the action of cascade reservoirs， the overall distribution of nutrient salts shows a decreasing trend， indicating that the cumulative effect along the river is gradually weakening. Furthermore， NH₃-N and NO{}_{\mathrm{2}}^{-}-N are primarily distributed in the middle layer of the reservoir， while TN and TP have higher concentrations in the lower layer than the upper layer， indicating a stratification phenomenon with a large amount of N and P accumulating in the lower layer sediment. This study highlights the necessity for the implementation of management strategies aimed at mitigating eutrophication risks.

The internal sedimentary structure of sand dunes is often manifested as bedding structures， providing crucial information for the study of dune formation and evolution. This study focuses on a relatively mature parabolic sand dune located on the southern margin of the Hobq Desert. This thesis discusses the dynamics and depositional features of parabolic sand dunes through a combination of remote sensing dynamic monitoring and observational analysis of manually excavated profiles. The results indicate a consistent correlation between the dune morphology， dynamics， and internal structures. The dune undergoes forward movement and lateral expansion in the form of inner-side erosion and outer-side interception by vegetation， and here are variations in the types of bedding in different parts of the dune. Due to the absence of a consistent sand source， the sedimentary structures observed at the nose of the parabolic dune primarily consist of parallel bedding with grain sequence interaction and medium-low dip angle cross-bedding， and coarse sand lenses are present in the bedding of the crest and leeward slope. The sedimentary structures on both arms of the dune are relatively consistent， primarily characterized by parallel bedding and middle-high dip angle cross-bedding. The lower layers of inner slopes exhibit eastward-inclined foreset beds， while the upper layers of inner slopes exhibit inward-inclined climbing beds. On the outer slopes of two arms， there is outward-inclined high dip angle foreset beds. The sedimentary structural features of the sand dune reflect its primary depositional processes. In the southern margin of the Hobq Desert， the deposition processes of parabolic sand dunes involve sand ripple deposition and particle fall deposition. Additionally， on the outer slopes of the two arms， there is particle flow deposition resulting from gravity collapse. Due to the complexity of surface processes， relying solely on dune bedding may not accurately determine regional airflow directions.

Coral reef coasts are a common type of coast in our country， but widespread coastal erosion has led to severe damage to the growth environment of coral reefs in recent years. The erosion phenomenon at Dengloujiao Coast is also becoming increasingly serious， with large amounts of sandy mud being transported from the coast and accumulating in reef beds， affecting the habitat environment and growth of coral reefs. In this study， we use remote sensing image data and GIS analysis methods to interpret the erosion degree of Dengloujiao Coast from 2010 to 2020， and briefly analyze its causes and propose protective measures. The results show that： （1） The erosion area of Dengloujiao Coastline showed an increasing trend and reached its maximum in 2019-2020， with section II having a consistently large erosion area over the past decade， and the most severe erosion in section II occurred from 2015 to 2017. The erosion of Dengloujiao Coastline has been significant over the past decade， and the rate has accelerated. （2） Based on field investigations， it was found that coastal erosion at Dengloujiao is related to many factors. The sandy coastline serves as the material foundation for coastal erosion， while climate factors and rising sea levels are the fundamental causes. Coral reef death， stormy weather， and human activities exacerbate the rate of coastal erosion. Corresponding protective measures are proposed based on the varying degrees of coastal erosion to mitigate erosion hazards and ensure the safety of the Dengloujiao coastline， creating a suitable living environment for corals. These measures also serve as a reference for the prevention and control of erosion in sandy coral reef coasts.

In-depth research on the social-ecological system resilience of desertification reversal areas is crucial for formulating scientific ecological protection policies， consolidating desertification control achievements， and promoting regional sustainable development. This study takes Yanchi County， a typical desertification reversal area in Ningxia of China， as an example. Based on the social-ecological system PSR Model （SES-PSR）， it constructs an evaluation index system for social-ecological resilience. Utilizing the comprehensive index method and obstacle degree model， it explores the changes in resilience and their causes from 2011 to 2021. Additionally， the GM（1，1） and quadratic index smoothing combination prediction model are employed to forecast and analyze resilience for the period of 2022 to 2031. The results indicate that： （1） From 2011 to 2021， the comprehensive index of social-ecological resilience in Yanchi County has steadily increased， with a slight decline in the pressure index， a significant rise in the state index， and a steady improvement in the response index. The socio-economic system has notably strengthened， and the ecological environment has improved. （2） Between 2011 and 2015， the main obstacles affecting social-ecological resilience included arable land area， grazing bans， livestock subsidy policies， and per capita GDP. However， from 2016 to 2021， the primary obstacles shifted to non-agricultural population， natural population growth rate， and afforestation area. （3） In the next decade， the social-ecological resilience of Yanchi County is expected to continue strengthening， with ongoing improvements in socio-economic levels and ecological environments.

This study aims to investigate the effects of different plant community types on wind speed and sediment transport in the Ulan Buh desert area. Three typical vegetation communities with Haloxylon ammodendron， Zygophyllum xanthoxylum， Tetraena mongolica， and Ammopiptanthus mongolicus as the dominant species were selected for wind and sand dynamic observations. The research results show that the roughness coefficient Z₀ of vegetation communities is related to the vegetation coverage c， vegetation height h， and wind speed U_Z by the function Z₀=a₀ch+b₀U_Z +c₀ （where a₀>0 and b₀<0）. The sediment transport rate can be described by the exponential function model Q=exp（a₁ch+b₁v² +c₁）， where the wind speed v， vegetation factors， and sediment transport rate Q are related. Wind speed， as a key factor affecting roughness and sediment transport rate， is negatively correlated with roughness and positively correlated with sediment transport rate. Vegetation factors are positively correlated with roughness and negatively correlated with sediment transport rate. By establishing a multi-factor comprehensive relationship， it is possible to more accurately analyze the effects of plant community wind and sand movement， where the sediment transport rate changes with the influence factors in an exponential function manner. The coefficients of the fitting results and the contribution rates of the influencing factors can be used as quantitative indicators to evaluate the influence range of vegetation factors on roughness and sediment transport rate. In the Ulan Buh desert along the Yellow River， the Zygophyllum xanthoxylum+Tetraena mongolica community with a tight underlying surface structure has the most significant effects on roughness and sediment transport rate compared to other communities.

Dust is an active component in the earth's surface system， highly sensitive to global climate changes， and capable of influencing global radiation， energy balance， and material cycling through a series of feedbacks. In recent years， an increasing number of remote sensing products have been used to monitor sand and dust storms， such as Dust Aerosol Optical Depth （DOD）. However， quantitative characterization of the relationship between DOD and other remote sensing-derived sand and dust storms indexes with the intensity of sand and dust storms remains limited. This study utilizes sand and dust storms observation data from meteorological stations in northern China and data from the Annual Report on Dust Weather in China to statistically analyze the frequency of dust occurrence （FoO） in northern China and Mongolia from 2001 to 2007， verifying DOD as an indicator for frequency of dust occurrence. Based on these analyses， this study distinguishes sand and dust storms of different intensities in various regions based on DOD and FoO， thereby exploring the spatiotemporal variations and driving factors of sand and dust storms in the study area from 2001 to 2022. The results show that： （1） DOD increases with the intensity of sand and dust storms， from suspended dust to blowing sand and dust， sand and dust storms， and severe sand and dust storms， but DOD threshold values for distinguishing various types of sand and dust storms vary by region. It shows more distinct DOD thresholds in western study area for different dust intensities， with a lower threshold for suspended dust and blowing sand and dust （0.2） compared to central and eastern study area（0.4）. （2） High FoO areas were primarily located in Xinjiang， gobi and deserts in northern Inner Mongolia and southern Mongolia， and deserts in Qaidam Basin， where FoO is generally higher in spring and summer than in autumn and winter. （3） Over the past two decades， FoO has generally declined across northern China， especially in deserts and dune fields of north-central China and the Loess Plateau. In contrast， Mongolia shows a pattern of decreasing FoO in the southeast and increasing FoO in the southwest. （4） Changes in FoO in most areas strongly correlate with vegetation index， NDVI， and spring wind speed， reflecting that reduced near-surface wind speeds and increased vegetation， driven by climate change and extensive ecological restoration efforts， have suppressed dust activity in northern China.

The spatial distribution pattern of sandy land is the result of long-term erosion， transport and accumulation by wind after the sediment sinks by the action of running water. To quantitatively assess the spatial distribution pattern of sandy land and analyze its change characteristics， we selected Gonghe Basin， located in the northeastern Tibetan Plateau， as the study area. Utilizing landuse data from 1980 to 2020， this study adopted the geographical barycenter model and introduced the Migration Intensity Model to calculate the barycenter and migration intensity of sandy land， enabling an analysis of change characteristics of spatial distribution pattern of sandy land in the Gonghe Basin. The main conclusions are as follows： The migration distance of sandy land in the Gonghe Basin decreases from northwest to southeast. The Shazhuyu River Basin has the greatest distance at 43.43 km， followed by the combined area of the Shazhuyu River Basin and the western Longyangxia Basin at 39.93 km. The area including the Shazhuyu River Basin， western， and eastern Longyangxia Basin has a smaller distance of 31.88 km， with the smallest distance of 5.74 km in the eastern Longyangxia Basin. The predominant migration direction of sandy land throughout the basin is toward the southeast （99.46°-126.80°）. The migration intensity in the basin decreases from northwest to southeast， with values of 0.83 in the Shazhuyu River Basin， 0.61 in the combined Shazhuyu River and western Longyangxia basins， 0.30 in the Shazhuyu River， western and eastern Longyangxia basins， and 0.15 in the eastern Longyangxia basin. The analysis reveals that the spatial distribution pattern of sandy land in the Gonghe Basin exhibits limited temporal variation， indicating a relative stability shaped by the long-term influence of regional environmental factors.

In recent decades， climate change and unsustainable water resource exploitation have disrupted the natural balance of inland lake ecosystems in China， leading to the shrinkage of lakes and the exposure of dry beds prone to wind erosion and salt-dust storms， which pose greater environmental risks than typical sandstorms. This study investigates the dry lakebed of Chahan Lake on the Bashang Plateau， a critical upwind area for Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei. Through field observations， ground surveys， and sediment sampling， the spatial-temporal patterns of springtime aeolian activity and influencing factors were analyzed. Results show that aeolian activity decreases over spring due to weakening winds， increasing precipitation， and the formation and fragmentation of surface salt crusts. Early spring sees much stronger activity than late spring. A high-risk zone for salt-dust release， covering 10.27 km²， was identified in the southwestern lake center and a 0.72 km² sand accumulation area downwind， with maximum sand transport intensity reaching 88 336.60 g·m⁻¹·d⁻¹.

The natural forest of Mongolian pine （Pinus sylvestris var. mongolica） plays an important role in the ecological service functions of Hulun Buir Sandy Land area in northeastern China. However， the influence of stand structural characteristics and competition on the growth of Mongolian pine in sandy land remains unclear. This paper analyzed the effects of stand structure diversity and competition on the tree growth of Mongolian pine by calculating 9 stand structure diversity indices and 46 competition indices using the whole-plot survey and dendroecological methods. The correlation analysis and multiple linear regression models were used to distinguish the role of competition and stand structure in determining tree growth. The results indicated that： （1） The tree growth is significantly modulated by the size neighborhood comparison indices， diameter differentiation indices， and Clark-Evans clumping indices. （2） Competition is an important factor in regulating tree growth， with growth rate decreasing as competition intensity increases. （3） Competition， stand structure （diameter differentiation index） and tree characteristics （height-to-diameter ratio， tree crown width） jointly controlled the growth of sandy Mongolian pine. The competition displayed the greatest effect on the tree growth， explaining about one third of the variability. In the future， forest managers should attach more importance to optimizing the stand structure and tree-to-tree competition to improve stand productivity.