Farmland use intensity is an important factor to improve food production, alleviate the conflict between humans and land, and achieve sustainable agricultural development. Based on the farmland data obtained from high spatial resolution remote sensing images, this paper explores the farmland use intensity and its driving mechanism in the Yarlung Zangbo-Lhasa-Nyangqu River (YLN) region in 2000 and 2020 through a comprehensive evaluation index model. The results show that: (1) the degree of farmland use intensity in the YLN region has increased in the past 20 years, but the overall level is low. The farmland use intensity in 2020 was 38.2% higher than in 2000, which is mainly attributable to the increase in agricultural input, technological input, and the exploitation and utilization level. (2) There is a large difference in the change in farmland use intensity among different districts and counties; the high intensity areas migrated from east to west and increased in scope. The difference in farmland use intensity between east and west regions narrowed, and the number of low intensity districts and counties decreased. (3) The irrigation index, proportion of farmland area, and farmland quality have the most significant independent effects on the degree of farmland use intensity in the YLN, whereas socioeconomic factors, agricultural science and technology factors, and policy and environment factors interact with farmland resource endowment to increase the degree of impact on the farmland use intensity. Based on the above results, the following policy recommendations are proposed: the continuous promotion of agricultural science and technology innovation in the YLN region with a focus on regional differences, to realize sustainable development in high intensity areas and total factor inputs in low intensity areas, and facilitate the synergistic effects of agricultural policy and economy to coordinate and promote enhanced farmland use intensity in the YLN region.

The construction and optimization of an ecological network is an effective way to prevent landscape fragmentation and ensure regional ecological security. In this study, the Lanzhou-Xining urban agglomeration was selected as the research area. Using the adaptive cycle as the theoretical basis, coupled with the granularity inverse method and morphological spatial pattern analysis, the ecological sources were identified, and the comprehensive “potential-connectivity-resilience” ecological resistance surface was established. The circuit theory was applied to determine the vital ecological nodes and corridors. On this basis, an ecological network was constructed and optimization strategies were proposed. The results showed that the spatial distribution of ecological sources was uneven and fragmented, covering a total area of 4147.84 km². As a whole, the resistance of the study area was characterized by a “high in the west and low in the east” trend, decreasing from the main city to surrounding areas. In total, 40 ecological corridors with a total length of 2278.59 km were extracted and distributed in the central part of the study area. Similarly, 24 ecological pinch points were extracted, primarily distributed in major river corridors and ecological sources; 25 ecological barrier points were identified, mostly located in ecological corridors. The structural indices of the ecological network α, β, and γ were 0.60, 2.00, and 0.74, respectively. By adding 12 stepping-stone patches, these indices increased by 18.33%, 14.00%, and 9.46%, respectively. These results can provide a references point for land-space development and ecological security maintenance in the Lanzhou-Xining urban agglomeration.

Using the InVEST model, the carbon storage in the Tarim River Basin was estimated over a long period, and the spatial--temporal variation characteristic were described using trend analysis, correlation coefficients, and band set statistics to explore the overall spatial-temporal correlation between climate change and carbon storage in the study area; in addition, quantitative analysis of was performed the attribution of carbon storage in different topographic locations with the help of partial least square method. The results showed that: (1) From 2002 to 2020, the overall carbon storage level in the Tarim River Basin was low, following a horseshoe-shaped distribution characteristic (“low in the middle and high in the periphery”), and overall followed an increasing trend. (2) Carbon storage and average annual temperature, potential evapotranspiration, and average annual precipitation in the study area had the characteristics of opposite spatial distribution rather than the same spatial distribution, and the spatial differentiation was obvious. (3) The overall influence of climate factors on carbon storage followed the order: potential evapotranspiration>average annual temperature>average annual precipitation. (4) The potential evapotranspiration is the most significant variable for the levels I, III, and IV topography in the Tarim River Basin, whereas the average temperature and average precipitation are the most significant variables for the levels II and V topography in the Tarim River Basin.

The movement characteristics of barchan dunes in the southern edge of the Taklamakan Desert reveal wind-sand transport features and geomorphological evolution processes, which are of great significance for the systematic prevention of sand and dust disasters in the region. This study used satellite remote sensing images and meteorological reanalysis data to analyze the morphological changes and moving features of six barchan dune groups along the southern edge of the Taklamakan Desert from 2012 to 2022. The results showed that (1) the average moving speed of barchan dunes within the study area was 6.86 m·a^-1, and the moving direction was consistent with the prevailing wind direction in the corresponding region; (2) the association between the morphological parameters of barchan dunes within the area was complex; (3) the movement of barchan dunes is jointly influenced by the wind energy environment, topography, climatic conditions, and vegetation coverage, of which the dune height, underlying surface vegetation coverage, average annual rainfall, and surface temperature were negatively correlated with dune moving speed, and these negative correlations were significantly optimized after regional classification; (4) the average sand transport rate in the study area was 77120.5 kg·m^-1·a^-1, and it was influenced by the underlying surface conditions and the wind energy environment within the region, which provides an important reference for optimizing sand prevention and control measures. The study results reflect the complexity of the moving pattern of the barchan dunes, and the degree of impact varied with the presence of different geographical environmental factors, which necessitates field-specific analysis. Moreover, the dynamic changes in morphological parameters during the evolution of dunes reveal the internal mechanism of dune migration, providing substantial data for studying the evolution characteristics of dunes and a scientific basis for wind prevention and solidifying work and land planning.

The Yellow River Basin in Inner Mongolia is an important ecological region in China. Exploring changes in habitat quality and their driving factors is important for regional desertification prevention and biodiversity conservation. Using land use/cover data from 1990 to 2020, GIS technology, and the InVEST model, the habitat quality of the region was assessed, and the driving factors of the spatial heterogeneity of habitat quality were analyzed using geographic detectors. The results indicated the following: (1) The overall spatial distribution pattern of habitat quality in the study area was low in the north and high in the south, with a positive spatial correlation and significant spatial clustering. Areas with low habitat quality, accounting for 23.50%, were mainly distributed in the Kubuqi Desert and the southeastern part of the study area. (2) From 1990 to 2020, the habitat quality in the Yellow River Basin in Inner Mongolia showed a trend of initial decrease and then a slight increase. Over the past 30 years, the area with degraded habitat quality, accounting for 11.97%, was mainly concentrated in the northern part of the study area and near the banks of the Yellow River. It is an area of cultivated land expansion and sandy land distribution, with significant human activity interference. Future research on ecological governance and restoration should focus on this area. (3) Natural factors such as DEM, NDVI, and soil type are the main driving factors for spatial differentiation of habitat quality. The interaction of any two determining factors has greater explanatory power for the spatial differentiation of habitat quality than the corresponding single factors. The study results provide reference and guidance for ecological environment protection and restoration research in the Yellow River Basin in Inner Mongolia.

Landscape ecological risk evaluation is an essential tool for measuring the safety of ecosystems within a certain range. Taking the Yarkant River Basin as the study area, we synthesized the Markov-PLUS model and the landscape ecological risk assessment index to analyze and predict the evolution characteristics of land use and landscape ecological risk and the change trends under multiple future scenarios and to delineate the risk focus management regions. The results were as follows: (1) Cultivated land, water, and impervious surface in the Yarkant River Basin increased, and woodland, grassland, and unused land decreased from 2005 to 2020. In 2035, land use under Scenario I followed the historical development pattern of change. In comparison with Scenario I, cultivated land increased and other land types decreased in Scenario II; woodland, grassland, and water increased and cultivated land, impervious surface, and unused land decreased in Scenario III. (2) From 2005 to 2035, the landscape ecological risk of the Yarkant River Basin as a whole showed an upward trend, and the spatial distribution was characterized by “low in the southwest and high in the northeast.” The risk deterioration area was mainly concentrated in the alluvial plains at lower altitudes, and the risk maintenance area was mainly distributed in the mountains and glaciers at higher altitudes. (3) In comparison with Scenarios I and II, Scenario III had a smaller average value of the landscape ecological risk index, and it was the optimal future scenario to achieve a win-win situation for both ecological protection and economic development in the Yarkant River Basin. (4) The alluvial plain in the northeastern part of the Yarkant River Basin was a stable high-risk region, the edges of the alluvial plain and the mountains in the west were risk-prone regions, and the mountains and glaciers in the south were increasing-risk lagging regions. The results of this study can provide a reference for the optimization of local landscape ecological security patterns and ecological risk prevention or reduction.

In recent years, drastic and extreme forms of soil erosion, such as landslides, mudflows, and silt dam outbursts, triggered by extreme rainstorms on the Loess Plateau have attracted widespread attention. From October 3 to 6, 2021, a large shallow landslide disaster was triggered by heavy rainfall along the Caijiachuan watershed in Jixian County, Shanxi Province. In this study, the rainfall process, landslide initiation conditions, and erosion characteristics were analyzed using predisaster and postdisaster unmanned aerial vehicle imagery, historical remote sensing images, and rainfall data provided by the National Field Scientific Observatory for Forest Ecosystems in Jixian County, Shanxi Province. The results show that it was a typical “long-duration, low-intensity” rainfall, with a total precipitation of 121.8 mm in the first 72 h of the initiation of the massive, shallow landslides and a rainfall intensity of 33.2 mm·(6h)^-1 during the initiation of the landslides. The landslide triggered by this rainstorm required a slightly smaller catchment area and exhibited higher landslide mobility than the landslide triggered by a typical short-duration, high-intensity rainstorm in 2003; however, the slope of the landslide was not significantly different. Thus, the cumulative rainfall in the early stage was the main factor influencing the occurrence and flexibility of the massive landslide disaster. The magnitude of landslide number probability, area probability, and erosion intensity in catchments with different land use types decreased in the following order: farmland catchment>plantation forest catchment>closed catchment. This finding indicated that the land use type and vegetation cover affect the degree of landslide erosion to a certain extent and that an arboreal-dominated watershed is more unfavorable to landslide initiation.

The emergy method was used to analyze the sustainable development status of the ecological and economic system in Ulanqab City in the agro-pastoral ecotone from 2011 to 2020, in order to determine the reasonable scale of regional development and achieve regional sustainable development. The results show that: from 2011 to 2020, the input emergy (F) of Ulanqab City’s ecological-economic system increased steadily; the output emergy (Y) continued to decrease; the environmental load rate (ELR) continued to increase; the emergy was sustainable for 10 years The indicator (ESI) experienced large fluctuations and declined overall. From 2011 to 2016, the emergy sustainable development index of Ulanqab City was higher than 1, indicating that the development of the ecological-economic system was sustainable. From 2017 to 2020, the emergy sustainable development index was lower than 1, indicating an unsustainable state. Therefore, in the short and medium term, it is necessary to increase investment in renewable resources to alleviate the ecological environment degradation and high environmental load caused by the overuse of non-renewable resources. The industry should carry out technological innovation to reduce production costs, improve production efficiency, promote the output of high-emergy value products, and seek new emerging technologies. High-emergy value output sectors replace low-emergy value output sectors; the natural growth rate of regional population needs to be increased in the long term in order to increase regional emergy demand and output. With advantageous transportation location and abundant resources, we will undertake industrial sectors with high emergy output rates and low environmental load rates in surrounding relatively developed areas to enhance regional sustainable development capabilities.

This study is based on the integrated valuation of ecosystem services and tradeoffs model, which quantifies the supply and demand of ecosystem services. This model uses root-mean-square deviation to quantify the intensity of tradeoffs in ecosystem services and analyze the driving factors of tradeoff intensity using a structural equation model. Results show that from 2000 to 2020, the tradeoff intensity of water yield (WY) and soil conservation (SC), as well as WY and carbon sequestration (CS) supply, increased. However, the demand coordination intensity of WY and SC services, as well as WY and CS services, decreased. Except for WY services, which had a supply-demand tradeoff intensity greater than 0 in 2020, the supply-demand tradeoff intensity for WY, SC, and CS services was less than zero from 2000 to 2020. The tradeoff and synergy of ecosystem services are primarily influenced by natural factors. Evapotranspiration has a positive effect on the tradeoff between water production and SC services, as well as on the tradeoff between supply and demand for water production and CS services. However, it has a restraining effect on the tradeoff between supply and demand for water production services. The proportion of grassland area has a restraining effect on the tradeoff between water production and CS services, as well as on the synergy between water production and SC service demands. In addition, it has a promoting effect on the supply-demand tradeoff of CS services. Precipitation has a restraining effect on the synergy between water production and CS service demands, as well as on the tradeoff between supply and demand for SC services. However, it has a promoting effect on the tradeoff between supply and demand for water production services. Socioeconomic factors have a secondary effect on the tradeoff and synergy of ecosystem services. Population density has a promoting effect on the synergy between water production and soil conservation service demands, whereas it has a restraining effect on the tradeoff between supply and demand for water production services and CS services. Therefore, when developing comprehensive management decisions for river basins, the spatial characteristics and driving factors that contribute to the tradeoff and synergy of ecosystem services must be considered.

This study aimed to determine whether systematic development and functional traits affect the changes in flowering phenology across woody plants in the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. Thus, in this study, a botanical garden or park in Urumqi, Yining, and Kashgar was selected as the research object, and then the flowering phenological traits of 120 woody species as well as plant functional traits were observed and collected. The systematic development signals and a generalized least squares model of systematic development were used to study phenological conservation and the impact of plant functional traits on flowering phenology. Results show that the flowering phenology of woody plants was mainly concentrated from March 31 to April 20, with a flowering duration of (13.03±0.38) d. Trees, fleshy fruit, colored flowers, and wind-borne plants have earlier flowering phenology than shrubs, non-fleshy fruit, non-colored flowers, and insect-borne plants, respectively. (2) The phylogenetic signals (Pagel’s λ) of three flowering phenological traits ranged from 0.67 to 0.74, indicating that phylogenetic development constrained the flowering phenology of woody species. (3) Fruit type, flower color, and pollination mode were the main functional traits driving changes in flowering phenology, with a contribution rate of 17.4%-31.6%. The results of this study indicate that systematic development and functional traits affect the changes in flowering phenology across woody plants, which has deepened the phenological theory and is of great importance for elucidating the mechanism of biodiversity maintenance and insect-plant relationships in arid areas.

As an important energy production and supply base in China, Xinjiang plays a pivotal role in the delicate balance between economic development and carbon emissions. Ensuring a harmonious coordination between these factors is essential to achieve sustainable economic growth and meet goals related to energy conservation and emission reduction. This paper measures and analyzes the spatiotemporal characteristics of energy consumption carbon emissions in Xinjiang from 2000 to 2020 using spatial autocorrelation based on the data obtained from Xinjiang Statistical Yearbook. Results indicate that the total carbon emission intensity from energy consumption in Xinjiang shows an increasing trend every year during the study period. Nevertheless, the overall trend reveals a reduction in the intensity of carbon emissions. The spatial distribution of carbon emission intensity shows that the eastern slope of Tianshan Mountain has a high carbon emission intensity, whereas the northern edge of Junggar, the northern slope of Tianshan Mountain, and the northern slope of Kunlun Mountain has a low carbon emission intensity. These regions exhibit evident clustering characteristics. Considering global warming and carbon emission reduction, Xinjiang must work toward achieving the goals of “carbon peak” and “carbon neutrality” while promoting high-quality socioeconomic development in the area through the implementation of a multi-energy, complementary green energy network.

Land use changes have an important impact on carbon stock changes in terrestrial ecosystems, and studying carbon stock changes in terrestrial ecosystems under different development scenarios is conducive to the optimization of spatial layout and coordination of the relationship between land use and ecological environmental protection. In this study, the PLUS and InVEST models were combined, and the characteristics of land use changes in Urumqi from 2000 to 2020 were analyzed using data from multiple drivers to predict and simulate the land carbon stock under the natural development scenario, ecological protection priority scenario, and cropland protection priority scenario in 2030. Results show that from 2000 to 2020, the quantity of forest land, water area, construction area, and unused land increases, whereas the area of arable land and grassland decreases. In 2030, the natural development scenario continues the previous development pattern, and the increase in the area of construction land is 18.29%. Under the ecological protection priority scenario, the expansion rate of construction land is effectively controlled, and the increase has slowed down to 4.73%. The area of arable land under the priority arable land protection scenario is 171 km² more than under the natural development scenario, and the effect of cultivated land conservation is significant. From 2000 to 2020, and carbon stocks decrease by a total of 8.5×10⁶ t. The total carbon stock in 2030 under the natural growth scenario decreases by 4.065×10⁶ t compared to 2020. the ecological protection priority scenario is 7.519×10⁵ t higher than the natural growth scenario. the cropland protection priority scenario is 1.979×10⁶ t lower than the natural growth scenario.Therefore, in the future development plan of Urumqi City, the responsibility of protecting arable land should be implemented, and the expansion of construction land to high-carbon-density land such as forest land, grassland, and arable land should be controlled. Furthermore, the land use layout should be optimized to improve the level of regional carbon stock.

Castor fiber birulai is primarily distributed in the Ulungu river basin in China. Therefore, investigating the potential distribution of suitable regions is crucial for the conservation of C. f. birulai. A total of 97 distribution sites of C. f. birulai and 28 environmental factors collected from 2021 to 2022 were used to predict the distribution of suitable habitat regions for this species under different climatic scenarios using the MaxEnt model. Results showed that the distribution of suitable habitats was mainly affected by the distance from major roads (0.1-1 km), distance from water channel (within 100 m), landcover type (river, wetland, and forest), altitude (approximately 1000 m), mean temperature of wettest quarter(22-25 mm), and the standard deviation factor of seasonal temperature change (above 1500). In the 2050s (2041-2060, ssp585 climate scenario) and 2070s (2061-2080, ssp126 climate scenario), the high suitability area was the same or slightly increased compared with the current situation, and the area of suitable habitat, which decreased in the two future climate scenarios, was the same. The results of this study can provide a reference point for the protection and management of C. f. birulai under climate changes.

The Keluke Lake-Tuosu Lake Nature Reserve is a key wetland that represents the only large-scale stopover site and an important habitat for migratory birds in the desert area of the Qaidam Basin, China. These birds migrate along the Central Asian-Indian migration route, which is part of the global migratory bird network. Most birds in the reserve are migratory birds. In this study, their diversity was investigated using a sample line survey and fixed points. A total of 18 families, 43 genera, and 138 species of birds were recorded, with 10 and 24 of the latter being listed as class I and class II wild species, respectively, which are protected nationwide in China. From 2019 to 2021, the number of bird species increased by 37%, with summer visitors and traveling birds increasing by 23.53% and 88.24%, respectively, which corresponded to their numbers increasing by 2.03 and 7.95 times. Summer visitors and traveling birds are important members of the bird community. The values of the Shannon-Wiener index of richness and the Pielou index of evenness for the bird community increased from 2.45 and 0.46 in 2019 to 3.64 and 0.63 in 2021, respectively. Bird diversity was shown to be high in the Keluke Lake-Tuosu Lake Nature Reserve, with the populations of black-necked cranes and red-crested pochards reaching the 1% population standard established for Ramsar sites. Therefore, an application for the designation of the reserve as a Ramsar site needs to be made as soon as possible. Some individuals belonging to seven bird species, including red-crested pochard and common merganser among others, survived through winter in the Keluke Lake-Tuosu Lake Nature Reserve. Long-term bird diversity studies should be conducted in this area.

The Heihe River source area National Wetland Park, representing a typical alpine wetland, is key for measuring the current and future development of such ecosystems. This study uses land use data to introduce the landscape ecology vulnerability index and establish a comprehensive assessment system of the alpine wetland ecological health based on four aspects: ecosystem vitality, organization, resilience, and ecosystem service value. It quantitatively assesses the spatiotemporal change characteristics of ecological health in the Heihe River source area from 2014 to 2021. The findings reveal that (1) grassland in the Heihe River source area is the main land use type, with high, medium, and low coverage grasslands distributed in a mosaic pattern. The second type is unused land, mainly distributed on both banks of the river and in the northwest; (2) the Heihe River source area consists of both low- and low-vulnerability areas, resulting in an overall low landscape ecology vulnerability; and (3) the Heihe River source area is predominantly rated as healthy and moderately healthy, indicating a relatively high overall ecological environment health level. Throughout 2014 to 2021, the ecosystem of the Heihe River source area was relatively healthy. In the future, the Heihe River source area should prioritize ecological functions, balancing animal husbandry production and ensure the ecosystem’s healthy progression toward achieving “ecological harmony.”

In the context of Gonghe County’s role as a pivotal node in Lanxi urban agglomeration and its position as a representative desert area within the new urbanized framework, maintaining a delicate balance between economic and ecologic development is crucial. This balance holds great significance for China in advancing the new development paradigm and implementing the Sustainable Development Agenda’s Innovation Demonstration Zone in Hainan Prefecture. Based on the land use data of 2000, 2010, and 2020, this study utilizes the InVEST model to explore spatial and temporal distribution and habitat quality dynamics in Republican County from 2000 to 2020. Additionally, it investigates influencing factors and their effects on habitat quality using geographic probes and GWR methods. Key results are as follows: (1) Overall habitat quality in Republican County showed an upward trend from 2000 to 2020, with mean values of 0.612, 0.626, and 0.627, respectively. Regional disparities in the spatial distribution of habitat quality were evident, portraying a high-to-low spatial pattern from north to south. (2) Mean annual temperature (TEM) and normalized vegetation index (NDVI) were the main driving factors impacting habitat quality in Gonghe County. The interaction between these factors had a greater influence on spatial differentiation than a single factor, with TEM interacting strongly with Shannon’s evenness index (SHEI) and Shannon’s diversity index (SHDI). (3) The GWR model quantified different driving characteristics and strengths of each driver on habitat quality at the spatial level. TEM exhibited a negative impact on habitat quality, primarily concentrated in the republic’s northern and eastern areas. Gross domestic product (GDP) positively influenced habitat quality, showing a 30% increase compared to 2000, while the photovoltaic system at Tala Shoal promoted synergistic eco-industry development in Gonghe County. This study’s findings offer a scientific basis for decision-making processes aimed at promoting local economic construction and ecological protection in arid areas.

To find out the characteristics of the wind-sand environment along the under-construction Tumushuk-Kunyu desert highway, the wind-sand protection engineering practice was carried out based on the attributes of wind-sand elements along the desert highway. The wind-sand activity law along the highway was analyzed and summarized by a field survey, ERA5 wind speed data, and satellite image information. The annual average wind speed along the highway was 3.03-3.28 m·s^-1, the average yearly sand wind speed was 5.85-6.10 m·s^-1, and the annual sand wind frequency was 16.87%-21.41%. The sand-driving wind was concentrated in the spring and summer. April-August was the period with the highest frequency of sand-driving wind in a year. The easterly wind (NE, ENE, E, and ESE) was the main wind along the highway. The frequency of sand-driving wind in the south and west of the Mazatag Mountains was higher than in the north. The annual sediment DP along the line was 99.77-145.30 VU, which belongs to a low wind energy environment and medium variability. The volume and density of the sand dunes on the northern and southern sides of Mazartag Mountain were significantly different. The moving rate of dunes along the line was 1.19-3.69 m·a^-1, which was a medium moving speed. There is a significant negative correlation between the moving rate and the vertical projection area of the dunes. The moving direction ranged from 171.76° to 192.53°, consistent with the RDD. The design of the sand control system in the north of Mt. Mazatagh was mainly based on the east, and the south should consider both the east and the west.

To explore the dynamic evolution of vegetation and its influencing factors in Ji County during the last 30 years, this study used Landsat images, along with meteorological, land use, and night light data. This study adopted trend, partial correlation, random forest, and residual analysis methods to explore the temporal and spatial variation-related characteristics in vegetation coverage and the influence of the climate and human factors on the vegetation changes in the County. (1) FVC in the study area demonstrated a significant upward trend from 1990 to 2020, with an annual growth rate of 0.49%, and the vegetation quality was distinctly higher. (2) The low and high rates of FVC had an obvious staggered spatial distribution. The proportion of areas with a marked enhancement in FVC was 51%, and a remarkable reduction in FVC was 7%. (3) Temperature and precipitation inhibited vegetation growth in the FVC high-value and built-up areas, but promoted vegetation cover in others. The contribution rates of climate change and human activities to vegetation dynamics were 53.43% and 46.57%, respectively, and were considered global influencing factors. When used as local variables, the relative contribution rates were reduced to 13.07%. Human activity was an essential factor affecting vegetation degradation in certain areas, such as the central and eastern parts of Jixian County, and the vegetation restoration in the west and south. This study can provide a scientific basis for the follow-up work of regional ecological restoration.

Nuomuhong region is an important Wolfberry cultivation base in Qinghai Province, China. Accurate and rapid extraction of the primary vegetation types is of critical significance for the sustainable development of agriculture in this region. However, the arid nature of the Nuomuhong area, characterized by sparse vegetation cover and significant soil background effects, presents challenges for vegetation extraction using only a limited number of remote sensing sources or partial features. Therefore, integrating multiple remote sensing data sources, exploring significant features for vegetation classification, and experimenting with different classification and optimization methods are paramount for enhancing the accuracy and reliability of vegetation classification in arid regions. Based on the Google Earth Engine (GEE) platform, this study used Sentinel-1 Synthetic Aperture Radar and Sentinel-2 optical data to explore the importance of red edge, texture, and radar features in extracting vegetation types in arid regions. Additionally, it verifies the feasibility of using the GINI index (GINI) to determine the optimal feature combination. The main geospatial types in Nomu Hong, Qinghai, China, in 2021 were extracted by combining them with the support vector machine algorithm. The classification results were processed using decision fusion methods. The results showed that: (1) Sentinel-2 red edge index, texture data, and Sentinel-1 radar band were beneficial for the extraction of vegetation-related information, with an overall classification accuracy and Kappa coefficient of 95.51% and 0.9406, respectively. (2) Based on the importance obtained by the GINI index, the features involved in the classification were reduced from 29 to 17, and the significance was radar polarization features > spectral features > texture features. (3) Using a simple noniterative clustering algorithm and neighborhood filtering voting decision fusion method not only achieved the optimal overall accuracy and Kappa coefficient but also had an excellent suppression effect on isolated noise. Using the GEE remote sensing cloud platform, multisource remote sensing data, and machine learning algorithms, this study can accurately, quickly, and efficiently extract large-scale arid region geospatial information, which can have great application potential.

The Hexi Region holds a dual significance in China, being both a pivotal area for ecological security and the core of the Silk Road Economic Belt. The assessment of the net primary productivity (NPP) of the region and a quantitative analysis of the driving forces behind these dynamics bears immense theoretical importance and practical implications. Based on MOD17A3 product, land use cover, and meteorological information, this study scrutinized the evolving characteristics of the vegetation-related NPP, the influence of land use cover changes, and climate fluctuations on the NPP of the Hexi Region from 2000 to 2020. This study employed R-contribution rate and biased correlation analysis methods. The results show that: (1) There was an overall increase in the area of arable land, waters, and residential land in the Hexi Region, while the grassland and unused land area was reduced. The overall dynamics of land use cover change (LUCC) after 2010 was significantly higher, with grassland, cropland, built-up land, and unused land dominating the inter-conversion of land use types. (2) The overall NPP in the Hexi Region increased, with rates of change of 0.86 and 1.29 in the periods 2000-2010 and 2010-2020, respectively. There was a significant regional variation in NPP, which decreased from southeast to northwest. (3) The influence of LUCC on NPP gradually increased from 2000 to 2020. While climate change contributed more to NPP than LUCC, their respective roles varied among land use cover types. Specifically, climate change dominated the influence factor of NPP on cropland, forested land, and grassland, whereas for unutilized land and residential construction areas, LUCC played a more significant role.

Barchan and parabolic dunes can be transformed into each other and coexist in the same area, resulting in a unique landscape in which typical barchan dunes coexist with embryonic barchan and parabolic dunes. It is helpful to understand the causes of their formation and execute targeted desertification prevention and control projects after studying their spatial distribution, morphological characteristics, and migration. Based on the Esri historical image service (World Imagery Wayback), the morphological parameters of the dunes in the coexistence zone of the barchan and parabolic dunes, west of Hunshandake Sandy Land, were extracted in three periods: January 15, 2008, June 4, 2011, and September 20, 2016, and the direction and velocity of the dune migration were calculated. The results indicate that typical barchan dunes are concentrated in 15 areas related to the dry lake bed in the western part of the sandy land, whereas embryonic barchan and parabolic dunes are sequentially distributed around the periphery of the dry lake bed. The appearance of the dry lake bed was a key factor in the development of the typical barchan dunes in the Hunshandake Sandy Land. Therefore, more attention should be paid to the desertification caused by the lake drying up. The analysis of morphological parameters of sand dunes in the fifth zone, where the co-existence of barchan and parabolic dunes is typically found, indicates that the typical barchan and embryonic barchan dunes significantly differ from embryonic parabolic dunes. The correlation analysis between the morphological parameters of sand dunes indicates that toss slope length, lee slope length, and bottom area are inherited from the barchan to parabolic dunes, with horns experiencing the greatest changes during this process. Furthermore, the migration directions of the three types of dunes are almost equal but have varying migration velocities, as well as the factors that affect the migration of sand dunes. The most significant impact on the embryonic parabolic dunes, whose vegetation cover is relatively high, was the vegetation cover, whose variation was consistent with that of NDVI during the same period. The most significant impact on the typical barchan and embryonic barchan dunes, whose vegetation cover is relatively low, was wind speed, whose variation was consistent with that of DP and RDP during the same period. Additionally, other factors, including terrain, sand sources, and human activities, can influence the morphology and migration of barchan-parabolic dunes.

The oasis effect is extremely important for improving the climate of arid areas and supporting the self-sustainability and development of oasis systems. In this study, taking the Hexi region of Gansu Province as the study area, the indicators of oasis effect intensity were selected using meteorological and remote sensing data. The geodetector model was adopted to reveal the spatial and temporal characteristics of the oasis effect over the past 20 years, and the influencing factors of the oasis effect intensity were analyzed qualitatively and quantitatively. The results show that (1) from 2000 to 2020, the oasis effect intensity in the study area had an increasing trend in springs, summers, and winters and a decreasing trend in autumns, and the changes in the daytime are similar to those of the corresponding seasons, but with greater intensity. The strongest was in the summer, with an increase of 1.43 ℃; at night. The changes in springs, summers, and autumns were similar to those of the corresponding seasons, but with a lower intensity, and the weak oasis warming island effect appeared in the nighttime of the autumn of 2000 and the winter of 2010; (2) the area share of strong oasis effect “cold island” is the largest in summers, and the change is small, whereas the area share of oasis “warm island” effect is the largest in winter, with a decreasing trend yearly; (3) the intensity of oasis effect in summer had a strong negative correlation with the change in vegetation cover of oasis, with a correlation coefficient of -0.917. Climate and surface factors are the major controlling factors for the intensity of the oasis effect in the Hexi region. The effect of surface albedo is the weakest, and the interaction between factors should not be neglected.

To study the important effects of the water-holding capacity of litter in plantation plants in coal mine dumps on soil and water conservation and ecosystem restoration in mining areas, litter accumulation amount, the thickness, water-holding rate, water-holding capacity, and water absorption rate of different decomposition stages were investigated in four typical plantations of the same age (Populus simonii, Ulmus pumila, Pinus tabulaeformis, and Robinia pseudoacacia forests) in the Antaibao opencast coal mine reclamation area, through field investigation and soaking extraction. The results showed that the litter accumulation amount in the P. simonii forest was higher than that in the R. pseudoacacia and U. pumila forests (P < 0.05). The water-holding capacity and litter rate at different decomposition degrees changed logarithmically with immersion time (P < 0.01). The order of the water absorption rate of litter was R. pseudoacacia forest > U. pumila forest > P. simonii forest > P. tabulaeformis forest, and the water absorption rate showed a significant power function with immersion time (P < 0.01). In conclusion, the litter of the P. simonii forest had the strongest water-holding capacity, whereas the R. pseudoacacia forest had the fastest water absorption rate. Therefore, from the perspective of the water conservation capacity of litter, P. simonii forest should be prioritized and mixed with the R. pseudoacacia forest, which is more conducive to water conservation in the reclamation area of opencast coal mines.

The analysis of Net Primary Productivity (NPP) and the driving factors in the Qinghai Lake Basin can provide certain references for the ecological management and sustainable development of the basin. This study estimated the NPP value of the Qinghai Lake Basin based on the Carnegie-Ames-Stanford Approach (CASA) model and quantitatively evaluated the dynamic changes and driving factors of NPP in the Qinghai Lake Basin between 2000 and 2018 through trend analysis, Hurst index, and Geographic Detector. From the perspective of spatial distribution, the results show that the annual average NPP value of the Qinghai Lake Basin was 218.88 g C·m^-2. The highest value of the annual average NPP was distributed in the north and south of the Qinghai Lake (375.85 g C·m^-2) and the lowest value was distributed on the east bank of the Qinghai Lake (0.11 g C·m^-2). From the perspective of time change, the annual average NPP of the basin showed an upward trend between 2000 and 2018, with an increase of 1.61 g C·m^-2·a^-1, reaching the highest value of 247.30 g C·m^-2 in 2018. The seasonal variation showed that the NPP value was highest in July and lowest in January. In the future trend of NPP, Hurst index of less than 0.5 accounted for 75.6% of the study area, indicating that the future trend of NPP of vegetation in the Qinghai Lake Basin may be opposite to the present. Land use types are greatly affected by natural factors; therefore, more attention should be paid to watershed topographic factors and human activities.

The Loess Plateau is an important ecological barrier in China. In the context of global change, the carbon balance of the region is of great concern. In this study, based on MOD17A3HGF data, we analyzed the carbon source/sink characteristics of the local area of the Loess Plateau from 2000 to 2020 using the geostatistical model of soil respiration (GSMSR) model, trend analysis, difference analysis, and Geodetector, to reveal the spatial and temporal patterns of the region’s net ecosystem productivity (NEP) and its driving factors from 2000 to 2020. Meanwhile, the study area was divided longitudinally into three subregions, west, center, and east, to compare the variability of drivers within different regions. The results showed that: (1) 49.69% of the localized area of the Loess Plateau shifted from a carbon source to a carbon sink within 21 years. NEP fluctuated upward with time, and was higher in the southeast than in the northwest, with a multi-year average of 12 g C·m^-2·a^-1· (2) Moisture condition was the main natural factor affecting the spatial distribution of NEP, while land use type was the main anthropogenic factor influencing the spatial distribution of NEP. In addition, the influence of the interaction between different factors on NEP was generally greater than that of single factors. The effects of interactions between different factors on NEP were generally greater than those of individual factors. (3) The factors driving NEP in the three subregions of west, central, and east have clear spatial differentiation characteristics, the central and western regions are more affected by climate, with precipitation, humidity, and other moisture conditions as the main ones. The eastern region is affected by a combination of factors such as topography, climate, and human activities, and anthropogenic interference, represented by land use type, is the strongest among these factors. This knowledge can serve as a basis for effective carbon management strategies and ecosystem conservation efforts in the region.

Human activities are the main drivers of land use change, Which indirectly affects the value of ecological services by influencing the structure and function of terrestrial ecosystems. In this article, We analyze the characteristics of land use change based on a land use transfer matrix and dynamic attitude method. We applied the InVEST model to estimate carbon storage, and we estimated the economic value of carbon storage in each period by combining this value with the compound present value formulas from 2000 to 2020 in the Qilian Mountain region. The results showed that, between 2000 and 2020, grassland and unused land were the main land use types in the Qilian Mountains, accounting for more than 80% of the total area of land, and that the conversion these two land use type was the most obvious conversion. The area of forested and unused land decreased between 2000 and 2020, and the area of other land types increased in the Qilian Mountains due to the intensification of human activities and increased urbanization. From 2000 to 2020, carbon storage was significantly correlated with the distribution of land-use types and showed a spatial distribution of “low in the north-west and high in the south-east”. In addition, carbon storage increased by 44.26×10⁴ t in the Qilian Mountains due to the appropriate geographic environment, the strengthening of vegetation protection, and the efforts of artificial management. the carbon storage in arable land, grassland, and waters increased by 73.1×10⁴ t, while the carbon storage of forest land and unused land decreased by 28.8×10⁴ t. The economic value of carbon storage in the Qilian Mountains from 2000 to 2020 increased from 2325.9×10⁶ yuan to 3908.8×10⁶ yuan, with an increment of 1582.9×10⁶ yuan and a growth rate of 68.1%. In particular, the economic value of grassland carbon storage increased by 851.8×10⁶ yuan over the 20-year period, a growth rate of 71.5%, which was the main driver of the increase in the economic value of carbon storage in the region. Carbon storage is increasing in the Qilian Mountains, and the relevant authorities should continue the previous management schemes while remaining alert to the impact of the climate change on carbon storage in the future. This study provides a scientific basis for setting regional targets for optimizing land use, promoting sustainable development and responding to global climate change.

The dynamic wind environment characteristics on the east and west sides of the Shashangou Bridge used by the Dunge Railway were investigated using field observations, indoor analysis, and CFD numerical simulations. The results show that the sand-driving winds on the east and west sides of Shashangou Bridge were mainly NW and WNW winds in the spring and summer, and SE and S winds in the autumn and winter. The annual sand transport potential on the west side of Shashangou Bridge is 284.19 VU, which indicates a medium wind energy environment. The sand transport potential was determined to be 27.4 VU, and the sand transport with the wind direction was 124°. The directional variability index is 0.10, which indicates a small ratio and variable wind direction. The sediment transport potential on the east side of Shashangou Bridge is 31.24 VU, indicating a low wind energy environment. The results of the sediment transport potential were 8.97 VU, while the results of the sediment transport wind direction were 91°, and the directional variability index was 0.29, indicating a medium ratio. The average wind speed, frequency of sand-driving wind, sand transport potential, and resultant sand transport potential on the west side of Shashangou Bridge were larger, indicating that the monitoring and control of sand damage on the west side of the bridge should be improved. According to the characteristics of the wind dynamic environment on the west side of the bridge when combined with the flowing dune, the numerical simulation analysis results show that the wind speed in the overhead area and bridge deck is greater than the sand-driving wind speed, and the sand transport capacity was strong, indicating that sand accumulation does not readily occur. However, with the advance of sand dunes, the possibility of sand accumulation at the bottom of the bridge and wind sand on the rail increases.

Mastering the regional wind sand movement environment and sediment particle size characteristics is the key to studying wind sand flow, and is of great significance for the prevention and recovery of regional wind sand disasters. Based on the wind regime data of Wuzhumuqin Sandy Land, this paper studies the variation characteristics of sand driving wind regime and sand transport potential, and reveals the spatial differences of sand environment in this area by combining with the sediment particle size data. The results show that:（1）The annual average frequency of sand blowing in the Wuzhumuqin sandy land is 33.8%, with an average wind speed of 3.34-5.40 m·s^-1, and an average sand blowing wind speed of 6.46-8.49 m·s^-1. The frequency and wind speed of sand blowing in the north of the sandy land are greater than those in the south, and those in the west are greater than those in the east. （2）The overall annual frequency and wind speed of sand storms are the highest in spring. The wind direction of sand storms is mainly in the southwest direction, and the frequency in the WSW direction is the highest.（3）The sand transport potential in the sandy land is 19.2-193.7 VU, which is generally a low wind energy environment. The wind conditions are mostly sharp bimodal wind conditions. The sand transport potential in the north of the sandy land is greater than that in the south, and that in the west is greater than that in the east. Throughout the year, sand material is transported to the east and northeast, and spring is the most important period of wind sand activity.（4）The sandy land is mainly composed of coarse and medium sand components, with soil particle sizes in the south and west being coarser and finer in the east. The sorting of sediment in the northern and eastern parts of the sandy land is poor, and the particle size components are greatly influenced by external factors. Overall, the sandstorm activity in the northern part of the sandy land is the strongest, making it suitable for artificial planting or laying sand barriers to fix sand. Protection forest is planted in the east of the sandy land to avoid the continuous eastward movement of sand.

The agropastoral ecotone is an important ecological security barrier and grain producing area in northern China. Elucidating the spatial evolution law and influencing factors of production-living-ecology spaces in the ecologically fragile areas for land space optimization and sustainable development is extremely important. In this study, the methods of land use dynamic degree, land transfer matrix, and geographical detector were used to explore the spatial evolution characteristics and influencing factors of production-living-ecological spaces in Hohhot, a typical farming-pastoral ecotone in Inner Mongolia, from 2000 to 2020. The results show that during the study period, the overall dynamic changes in the production-living-ecological space of Hohhot were gentle (0.02%-0.04%). The spaces for ecology, agricultural production, and animal husbandry decreased, while the spaces for life and other production increased. From 2000 to 2020, the spatial patterns for production-living-ecological in Hohhot changed significantly, and this was mainly manifested in the occupation of agricultural and animal husbandry production spaces by the living space outside the urban area, and the mutual transformation of agricultural production, animal husbandry, and ecological spaces in the Tumochuan Plain and its northern and southeastern hilly areas. During the study period, the mutual transformation of ecological, agricultural, and livestock production spaces was intense, but this decreased after 2010. Living spaces and other production spaces were in a state of net inflow, especially in the latter decades. The average slope is the dominant factor affecting the spatial layout of agricultural and animal husbandry production (0.24-0.4). Industrial development, human activities and agricultural production scales have a greater impact on the local spatial patterns. Based on refined governance, the role of policy guidance is increasingly prominent.

As the most widespread ecosystem on Earth, grassland is vital for maintaining ecological security, sustainability, and human well-being. In this study, we used systemic methods of maximum synthesis, regression analysis, and partial correlation analysis to investigate the spatiotemporal dynamics of grassland and its responses to temperature and precipitation on the northern slope of the Tianshan Mountains in Changji Hui Autonomous Prefecture, Xinjiang, from 2000 to 2020. The research was based on remote-sensed time series images (e.g., MODIS NPP and EVI) and related auxiliary data. The results indicate a significant increase in grassland NPP and EVI from 2000 to 2020, with temporal fluctuations. However, after 2016, both NPP, and EVI declined year over year. Over the past 20 years, the mean average NPP, and EVI of grassland vegetation were 0.095 kg C·m^-2 and 0.186, respectively. In 2020, grassland NPP (0.099 kg C·m^-2）and EVI (0.194) increased by 28.57% and 16.87%, respectively, compared to their values in 2000 (NPP: 0.077 kg C·m^-2; EVI: 0.166). The spatial heterogeneity of grassland vegetation NPP increased substantially and showed a trend toward expansion, while the spatial heterogeneity of grassland EVI increased annually. The range of variation observed during this research was 0.038 kg C·m^-2 for NPP and 0.059 for EVI. Overall, the spatial distribution of grassland NPP and EVI was generally coherent, but variations also existed. Grassland NPP and EVI showed an upward trend with altitude, with an elevated EVI along the oasis edge and the southern edge of the Gurbantunggut Desert. In this study, we suggest that abundant water and heat induce the formation of vigorous layers of short-lived plants, resulting in higher coverage than other grassland plants after withering. These short-lived plants begin their life cycle in early spring, when hydrothermal conditions (e.g., temperature, soil moisture, and root zone soil temperature) are favorable, and they complete their germination, growth, fruiting, and withering phases from April to June. The area percentages of NPP (65.01%) and EVI (21.93%) showed a significant increasing trend on the northern slope of Tianshan Mountains in the Changji Hui Autonomous Prefecture, Xinjiang, over the last 20 years. The proportion of vegetation NPP and EVI in the 9 grassland types showed a significant positive correlation with precipitation, which was much greater than that with temperature during the same period, confirming that precipitation is the major factor affecting grassland vegetation. Furthermore, the reactions of each grassland vegetation type (e.g., NPP and EVI) to precipitation varied. While precipitation remained a key driver for grassland, moderate warming, especially at high altitudes, was found to be suitable for the growth of grassland vegetation. These findings provide theoretical references for evaluating grassland ecological health and degradation, as well as the high-quality development of grassland on the northern slope of Tianshan Mountains in the Changji Hui Autonomous Prefecture, Xinjiang.