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.

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%）.

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.

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.

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.

Aeolian environment is an important research content to analyze the causes of railway sand disasters in sandy areas. In this paper， through field investigation， combined with the analysis of wind data， the characteristics of aeolian environment in dry Taitema Lake section of Golmud-Korla Railway are analyzed. The results show that： （1） The grain size composition of the surface sediments in the dry lake-basin is dominated by very fine sand and silt， accounting for 81.62% of the total particulate matter content. The soil salt content is above 10 g·kg^-1， and the shear strength is 477.19 ± 151.26 kPa. （2） In 2018， 2019 and 2022， the average wind speed at 10 m height is 5.19 m·s^-1， and the average annual sand-driving wind speed （at 10 m height， ≥9 m·s^-1） is 13.02 m·s^-1. The average annual sand-driving wind frequency is 12.66%， mainly in the NE direction， mainly concentrated in April to October. The average frequency of gale （≥ 17 m·s^-1） is 1.64%， accounting for 12.95% of the sand-driving wind. （3） The average annual sand drift potential （DP） can reach 872.4 VU， which belongs to the high wind energy area and narrow single peak wind condition. （4） In 2018， 2019 and 2022， the total sand transport quantity is 2.37 m³·m^-1， and the main directions for sand transport are NE and E. In extreme duststorm weather， the sand transport quantity is large， accounting for 7.1% of the annual sand transport quantity.

The coastline of China is intricate and complex， with sandy coastlines occupying a significant proportion. In recent years， research on aeolian sand control of sandy coasts has garnered widespread attention， which is of great importance for ensuring ecological safety， economic development， and social stability in coastal areas. This paper comprehensively reviews the research progress on aeolian sand control of sandy coasts in China， and analyzes the research findings over the years regarding the types and causes of coastal aeolian disaster， prevention and control measures， as well as resource utilization and protection. The research indicates that coastal aeolian disaster primarily manifest as erosion and accumulation， influenced by both natural factors and human activities. The integrated engineering for China's coastal Aeolian control combines diverse strategies of sand fixation， biological management， and rational resource utilization. By precisely observing and simulating the laws of wind and sand movement， it scientifically guides the formulation and implementation of protective measures. Currently， China's sandy coastlines face challenges in technical simulation， adaptability to specific environments， and stability of energy supply in sand and dust prevention and control efforts. In the future， it is necessary to deepen the exploration of the movement patterns of sand and dust in characteristic environments， optimize governance strategies， break through technological bottlenecks， and strengthen international cooperation to jointly address the challenges posed by climate change and rising sea levels， contributing Chinese wisdom and solutions to global coastal ecological environment protection.

The Horqin Sandy Land is a typical area of land desertification evolution in the semi-arid grassland region of northern China. It is a core area for national efforts to control desertification and studying the terrestrial ecosystem's carbon cycle in response to global changes. The Naiman Desertification Research Station， located in the southwestern part of the Horqin Sandy Land and established by the Chinese Academy of Sciences， is a long-term observation and research platform. It is dedicated to preventing and controlling land desertification in the northern agro-pastoral transition zone. This paper reviews four decades of the station's research on carbon cycling in the Horqin Sandy Land， with a focus on the following four areas： ①the carbon content and storage dynamics in the plant-soil systems， ②the soil respiration characteristics， ③the ecosystem carbon flux evolution， and ④the carbon sequestration effects of ecological restoration. This research reveals changes in vegetation and soil carbon pools during both desertification progression and reversal， clarifies the spatiotemporal patterns of regional-scale soil organic carbon and its driving mechanisms， and determines the response thresholds of soil respiration to temperature and moisture alongside shifts in the contribution ratios of its components across different habitats. It also identifies the dominant factors controlling the variability of the carbon sink function in diverse ecosystems over time， based on long-term flux observations， and quantifies the carbon sequestration rates and potential of various ecological restoration measures， elucidating their underlying mechanisms. These findings are profoundly significant in deepening our understanding of the pathways， processes， and mechanisms involved in carbon sequestration and sink enhancement through ecological restoration in semi-arid sandy regions. They also provide crucial scientific support and practical guidance for the precise implementation of China's dual-carbon strategy （carbon peaking and carbon neutrality） in ecologically fragile areas.

Vegetation restoration and reconstruction are key measures for the remediation of desertified lands in arid regions. This process profoundly influences regional carbon cycling by altering surface cover， biodiversity， and soil organic matter. This paper reviews the impact and mechanisms of vegetation restoration and reconstruction on key carbon cycling processes over the past 70 years in the sandy areas of northern China. The results indicate that vegetation restoration enhances photosynthetic carbon sequestration through the "vegetation-biocrust-soil" complex， with net ecosystem carbon exchange （NEE） measurements of -386 to -245， -280 to -156， and -210 to -125 g·m^-2·a^-1 for artificial forests， shrublands， and herbaceous communities， respectively. The annual carbon sequestration by biological soil crusts （BSCs） can reach 11.36 to 26.75 g·m^-2·a^-1. Soil respiration and organic carbon mineralization rates tend to increase with longer vegetation restoration periods. Soil CO₂-C release is regulated by a combination of factors including vegetation composition， restoration duration， BSCs development level， and seasonal hydrological and thermal fluctuations， demonstrating significant spatial heterogeneity and temporal dynamics. Vegetation restoration significantly enhances soil organic carbon （SOC） storage by increasing biomass carbon input， BSC development， and improving soil aggregate structure， with SOC storage in the 0-100 cm soil layer reaching 0.19 to 7.71 kg·m^-2. The sequestration rate is co-controlled by multiple factors such as ecological restoration measures， soil substrate properties， and hydrothermal coupling. The carbon-nitrogen coupling mechanism plays a key regulatory role in the carbon sink function of the system. Vegetation restoration and reconstruction significantly alter the surface greenhouse gas flux pattern， with CO₂ flux dynamics showing complex environmental response characteristics. Future research should strengthen multi-scale long-term monitoring and deepen studies on BSC function， climate change responses， and carbon-nitrogen coupling mechanisms to provide scientific support for optimizing vegetation restoration models in sandy areas and achieving the "dual carbon" goals.

Ecological stoichiometry is an important means of studying the dynamics of energy flow and nutrient cycling in ecosystems， and is also one of the important fields of ecological research. This study focuses on the surface soil （0-20 cm） of Baidunzi Salt Marsh National Wetland Park in Jingtai， Gansu Province. Based on the distribution characteristics of 8 typical plant communities， 24 sample points were set up to collect soil samples and analyze the differences and correlations between the stoichiometric characteristics of soil organic carbon （SOC）， total nitrogen （TN）， total phosphorus （TP）， and total potassium （TK）. The aim is to reveal the soil ecological stoichiometry characteristics （SOC， TN， TP， TK， C/N， C/P， N/P， N/K） of Baidunzi Salt Marsh National Wetland Park and their relationship with community types and soil physicochemical factors， in order to provide theoretical basis and data support for the scientific management and ecological regulation of Baidunzi Salt Marsh National Wetland Park. The results showed that： （1） the average values of soil SOC， TN， TP， and TK in the study area were 8.20， 0.96， 0.21， 1.85 g·kg^-1， respectively； The mean values of stoichiometric ratios C/N， C/P， N/P， and N/K are 10.34， 52.96， 7.54， and 0.99， respectively； （2） There were significant differences （P<0.05） in the ecological stoichiometry of soil among different plant communities， with soil SOC content being highest in the Tamarix chinensis community and lowest in the Phragmites australis community； The soil TN content is the highest in the Salicornia europaea community， which is twice that of the Suaeda glauca community； The soil TP content in the Tamarix chinensis community is the highest， which is 4.50 times that of the Salicornia europaea community； The soil TK content in the Tamarix chinensis community is the highest， 8.8 times that of the Nitraria sibirica community； （3） There is a highly significant correlation （P<0.01） between soil SOC， TN， and TP content in the study area； （4） Redundancy analysis （RDA） shows that soil available phosphorus， pH， and aboveground biomass are important factors in explaining the variation of soil ecological stoichiometry characteristics， with a contribution rate of 68.1% to soil ecological stoichiometry characteristics. In summary， the soil SOC， TN， TP， and TK contents in the study area are lower than the average level of Chinese swamp wetland soil， indicating that the soil SOC， TN， TP， and TK contents in the study area are relatively scarce； There are significant differences in soil ecological stoichiometry among different plant communities， and soil available phosphorus， pH， and aboveground biomass are the main soil physicochemical factors affecting the soil ecological stoichiometry characteristics of Baidunzi Salt Marsh National Wetland Park； The soil N/P ratio was significantly lower than 14， indicating that soil TN content is the main factor limiting the growth of shrubs in wetland parks.

As a key taxon under the plantations in a desert-oasis ecotone， analyzing the spatial pattern of annual herbaceous species can help to reveal the structural characteristics of the community， and gain a deeper understanding of their ecological processes， intra and inter specific relationships， and Mechanism of environmental adaptation. In this study， we took three typical annual herbaceous species of the Agriophyllum squarrosum， Bassia dasyphylla and Halogeton arachnoideus under different plantation ages （5， 10， 20， 30 and 40 a） in a desert-oasis ecotone of the Hexi Corridor as the research objects， and analyzed the spatial pattern of the populations by point pattern analysis. The results showed that： （1） With the increase of the plantation ages of Haloxylon ammodendron plantations， the dominant species of annual herbaceous species under the plantation changed， from the 5-year-old community of Agriophyllum squarrosum-Bassia dasyphylla to the community of Bassia dasyphylla-Halogeton arachnoideus at 40 years. （2） With the increase of the plantation ages， the initial aggregation distribution of Agriophyllum squarrosum changed to random distribution. The initial aggregation distribution of Bassia dasyphylla changed from the initial aggregation distribution to the random distribution， and then from the random distribution to the aggregation distribution. The aggregation distribution of Halogeton arachnoideus changed from local scale to large-scale aggregation distribution. The uncorrelated scale of Agriophyllum squarrosum and Bassia dasyphylla gradually expanded with the increase of plantation ages， while the scale of the positive correlation between Bassia dasyphylla and Halogeton arachnoideus expanded. There was no spatial correlation between Agriophyllum squarrosum and Halogeton arachnoideus at all time and scales. （3） With the increase of plantation ages， the soil water content increased significantly， and the soil total nitrogen content decreased first and then increased， reaching the maximum value at 40 year-old. When the soil pH decreased， the electrical conductivity， Na⁺ and Ca²⁺ content changed consistently， and all of them increased significantly after 30 year-old. （4） In addition to the characteristics of annual herbaceous species， the environmental factors were mainly affected by the soil water content （2~5 cm）， Ca²⁺ and Na⁺， and were also restricted by the spatial correlation between different herbaceous plants. In general， the annual herbaceous species in a desert-oasis ecotone were mainly aggregated， and different populations were independent or mutually promoted.

The rise of nitrogen nitrogen （N₂O） concentration has exacerbated global warming. In recent years， China has faced the phenomenon of severe expansion of grassland desertification， and the response to the study of grass soil N₂O of grassland soil is increasing. However， there is a lack of systematic studies on the changes in N₂O emissions from grassland soils due to anthropogenic disturbances in terms of soil physicochemical properties and microorganisms and environmental factors. Therefore， this paper reviews the response mechanisms of grassland soil N₂O emissions to different disturbance types. Results showed that： ammonium nitrogen （NH{}_{\mathrm{4}}^{+}-N） and nitric nitrogen （NO{}_{\mathrm{3}}^{-}-N） are substrates for soil microbial nitrogen and nitrification. Rather than reducing soluble organic matter （DOM） to restrict nitrifying microorganisms， suppression of functional denitrification genes and denitrification potentials， and eventually lead to a reduction in potential N₂O emissions of the soil. Cutting the soil temperature of the sandy grassland and reducing the activity of soil enzymes， inducing soil microorganisms and activity， inhibit the breathing of microorganisms， and affect the soil nitrogen cycle. The change of fire to the flux of soil N₂O is related to the intensity and duration of fire interference. Therefore， future research should further explore its internal mechanisms to provide theoretical support for grassland scientific management and greenhouse gas emission reduction.

Graphene is a new type of carbon material. Its unique material properties enable it to effectively adsorb soil moisture and nutrient ions， which has a positive effect on soil improvement in arid areas. However， there are few studies on the application of graphene in arid areas. To investigate the effects of graphene on grass growth and soil nutrients in arid areas. Using Astragalus adsurgens， Elymus sibiricus， and Elymus dahuricus as materials， five addition levels of graphene were set （C₀：0 mg·L^-1， C₁：25 mg·L^-1， C₂：50 mg·L^-1， C₃：100 mg·L^-1， C₄：200 mg·L^-1）.Conduct seed germination experiments and pot experiments， and determine grass growth indicators and soil physicochemical properties.The results showed that： （1） The germination and growth of grass seeds with graphene addition showed promotion at concentrations of 25 and 50 mg·L^-1， and inhibition at a concentration of 200 mg·L^-1.Under C₁ treatment， the plant height and leaf length of Elymus sibiricus increased by 38.81% and 31.55%， respectively， compared to C₀ treatment （P<0.05）， under C₂ treatment， the total fresh weight of Astragalus adsurgens significantly increased by 51.94% （P<0.05） compared to C₀ treatment， while under C₄ treatment， the germination potential of Elymus dahuricus decreased by 45.46% compared to C₀ treatment. （2） Graphene can increase soil water content and regulate soil nutrients. Under C₄ treatment， the soil organic matter and total nitrogen content of Elymus sibiricus increased by 22.51% and 17.82% （P<0.05）， respectively， compared to C₀ treatment； The content of alkali hydrolyzed nitrogen and available potassium in the soil of Astragalus adsurgens increased by 52.56% and 14.99% （P<0.05） in C₄ treatment compared to C₀ treatment， respectively； The alkaline nitrogen and available phosphorus in the soil of Elymus dahuricus increased by 48.37% and 19.58% （P<0.05） in C₄ and C₁ treatments compared to C₀ treatments， respectively. （3） The optimal addition amounts of graphene for Astragalus adsurgens， Elymus sibiricus， and Elymus dahuricus are 50， 25， and 25 mg·L^-1， respectively. In general， the moderation of the graphene addition can promote grass growth and improve soil nutrient utilization efficiency， but high concentration graphene addition will have an inhibitory effect on grass growth.

Grasping the sustainability status and development trend of the human-land system is very important to promote the regional sustainability. In this study， Wushen Banner in the Mu Us Sandy Land， Zhenglan Banner in the Otindag Sandy Land， Naiman Banner in the Horqin Sandy Land were selected as study areas. This research constructed a comprehensive evaluation index system including four aspects of the intensity of human activity， the deterioration of resource-energy status， the degree of environmental pollution and the regulatory capability. The portfolio empowerment-technique for order preference by similarity to ideal solution and a triangular model were used to assess the sustainability level and development trend of the human-earth system during the period of 2000-2020. The results showed that： （1） It is evident that there is considerable spatial variation in the sustainability of human-land systems in the sandy areas of Inner Mongolia. However， the overall trend is one of improvement. （2） The characteristics of the subsystem changes indicate an overall fluctuating upward trend in the intensity of human activities in the study area from 2000 to 2020. This is evidenced by the fluctuating downward trend in the deterioration of the state of resources-energy and the degree of environmental pollution， as well as the ability to regulate and control the index， which showed an obvious upward trend. （3） From the perspective of overall sustainability， the Wushen banner demonstrated a notable shift from unsustainable practices to a more environmentally conscious approach， exhibiting a significant improvement in sustainability and ecological reflection from 2000 to 2020. Similarly， the Zhenglan and Naiman banners displayed a transition from unsustainable activities to a more sustainable and environmentally conscious path， with a notable advancement in sustainability and ecological reflection from 2000 to 2020. With the development of social economy and the increase of ecological governance， Sandy places in Inner Mongolia are actively exploring the road of green development. However， the balance between socio-economic development and resource and energy utilization， ecological and environmental protection is still facing challenges. In order to promote the sustainable development of the region， a differentiated management of the human-earth system is necessary for different dominant 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.

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.

The Great Green Wall project （GGWP） has achieved remarkable accomplishments in combating desertification， effectively curbing ecological degradation and establishing an internationally leading “Chinese model.” The key to its success lies in China’s persistent and continually deepening science-based strategies for combating desertification. This paper systematically reviews and summarizes the transformative process and core connotations of scientific sand control in the GGWP. The main advances are reflected in three deepening aspects： （1） Conceptual deepening： Shifting from a struggle for survival to scientific concepts such as “harmonious coexistence between humanity and nature” and “greening according to water availability，” with an emphasis on systematic governance and sustainability. （2） Technological deepening： Technological innovation has played a vital role throughout， evolving from traditional methods to a new stage of “Technology-Driven Combating Desertification 2.0，” integrating remote sensing， big data， water-saving irrigation， superior germplasm， biological sand fixation， and intelligent equipment， thus increasing precision and efficiency. （3） Effectiveness deepening： Progressing from single-target ecological restoration to the coordinated improvement of ecological， economic， and social benefits， along with the establishment of a comprehensive scientific evaluation system. The scientific practices of combating desertification in the GGWP provide invaluable experience and Chinese wisdom for ecological restoration and sustainable development in arid and semi-arid regions， both in China and worldwide. This paper also offers targeted recommendations for building a greener， more ecological， more beautiful， and happier “Three Norths，” serving as a reference for policy-making.

Habitat quality was an important basis for human well-being and the realization of sustainable development. Based on the land use data in 2000， 2010 and 2020 of the Gonghe Basin， the InVEST was applied to analyze the spatiotemporal changes in habitat quality， and the PLUS model was used to predict the spatial pattern under different development scenarios in 2030， and to explore the driving factors of regional habitat quality. The results show that： （1） From 2000 to 2020， the main land use types in the Gonghe Basin were grassland and unused land， with an overall increase in grassland area and a significant decrease in unused land. The spatial distribution pattern was characterized as low in the central part and high around of habitat quality， with a trend of increasing and then decreasing over the past 20 years. （2） The habitat quality index under the natural growth， ecological protection， and urban expansion scenarios in 2030 was 0.5332， 0.5369， and 0.5309， respectively. Under the ecological protection scenario， the area of forest land and grasslands was larger， which was more conducive to the improvement of habitat quality in the study area. （3） Land use was the dominant factor of changes in habitat quality， followed by soil type and NDVI. The expansion of construction land was the main reason for the decline in regional habitat quality over the past 10 years. The results of the study can provide a scientific basis for the ecological protection and sustainable utilization of land resources in the Gonghe Basin.

This study investigates the characteristics of macrozoobenthos community structure in the upper reaches of the Yellow River Basin， as well as the distribution variability between the mainstem and tributaries. A total of 18 sampling sites on the main stream of the Yellow River and its tributary Taohe River in Gansu were investigated in July-August 2023 to study the composition and quantity of macrozoobenthos. Seventy-seven species of macrozoobenthos were collected， including 62 species of arthropods， 11 species of mollusks， and 4 species of annelids. The numbers of macrozoobenthos collected from the main stream and its tributaries were 32 and 66 species respectively， and there were 21 common species. Across the entire study area， the dominant species were Anisogammarus sp.， Radix ovata， and Radix auricularia. Significant spatial variability in macrozoobenthos was observed in the study area. The density of macrozoobenthos in tributaries was higher than that in the mainstem， while the biomass in tributaries was lower than in the mainstem.Functional feeding taxa analysis revealed that longitudinal transport capacity in the mainstem was zero， while the tributaries exhibited a more comprehensive range of parameters. Independent samples t-tests showed that the macrozoobenthos Margalef richness index was highly significant （P<0.01） between the mainstem and tributaries， indicating that macrozoobenthos richness was significantly higher in tributaries than in the mainstem. Pearson correlation analysis and redundancy analysis （RDA） demonstrated that among various environmental factors， dissolved oxygen （DO）， water temperature （WT）， total dissolved solids （TDS）， salinity， altitude， and pH had a greater impact on the distribution of benthic animals in both the main stream and tributaries of the Yellow River Basin.

In this study， we selected the loess-paleosoil sequence from Amiola-South profile in Maqu County to analyze its grain size， and combined with magnetic susceptibility and Rb/Sr， in an attempt to reveal the sedimentological and kinetic characteristics of typical profile sediments and their relationship with climate evolution. The results showed that： （1） The particle size was divided into five terminal components： EM1 is the fine particulate matter transported by suspension and the clay particles produced by soil formation； EM2 is the effect of wind on the transport of floodplain materials in warm and humid climates. EM3 is the sand carried by the westerly and East Asian winter winds； EM4 is coarse particulate matter transported from near-source areas by severe sandstorms or strong winter winds； and EM5 is the lakeside setting of the ancient Zoige lake. （2） In the area of Amiola Mountain， due to the retreat of the water of the ancient Zoige lake， the land was exposed around 15.5 ka BP and began to accept stable wind and dust accumulation， 15.5-8.5 ka BP was cold and dry， 8.5-3.0 ka BP turned warm and wet， and 3.0 ka BP turned dry and cold so far. Wavelet analysis shows that the East Asian monsoon has a main cycle of 5.6 ka and a sub-cycle cycle of 2.1 ka and 3.5 ka.

Granule ripples are a type of small aeolian bedform， and airflow serves as the direct source of power for the initiation and transportation of sand particles， playing a crucial role in the morphological development. Owing to the challenges of landform scale and the constraints of available technology， there is currently a lack of accurate measurements regarding the airflow structure on the surface of these dunes. This study conducted field measurements of the morphology and surface airflow of typical granule ripples in the Sanlongsha area， analyzed the morphological characteristics and surface airflow structure， and preliminarily explored the feedback mechanism between airflow and terrain. The results indicate： （1） The granule ripples are generally aligned in parallel， featuring markedly asymmetrical slopes on both sides， with a wavelength and height measuring 3.37 m and 0.18 m， respectively， and a ripple Index （RI， wavelength/height） of 18.76. （2） On the windward slope， the airflow velocity gradually increases， the turbulence intensity decreases sequentially， the airflow direction deflects to the west， and at the crest， it is nearly perpendicular to the crest line； on the leeward slope， the wind speed is lower， the wind direction changes significantly， and the turbulence intensity is high， with airflow separation and the appearance of vortices. （3） Compared to the upper level （0.22 m）， the airflow on the windward slope accelerates more violently and deflects to a greater angle to the west at a closer distance near the ground （0.05 m）. （4） The larger the wavelength， the greater the wind speed at the crest， which helps to transport coarser particles to the crest， promoting the development of granule ripples and the formation of larger and higher ripples. This exploration of how morphology affects airflow structure and how airflow， in turn， reshapes the granule ripple morphology， helps to reveal the intrinsic mechanisms of granule ripple morphological dynamics and understand the formation and development process of transverse ridges on Mars.

Identification of detrital heavy minerals was carried out using a multiple-window grain size strategy range of 1-5 Φ wide on 73 aeolian sand samples （surface， subsurface， and shallow sections） from 51 sites in the core area of the Kumtagh Desert located in the north and south regions. The samples were consequently subjected to particle size analysis and density testing for certain specimens. The findings indicate that the dominant constituent of the shifting dune in the Kumtagh Desert is medium-fine sand， exhibiting an average sediment density of 2.63 g·cm^-3， approximately 30% of the dark particles comprise heavy components， primarily composed of rock debris and containing a minor proportion of heavy minerals. The number of mineral species， the contents of heavy components， quartz， carbonates， amphibole group， epinete group， stable heavy minerals and ferric metal minerals， as well as the mineral indices of Q/F， Q/（F+L）， ZTR and UM/SM in sediments exhibit an increase with decreasing particle size. Conversely， the content of rock debris， plagioclase， potassium feldspar， and the heavy mineral index GZi in light and heavy fractions exhibited respectively a decrease corresponding to the reduction in particle size. The 1-5 Φ detrites contain a total of 10 light minerals， predominantly quartz and plagioclase. Among the heavy minerals， there are 35 different types， with epidote， hornblende， and limonite being the most abundant， while garnet stands out as the characteristic mineral. The concentration of both light and heavy rock debris is significantly high. The sediment maturity in the study area is significantly low， with a slightly higher level observed in the northern part of the desert compared to the southern part. Both mineral characteristics and mineral indexes indicate that the sand in the northern region has undergone more intense weathering and sedimentary sorting than its counterpart in the south. The aeolian sand debris primarily originates from the Altyn Tagh， which is adjacent to the southern part of the desert. This sand can be considered as "turn into desert sand near the source" redeposited through wind-driven activation of ancient and modern alluvial and palaeo-lacustrine sediments.

As the core of traditional windbreak and sand fixation measures， artificial vegetation's minimum coverage is a key parameter for the design and construction of various desertification control projects. This paper utilizes the vegetation and biological soil crust coupling dynamics model established by previous researchers to calculate the minimum vegetation coverage under stable surface conditions. The main conclusions are as follows： First， this model can serve as a theoretical basis for plant sand fixation； second， in areas with high sand transport and low rainfall， there are two types of stable surfaces， where the minimum required vegetation coverage for fixing sand is 0.02-0.12； third， based on the average annual precipitation and sand transport potential， the Hexi Corridor region is divided into areas of natural recovery， plant sand fixation， and engineering sand fixation， in order to develop targeted sand control strategies that are suited to local conditions.

The developmental characteristics and regularity of Phragmites australis populations are significantly influenced by environmental changes in desert oases， resulting in unique stoichiometric characteristics of silicon （Si） and nitrogen （N）. This article takes five types of P. australis landscape habitats （sand dune， desert steppe， interdune lowland， saline grassland， and wetland） in the desert oasis of the Hexi Corridor as the research objects to explore the stoichiometry and homeostasis characteristics of Si and N in P. australis. The results indicated that there were significant differences in soil Si content and Si/N， as well as Si and N content and Si/N in different growth stages and organs of P. australis. P. australis Si （SiO₂） and soil Si （SiO₂） contents were both high， but soil available Si （H₄SiO₄） content was low， resulting in relatively low Si/N of P. australis， and the growth of P. australis was limited by Si. There were significant positive correlations between Si and N content， Si/N and soil Si， N content， Si/N， as well as groundwater depth， and no correlation was observed with groundwater Si， N content， and Si/N in the five habitats， and there was a certain degree of synergy and stability in the coupling effect of Si and N nutrients in P. australis. Si， N， and Si/N of reed in different habitats had high homeostasis， and the homeostasis of Si/N in P. australis was higher than that of the element itself （HI_Si/N>HI_Si>HI_N>4）. Compared with Si and N nutrition， Si/N in P. australis was less affected by the external environment， and the growth process of P. australis regulated the nutrient supply according to a certain Si and N absorption ratio.

In order to understand soil bacterial community structure characteristics and potential ecological function changes of different afforestation restoration strategies in Hunshandake Sandy land. The enclosed sample plots of Pinus sylvestris， Populus， Salix gordejevii and Hedysarum leave were studied which have been planted in Hunshandak Sandy Land for 20 years. The mobile dune enclosed plots that have been restored naturally for 20 years were used as the control. Through the combination of 16S rRNA gene high-throughput sequencing， PICRUSt function prediction and soil nutrient content determination， the soil restoration of different vegetation restoration strategies in sandy land was investigated. The results showed that： （1） The relative abundances of Proteobacteria and Bacteroidota in the Hedysarum laeve forest were significantly increased by 41.16% and 52.94% respectively， compared with those in the Salix gordejevii forest. The relative abundances of Acidobacteria and Chloroflexi in the Salix gordejevii forest were significantly increased by 64.59% and 55.16% respectively， compared with those in the Hedysarum laeve forest. The relative abundance of Bradyrhizobium， Rhizobium and Mesorhizobium accounted for 3.59%， 0.97% and 0.80% in the Hedysarum laeve forest and 3.50%， 0.82% and 0.83% in the Populus forest， respectively. γ-proteobacteria were the marker bacteria of Pinus sylvestris forest. （2） Through PICRUSt function prediction， the abundance of genes involved in stress resistance was significantly increased. The abundance of membrane transport genes in Populus forest was significantly increased， the abundance of membrane transport and signal transduction genes in Hedysarum laeve forest were significantly increased. The abundance of genes involved in self-growth of Pinus sylvestris forest and Salix gordejevii forest were significantly increased. The abundance of amino acid metabolism and lipid metabolism genes was significantly increased in Pinus sylvestris forest. The abundance of gene in energy metabolism and carbohydrate metabolism of Salix gordejevii forest were significantly increased. These results indicated that the potential ecological function of the sand-fixing forest of Populus forest and Hedysarum laeve forest were more stable than that of Pinus sylvestris forest and Salix gordejevii forest. In conclusion， there were significant differences in soil bacterial communities in different vegetation restoration areas of Hunshandake Sandy Land， which led to different potential functions. Hedysarum laeve forest played an important role in nitrogen fixation and soil nitrogen accumulation in collaboration with soil nitrogen fixing bacteria compared with Pinus sylvestris forest， Populus forest and Salix gordejevii forest.

The desert steppe ecosystem plays a crucial role in maintaining ecological balance and preventing land degradation， but its vulnerability makes it highly susceptible to human activities such as grazing. Plants acquire and allocate resources from the soil， which is essential for their growth and reproduction. However， research on the effects of soil nutrient content and stoichiometry among different grazing conditions on plant reproductive traits is still limited. This study conducted long-term experiments with three different grazing intensities （e.g.， no-grazing， moderate grazing， and heavy grazing） in Inner Mongolia to explore how grazing intensity affects the soil stoichiometry and reproductive traits of the dominant species of the desert steppe， Reaumuria soongorica. The results demonstrated that： （1） Grazing significantly affects soil nutrient content and stoichiometry， promoting the accumulation of total carbon （TC） and total nitrogen （TN） while reducing total phosphorus （TP） levels. Moderate grazing can adjust the C∶N on the soil surface. With increasing grazing intensity， the soil C∶N， C∶P， and N∶P showed an upward trend， impacting shrubs’ nutrients absorption and utilization. （2） The soil C∶N has been recognized as a critical factor influencing plant reproduction. The decomposition of organic matter in R. soongorica may be limited by phosphorus， and its growth and reproduction are more limited by nitrogen. （3） Grazing influences the growth and reproduction of R. soongorica shrubs by affecting soil nutrients contents and stoichiometry. In response to grazing， R. soongorica reduced seed quantity but enhance seed quality. Grazing significantly reducing the mean number of seeds， while increasing the hundred-grain weight， seed-setting rate， and female fitness. Our study provided important scientific basis for the protection of the Yellow River Basin and the desert grassland degradation and restoration.

Rainfall variation and nitrogen addition significantly influenced the structure and function of grassland ecosystems in semi-arid regions. To elucidate their effects on vegetation community characteristics， soil physicochemical properties， and the regulatory mechanisms underlying biomass formation， a field-controlled experiment was conducted in the sandy grassland of the Horqin Sandy Land during 2021 and 2022. Four rainfall treatments were applied during the growing season （May to September）： a 60% reduction （-60%） and a 60% increase （+60%） in precipitation. To further assess the effects of early-season extreme drought， two additional treatments were established： a 100% reduction for 60 days （-60d） and a 100% increase for 60 days （+60d） from May to June. A nitrogen addition treatment （20 g·m^-2 per year） was also included. The results revealed that changes in precipitation and nitrogen addition had significant but temporally inconsistent impacts on community structure， biodiversity indices， and soil physicochemical attributes. Rainfall reduction notably decreased vegetation cover and increased species density. Among the drought treatments， early-season extreme drought （-60d） imposed a stronger suppressive effect on aboveground biomass than whole-season rainfall reduction （-60%）. Nitrogen addition significantly enhanced vegetation cover and both above- and belowground biomass. However， it also reduced species richness， intensified interspecific competition， and facilitated the dominance of competitive species， resulting in decreased community diversity， lower evenness， and increased dominance. With respect to soil responses， nitrogen addition induced soil acidification， leading to a reduction in clay particle content. Under drought conditions， species with drought-tolerant or drought-avoiding traits and larger individuals became dominant， thereby enhancing community biomass. Nitrogen addition further promoted biomass accumulation by increasing vegetation cover and plant height. Overall， rainfall variability and nitrogen enrichment jointly reshaped vegetation structure， altered resource competition dynamics， and modified soil physicochemical processes， thereby exerting profound effects on the biomass formation mechanisms in semi-arid sandy grasslands.

The research on vegetation abrupt changes and their driving factors in arid regions and along aridity gradients is still insufficient. Studying vegetation abrupt changes and their influencing factors is of significant importance for the scientific formulation of dryland ecosystem management policies. This study uses the enhanced vegetation index （EVI） sequence data of China from 2000 to 2020 to detect vegetation abrupt changes by employing a multi-model trajectory diagnosis method. The direction of vegetation abrupt changes is determined based on threshold parameters， and attribution analysis is conducted using the partial least squares structural equation modeling （PLS-SEM）. The results indicate that 21.99% of the vegetation in the arid and semi-arid regions of Northwest China experienced abrupt changes， with 78.28% being positive and 21.72% negative. The highest rates of positive abrupt changes were observed in hyper-arid and arid zones， while the highest rate of negative abrupt changes was found in semi-humid zones. Population footprint and precipitation were identified as the primary driving factors for both positive and negative vegetation abrupt changes. The main factors contributing to vegetation abrupt changes in semi-humid， semi-arid， and arid to hyper-arid zones are temperature， precipitation， and human activities， respectively. As the aridity gradient increases， the contribution of population footprint to abrupt changes significantly rises， while the contribution of precipitation shows an initial increase followed by a decrease.

The construction of large-scale desert photovoltaic power stations not only provides a new way for global energy transformation and carbon neutrality， but also opens up a new scheme for desertification control. However， the impact of its construction mode on soil physical properties （such as moisture， temperature and electrical conductivity） and the growth characteristics of sand fixation plants is still lack of comparative research in space. This study takes the large-scale new energy base in Tengger Desert as the research object， through field investigation， positioning monitoring and comparative analysis of the soil characteristics， plant growth status and biomass characteristics under， in front of and behind the photovoltaic panels in the ecological restoration area under the two photovoltaic construction modes （fixed adjustable mode and horizontal uniaxial tracking mode）. The results showed that the soil moisture in the fixed and adjustable ecological restoration area was significantly higher than that in the flat uniaxial ecological restoration area， while the soil moisture in the flat uniaxial ecological restoration area was higher than that in the fixed and adjustable ecological restoration area， and the soil temperature and conductivity in the fixed and adjustable photovoltaic ecological restoration area were higher than that in the flat uniaxial photovoltaic ecological restoration area， but the difference was not significant. The spatial heterogeneity analysis showed that there were significant differences in the effects of the two photovoltaic construction modes on soil properties. The soil moisture in the front （fixed and adjustable） and back （two modes） of the photovoltaic panel was significantly higher than that under the photovoltaic panel， while the conductivity in the under panel area was significantly higher than that in the front and back of the photovoltaic panel. The species diversity of the fixed and adjustable photovoltaic ecological restoration area is higher than that of the flat single axis photovoltaic ecological restoration area. The plant height， coverage， ground diameter， root length， aboveground biomass and underground biomass in the area before and after the photovoltaic panel were significantly higher than those in the area under the photovoltaic panel. Plant coverage， height， ground diameter， root length， aboveground biomass and underground biomass were significantly affected by soil moisture （P<0.05）. The construction of photovoltaic power station has significantly promoted the restoration of sand fixation vegetation by improving plant habitat. The fixed and adjustable mode is more conducive to the vegetation restoration in the area before and after the photovoltaic panel， but is not conducive to the vegetation restoration in the area under the photovoltaic panel. This study reveals the potential of desert photovoltaic power station in improving soil environment and promoting sand fixation plant diversity， and provides a theoretical basis for the scientific implementation of the "photovoltaic+sand control" mode.

Plant adaptability refers to the characteristics optimization and survival ability nourishment of plants on multiple spatial-temporal scales through the processes of water and nutrient elements acquisition， regulation， growth and function maintenance. The sandy land plants in northern China have the characteristics of cold， drought and salt tolerance， wind and sand process resistance， and photophily， which are major basis for species selection， density allocation and management of biological control of desertification， and the theoretical basis for vegetation restoration and land degradation control in sandy land. However， studies on the relationship between sediment， plant water consumption， groundwater depth change and plant community on sandy dune land need to be further strengthened. The results show that the sediment depth of the Horqin Sandy Land gradually increases along the rivers west-eastwards from the mountain to the plain， and the depth of the sandy land in the middle part of the Horqin Sandy Land is the largest， about 200 m. There were significant differences in plant community characteristics among different types of dunes， and the changes in plant composition of mobile dunes were the most obvious. With the increase of land use pressure， groundwater depth increased， which affected the distribution pattern and composition characteristics of plants in Horqin sandy land. Dune fluctuation affects the relationship between plants and groundwater depth change.Water consumption of main plants in sandy land is between 300 mm and 450 mm， which is close to the average annual precipitation. Based on the water consumption of plants and the results of field investigation， the reasonable afforestation density in Horqin Sandy Land was between 225-375 plants per hectare. The restoration rate of desertified land in Horqin Sandy Land has entered a bottleneck period. After 1987， the effect of desertification control was not obvious. This study can provide scientific reference for the protection， control and utilization of desertified land in Horqin Sandy Land and the regions alike.

Naiman Banner， a crucial grain production base in the semi-arid agro-pastoral ecotone of northern China， has been facing increasingly severe water resource shortages. With continuous expansion of agricultural land， the groundwater depth in this region has shown a persistent increasing trend. Based on long-term monitoring data from 25 groundwater observation wells， this study divided the study area into three subregions： Zone I （northern farmland）， Zone II （central sandy area）， and Zone III （southern mountainous area）， according to land use and elevation characteristics. The spatiotemporal evolution of groundwater depth from 1985 to 2020 was analyzed using the Kriging interpolation method. The results indicate that： （1） Groundwater depth exhibited an overall increasing trend， with a temporary rise during 1995-1999 due to increased precipitation. （2） Seasonal variations in groundwater depth differed among subregions due to distinct dynamic patterns. Interannually， Zone I showed the fastest annual increase （0.22 m）， significantly higher than Zone II and Zone III （both 0.09 m）， with Daqintala Town experiencing the most pronounced rise. （3） Land use conversion among cropland， grassland， bare land， and built-up areas was most significant， particularly cropland expansion in Zone I and urban development in Zone II， which exerted decisive impacts on groundwater depth changes. （4） Before 2000， meteorological factors dominated groundwater depth variations across all subregions， whereas after 2000， interactions between irrigation area and other driving factors intensified in Zone I， while Zone II remained primarily influenced by temperature and evaporation， and Zone III showed increasing interactions between precipitation and irrigation area. This study provides a scientific basis for understanding groundwater dynamics in Naiman Banner and offers critical insights for regional water resource management and sustainable development.

Understanding the water consumption characteristics of Populus alba var. pyramidalis is of great significance to the development of scientific water use and irrigation strategies for sand plantation forests as well as to the management and construction of forest farms. The study used the wrapped trunk stem flow meter to determine the sap flow of P. alba var. pyramidalis， and long-term monitoring of environmental factors in the Mu Us Desert. The results show that different meteorological conditions and environmental factors have different degrees of influence on the sap flow of P. alba var. pyramidalis， the maximum sap flow rate on sunny days， followed by cloudy days， and the minimum on rainy days， and the cumulative amount of daily sap flow was 16.38 L， 12.56 L， and 2.22 L， respectively， and the average sap flow rates of sunny and cloudy days were close to those of cloudy days. The average daily liquid flow rate of each month from May to October was 12.12， 14.07， 14.08， 11.60， 8.73 and 3.92 L， respectively， and May to August was the main water consumption period of P. alba var. pyramidalis， with a cumulative water consumption of 1 722.53 L. The sap flow of P. alba var. pyramidalis was significantly positively correlated with net radiation， saturated water vapor pressure difference， air temperature， solar radiation， soil heat flux and soil temperature， with correlation coefficients of 0.656， 0.641， 0.634， 0.625， 0.605， 0.467， respectively； and it was negatively correlated with soil moisture， relative humidity and precipitation， with correlation coefficients of -0.340， -0.233， -0.178， respectively； and it was irrelevant to the wind speed， of which the effect of net radiation was the most important for P. alba var. pyramidalis liquid flow. The effect of net radiation on the fluid flow of Populus alba var. pyramidalis was the largest.

Plant water-use strategies and adaptation mechanisms under drought stress have long been central topics in arid zone ecohydrology. As a successful model of sand stabilization in China， the artificial vegetation area in the Tengger Desert demonstrates how sand-fixing shrubs maintain ecosystem stability in extreme arid environments through unique ecohydrological adaptations. This paper synthesizes key water acquisition and utilization processes， including root hydraulic redistribution， stemflow and foliar water uptake. It quantifies the allocation proportions of water balance components in typical sand-fixing species Caragana korshinskii and Artemisiaordosica， revealing the multi-path water-use strategies and stability-maintenance mechanisms of these shrubs. Furthermore， a conceptual model of precipitation thresholds is proposed that foliar water uptake dominates as the primary drought adaptation strategy within 0-1 mm rainfall events. Stemflow plays a major role in water utilization within 1-5 mm rainfall events， root-soil interface hydraulic redistribution becomes the key strategy when the rainfall greater than 5 mm. This study enhances our understanding of water use by different functional species in desert ecosystems and provides a theoretical basis for evaluating vegetation stability and trends in arid sandy regions.

The rapid development of artificial biological soil crust （BSC） technology for desertification control and ecological restoration has emerged as a new model for managing desertified land and a frontier research focus in arid ecosystem restoration. Artificially cultivated BSC plays a crucial role in accelerating ecological restoration by significantly reducing the time required for BSC formation and development. Under natural conditions， BSC formation typically takes 10 to 20 years， whereas artificial BSC can be established within approximately one year， greatly shortening the stabilization period of sand surfaces and expediting the recovery of ecosystem functions in arid regions. The Shapotou Desert Research and Experiment Station/Ningxia Shapotou National Field Scientific Observation and Research Station for Desert Ecosystems （hereinafter referred to as the Shapotou Station）， established in 1955 and affiliated with the Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources， Chinese Academy of Sciences， is one of China's key research bases for arid zone ecology. It is also among the earliest institutions to systematically study the theory and application of artificial BSC technology for rapid desertification control. On the occasion of its 70th anniversary， this paper systematically reviews and analyzes the major progress made by the Shapotou Station research team in this field over the past 20 years. Furthermore， it provides a forward-looking perspective on the future development of artificial BSC technology in desertification control research. The study aim to offer a comprehensive and precise understanding of the role of artificial BSC technology in desertification control and its impact on ecosystem functions. Additionally， they provide a scientific basis for the optimization， refinement， and large-scale application of related technologies， ultimately contributing to the continuous improvement of arid-zone ecological environments and sustainable development.

Vegetation constitutes a critical nexus among the atmosphere， soil， water， and biosphere. Investigating its spatiotemporal dynamics and driving mechanisms is critical for understanding ecosystem evolution. This study leverages 22-year MOD13Q1 NDVI remote sensing data （2000-2022） and integrates natural factors （digital elevation models， soil types， precipitation， temperature， evapotranspiration） and socioeconomic parameters （land use types， population， GDP）. Analytical techniques including pixel binning models， trend analysis， and geographic detectors were applied to systematically evaluate vegetation coverage patterns and their drivers in the Kubuqi Desert. Results demonstrate a sustained upward trend in vegetation coverage， with an annual growth rate of 0.387% （R²≈0.832）. Seasonal variations reveal peak coverage during June-August and minimal levels in November-January. Notably， 73.62% of the study area exhibited vegetation improvement： the desert core transitioned from extremely low to low coverage grades， the southwest shifted from low-medium to medium-high grades， and the southeast achieved widespread high-grade coverage. Single-factor analysis identified land use types （0.493）， precipitation （0.461）， and population density （0.443） as dominant individual drivers. Multi-factor interaction detection highlights precipitation-elevation synergy （interaction q=0.731） as the most significant combined influence on vegetation dynamics.

The relationship between desert soil spectra reflectance and iron oxide （Fe₂O₃） content remains unclear， and effective monitoring methods are lacking. In this study， we focus on the Gurbantunggut Desert in Xinjiang， where desert soil samples were collected to obtain both Fe₂O₃ content and spectral data. Using fractional order differentiation （FOD） and continuous wavelet transform （CWT） to preprocess the original spectral data， we performed correlation analysis to identify the optimal spectral transformations for estimating Fe₂O₃ content in desert soils. Genetic algorithms （GA） were employed to extract sensitive spectral bands， and a Dandelion Optimization-based Random Forest （DO-RF） model was developed for Fe₂O₃ content estimation. The results indicate the following： （1） With the increase of Fe₂O₃ content， the reflectance of desert soil gradually decreases， showing a negative correlation between Fe₂O₃ content and soil spectral reflectance； （2） Both FOD and CWT can enhance the correlation between desert soil reflectance and its Fe₂O₃ content. Specifically， the highest correlations are achieved with FOD at the 1.2 order and CWT at a scale of 1， reaching 0.840 and 0.839 respectively； （3） GA effectively eliminates highly collinear redundant bands. Under a 1.2-order Fractional Order Derivative （FOD）， it selects 31 optimal feature bands from 512 spectral bands， compressing them by 93.945%. Similarly， under a 1-scale Continuous Wavelet Transform （CWT）， it identifies 13 optimal feature bands from 119 spectral bands， achieving an 89.076% compression； （4） The DO-RF model based on CWT processing exhibits the best accuracy and stability. The model validation coefficient of determination （R²） reaches 0.908， the root mean square error （RMSE） is 0.340， and the relative prediction deviation （RPD） is 3.390. Compared to the unoptimized RF， PLSR， and SVM， the R² increases by 2.7%， 22.6%， and 4%， while the RMSE decreases by 6.6%， 27.8%， and 8.7%， and the RPD increases by 54.9%， 152.2%， and 68.6% respectively. These findings can serve as a reference for future satellite spectral remote sensing monitoring of Fe₂O₃ content in desert soil.

The desert ecosystem is one of the most fragile and unique ecosystems in the world. Desert plants， through their distinctive and complex physiological and ecological adaptation mechanisms， are able to survive under extreme conditions such as severe drought， high temperatures， and salinity-alkalinity stress. In recent years， significant progress has been made in the study of stress physiology and ecology of desert plants. This paper provides a systematic review of the adaptive strategies of desert plants in terms of morphological adaptation， water regulation， osmotic adjustment， photosynthetic physiology， and molecular mechanisms. It elucidates how desert plants sustain growth and survival under stressful environments through multi-level optimization of structural morphology， regulation of physiological metabolism， and modulation of gene expression. By summarizing the current research status in these aspects， this review also outlines future research directions， aiming to deepen the understanding of the adaptive mechanisms of desert plants and to provide a theoretical foundation and scientific guidance for ecological adaptation studies and the restoration of desert ecosystems.

Gobi is a typical arid desert landscape and a major surface type along road in sandy regions. Influenced by underlying surface properties， surface material composition， and sand source reserves， the aeolian dynamic mechanisms and the focus of sand hazard prevention priorities in road engineering differ in gobi regions. This study delved into the differences in near-surface wind dynamics and aeolian transport processes between gravelly gobi surface and sandy-gravelly gobi surface. It systematically summarized the research progress on sand disaster prevention and control in road engineering in gobi regions， focusing on the characteristics， formation mechanisms， protective system， and their effectiveness evaluation of the two types of gobi sand hazards along road engineering routes. It also reviewed the main sand control measures and their applications in gobi road engineering. The sandy-gravelly surface， being a latent potential sand source with a mixed distribution of sand， gravel， and powdery sand layers， made it essential to strengthen the study of aeolian processes on sandy-gravelly surfaces. This helped ensure road safety and enhanced transport capacity in the gobi regions of the western China.

Vegetation-based sand fixation is a crucial approach for desertification control and ecological restoration in arid sandy regions of China. The establishment and succession of artificial sand-fixing vegetation profoundly reshape the water cycle processes and water balance patterns within the vegetation-soil system， while hydrological processes， in turn， regulate the structure， function， and ecological stability of plant communities. This paper systematically reviews the key advances in ecohydrological research on sand-fixing vegetation systems， focusing on： （1） the evolution of key hydrological processes and water balance in vegetation-soil systems， particularly canopy hydrological processes， soil water dynamics， and evapotranspiration； and （2） plant growth， vegetation structure， and functional responses driven by hydrological processes， with emphasis on plant water use and regulation， hydraulic adjustment mechanisms， ecohydrological effects of condensation water， and soil water carrying capacity for vegetation. Future research should prioritize multi-scale monitoring， coupled process modeling， and identification of critical ecohydrological thresholds to provide theoretical support for the “greening based on water” strategy in combating desertification.

During the large-scale construction of photovoltaic （PV） power stations in desert regions， the areas beneath the panels often experience secondary wind erosion and sand accumulation due to ground surface disturbance and altered wind flow patterns. These issues seriously threaten ecological recovery and the safety of operational maintenance. To evaluate the windbreak and sand-stabilizing effects of different types of mechanical sand barriers in PV fields， this study selected three typical sand barriers， straw checkerboard， degradable polylactic acid （PLA）， and high-density polyethylene （mesh）， within a PV power station located in the Hobq Desert as the experimental site. The wind speed profile near the surface， surface roughness， and friction velocity under varying wind conditions were analyzed to systematically examine the influence of sand barrier type on wind speed modulation and surface stability. The results indicated that： （1） All three types of sand barriers significantly reduced wind speed within the 0-20 cm near-surface layer， with the mesh barrier showing the highest wind reduction efficiency up to 50% at the 10 cm height. （2） The installation of sand barriers markedly increased surface roughness and enhanced wind speed shear resistance， with the straw checkerboard demonstrating particularly notable effects. （3） All sand barriers effectively increased the friction velocity， with an average improvement ranging from 30% to 68% under wind speeds between 7.85 m·s^-1 and 12.03 m·s^-1. （4） Implementing sand barrier measures in the 200 MW PV power station reduced the average annual power generation loss rate to 2.9%. Furthermore， the annual panel cleaning costs were reduced by an average of ¥97 300 with the installation of the three types of sand barriers. Economic evaluation revealed that straw checkerboard barriers offer advantages such as low cost and wide material availability， whereas mesh barriers combine high wind reduction efficiency with durability. PLA barriers exhibited exceptional sand-fixing performance owing to their superior ground conformity. The findings provide a theoretical basis and technical support for controlling secondary wind-sand hazards in PV power stations situated in sandy areas.