Weihe River basin is of great significance to analyze the changes of land use pattern and landscape ecological risk and to improve the ecological basis of regional development. Based on land use data of the Weihe River basin in 2000, 2010, and 2020, with the support of Aeronautical Reconnaissance Coverage Geographic Information System (ArcGIS), GeoDa, and other technologies, this study analyzed the spatial-temporal characteristics and driving factors of land use pattern and landscape ecological risk. Results showed that land use structure of the Weihe River basin has changed significantly, with the decrease of cropland and the increase of forest land and construction land. In the past 20 a, cropland has decreased by 7347.70 km², and cropland was mainly converted into forest land, grassland, and construction land. The fragmentation and dispersion of ecological landscape pattern in the Weihe River basin were improved, and land use pattern became more concentrated. Meanwhile, landscape ecological risk of the Weihe River basin has been improved. Severe landscape ecological risk area decreased by 19,177.87 km², high landscape ecological risk area decreased by 3904.35 km², and moderate and low landscape ecological risk areas continued to increase. It is worth noting that landscape ecological risks in the upper reaches of the Weihe River basin are still relatively serious, especially in the contiguous areas of high ecological risk, such as Tianshui, Pingliang, Dingxi areas and some areas of Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region. Landscape ecological risk showed obvious spatial dependence, and high ecological risk area was concentrated. Among the driving factors, population density, precipitation, normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI), and their interactions are the most important factors affecting the landscape ecological risk of the Weihe River basin. The findings significantly contribute to our understanding of the ecological dynamics in the Weihe River basin, providing crucial insights for sustainable management in the region.

Ecological stability is a core issue in ecological research and holds significant implications for humanity. The increased frequency and intensity of drought and wet climate events resulting from climate change pose a major threat to global ecological stability. Variations in stability among different ecosystems have been confirmed, but it remains unclear whether there are differences in stability within the same terrestrial vegetation ecosystem under the influence of climate events in different directions and intensities. China's grassland ecosystem includes most grassland types and is a good choice for studying this issue. This study used the Standardized Precipitation Evapotranspiration Index-12 (SPEI-12) to identify the directions and intensities of different types of climate events, and based on Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), calculated the resistance and resilience of different grassland types for 30 consecutive years from 1990 to 2019 (resistance and resilience are important indicators to measure stability). Based on a traditional regression model, standardized methods were integrated to analyze the impacts of the intensity and duration of drought and wet events on vegetation stability. The results showed that meadow steppe exhibited the highest stability, while alpine steppe and desert steppe had the lowest overall stability. The stability of typical steppe, alpine meadow, temperate meadow was at an intermediate level. Regarding the impact of the duration and intensity of climate events on vegetation ecosystem stability for the same grassland type, the resilience of desert steppe during drought was mainly affected by the duration. In contrast, the impact of intensity was not significant. However, alpine steppe was mainly affected by intensity in wet environments, and duration had no significant impact. Our conclusions can provide decision support for the future grassland ecosystem governance.

The southern margin of the Gurbantunggut Desert, China, is characterized by alternating layers of aeolian and alluvial deposits. Investigating the characteristics of arenaceous sediment in this area is of significant importance for understanding the interactive processes of wind and water forces, as well as the provenance of sediment. However, there are relatively few investigations on the characteristics of such sediment at present. In this study, we researched three aeolian-alluvial interactive stratigraphic profiles and different types of surface sediment on the desert-oasis transitional zone of southern margin of the Gurbantunggut Desert. Based on the optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) dating of aeolian sand and analyses of quartz sand grain size and surface micro-texture, we explored the aeolian-alluvial environmental change at southern margin of the desert in Holocene, as well as the provenance of sediment. The results indicated that the grain size characteristics of different types of sediment in the stratigraphic profiles were similar to those of modern dune sand, interdune sand, muddy desert surface soil, and riverbed sand. Their frequency curves were unimodal or bimodal, and cumulative probability curves were two-segment or three-segment, mainly composed of suspension load and saltation load. The quartz sand in the sediment at southern margin of the desert had undergone alternating transformation of various exogenic forces, with short transportation distance and time, and sedimentary environment was relatively humid. In Holocene, southern margin of the desert primarily featured braided river deposits, and during intermittent period of river activity, there were also aeolian deposits such as sand sheet deposits, stabilized dune deposits, and mobile dune deposits. The provenance for Holocene alluvial deposits at southern margin of the desert remains relatively constant, with the debris of the Tianshan Mountains being the primary provenance. Aeolian sand is mainly near-source recharge, which is formed by in situ deposition of fluvial or lacustrine materials in southern margin of the desert transported by wind erosion, and its provenance was still the weathered debris of the Tianshan Mountains. In addition, the sand in interior of the desert may be transported by northwest wind in desert-scale, thus affecting the development of dunes in southern margin of the desert. The results of this study provide a reference for understanding the composition and provenance changes of desert sand in the context of global climate change.

The desert-oasis transition zone (DOTZ) serves as a buffer area between the desert and oasis. Understanding its wind field characteristics is of great significance for the prevention and control of aeolian disasters in the oasis. In this study, we used meteorological data during 2013-2019 from the portable meteorological stations at five sites (site A on the edge of the oasis, sites B, C, and D in the DOTZ, and site O in the desert) in Dunhuang, China to analyze the near-surface wind field characteristics and their causes, as well as to reveal the key role of the DOTZ in oasis protection. The results showed that the mean wind speed, frequency of sand-driving wind, and directional variability of wind decreased from west to east within the DOTZ, and wind speed was significantly affected by air temperature. The terrain influenced the prevailing winds in the region, mainly from northeast and southwest. Only some areas adjacent to the oasis were controlled by southeasterly wind. This indicated that the near-surface wind field characteristics of the DOTZ were caused by the combined effects of local terrain and surface hydrothermal difference. At site D, the annual drift potential (DP) was 24.95 vector units (VU), indicating a low wind energy environment, and the resultant drift direction (RDD) showed obvious seasonal differences. Additionally, the DOTZ played an important buffering role between the desert and oasis. Compared with the desert, the mean wind speed in the oasis decreased by 64.98%, and the prevailing wind direction was more concentrated. The results of this study will be useful in interpreting the aeolian activity of the DOTZ in Dunhuang.

The clay-sand barriers in Minqin desert area, China, represent a pioneering windbreak and sand fixation project with a venerable history of 60 a. However, studies on evaluating the long-term effectiveness of clay-sand barriers against aeolian erosion, particularly from the perspective of surface sediment grain size, are limited and thus insufficient to ascertain the protective impact of these barriers on regional aeolian activities. This study focused on the surface sediments (topsoil of 0-3 cm depth) of clay-sand barriers in Minqin desert area to explain their erosion resistance from the perspective of surface sediment grain size. In March 2023, six clay-sand barrier sampling plots with clay-sand barriers of different deployment durations (1, 5, 10, 20, 40, and 60 a) were selected as experimental plots, and one control sampling plot was set in an adjacent mobile sandy area without sand barriers. Surface sediment samples were collected from the topsoil of each sampling plot in the study area in April 2023 and sediment grain size characteristics were analyzed. Results indicated a predominance of fine and medium sands in the surface sediments of the study area. The deployment of clay-sand barriers cultivated a fine quality in grain size composition of the regional surface sediments, increasing the average contents of very fine sand, silt, and clay by 30.82%, 417.38%, and 381.52%, respectively. This trend became markedly pronounced a decade after the deployment of clay-sand barriers. The effectiveness of clay-sand barriers in erosion resistance was manifested through reduced wind velocity, the interception of sand flow, and the promotion of fine surface sediment particles. Coarser particles such as medium, coarse, and very coarse sands predominantly accumulated on the external side of the barriers, while finer particles such as fine and very fine sands concentrated in the upwind (northwest) region of the barriers. By contrast, the contents of finest particles such as silt and clay were higher in the downwind (southeast) region of the sampling plots. For the study area, the deployment of clay-sand barriers remains one of the most cost-effective engineering solutions for aeolian erosion control, with sediment grain size parameters serving as quantitative indicators for the assessment of these barriers in combating desertification. The results of this study provide a theoretical foundation for the construction of windbreak and sand fixation systems and the optimization of artificial sand control projects in arid desert areas.

Human activities lead to the accumulation of a large amount of nitrogen and phosphorus in sediments in rivers. Simultaneously, nitrogen and phosphorus can be affected by environment and re-enter the upper water body, causing secondary pollution of the river water. In this study, laboratory simulation experiments were conducted initially to investigate the release of nitrogen and phosphorus from river sediments in Urumqi City and the surrounding areas in Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region of China and determine the factors that influence their release. The results of this study showed significant short-term differences in nitrogen and phosphorus release characteristics from sediments at different sampling points. The proposed secondary kinetics model (i.e., pseudo-second-order kinetics model) better fitted the release process of sediment nitrogen and phosphorus. The release of nitrogen and phosphorus from sediments is a complex process driven by multiple factors, therefore, we tested the influence of three factors (pH, temperature, and disturbance intensity) on the release of nitrogen and phosphorus from sediments in this study. The most amount of nitrate nitrogen (NO₃^--N) was released under neutral conditions, while the most significant release of ammonia nitrogen (NH₄⁺-N) occurred under acidic and alkaline conditions. The release of nitrite nitrogen (NO₂^--N) was less affected by pH. The dissolved total phosphorus (DTP) released significantly in the alkaline water environment, while the release of dissolved organic phosphorus (DOP) was more significant in acidic water. The release amount of soluble reactive phosphorus (SRP) increased with an increase in pH. The sediments released nitrogen and phosphorus at higher temperatures, particularly NH₄⁺-N, NO₃^--N, and SRP. The highest amount of DOP was released at 15.0°C. An increase in disturbance intensity exacerbated the release of nitrogen and phosphorus from sediments. NH₄⁺-N, DTP, and SRP levels increased linearly with the intensity of disturbance, while NO₃^--N and NO₂^--N were more stable. This study provides valuable information for protecting and restoring the water environment in arid areas and has significant practical reference value.

Phyllosphere microorganisms are a crucial component of environmental microorganisms, highly influenced by host characteristics, and play a significant role in plant health and productivity. Nonetheless, the impact of host characteristics on shaping phyllosphere microbial communities of plants with different life forms remains ambiguous. Utilizing high-throughput sequencing technology, this study analyzed the diversity and community composition of phyllosphere epiphytic microorganisms (e.g., bacteria and fungi) of various plant life forms in the hinterland of the Gurbantunggut Desert, Northwest China. Functional annotation of prokaryotic taxa (FAPROTAX) and fungi function guild (FUNGuild) were employed to assess the ecological functions of microorganisms and to investigate the role of stochastic and deterministic processes in shaping phyllosphere microbial communities. Result showed a diverse array of phyllosphere epiphytic microorganisms in the desert plants, with Proteobacteria, Cyanobacteria, and Actinobacteriota dominating bacterial community, while Ascomycota and Basidiomycota were prevalent in fungal community. Comparison across different plant life forms highlighted distinct microbial communities, indicating strong filtering effects by plant characteristics. FAPROTAX prediction identified intracellular parasites (accounting for 27.44% of bacterial community abundance), chemoheterotrophy (10.12%), and phototrophy (17.41%) as the main functions of epiphytic bacteria on leaves of different life form plants. FUNGuild prediction indicated that phyllosphere epiphytic fungi primarily served as Saprotrophs (81.77%), Pathotrophs (17.41%), and Symbiotrophs (0.82%). Co-occurrence network analysis demonstrated a predominance of positive correlations among different microbial taxa. Raup-Crick dissimilarity index analysis revealed that deterministic processes predominantly influenced phyllosphere bacterial and fungal community assembly. Variance partitioning analysis and random forest modeling suggested that plant leaf functional traits significantly impacted both bacterial and fungal community composition, with fungal community composition showing a closer association with leaf nutrients and physiology compared with bacterial community composition. The distinct responses of bacterial and fungal communities to plant traits were attributed to the differing properties of bacteria and fungi, such as bacteria having higher potential dispersal rates and broader ecological niches than fungi. Overall, the results indicate that phyllosphere bacterial and fungal communities undergo similar community assembly processes, with fungi being more influenced by plant characteristics than bacteria. These findings offer novel insights into the ecology of phyllosphere microbial communities of desert plants.

It is of great significance to study the effects of desert plants on soil enzyme activities and soil organic carbon (SOC) for maintaining the stability of the desert ecosystem. In this study, we studied the responses of soil enzyme activities and SOC fractions (particulate organic carbon (POC) and mineral-associated organic carbon (MAOC)) to five typical desert plant communities (Convolvulus tragacanthoides, Ephedra rhytidosperma, Stipa breviflora, Stipa tianschanica var. gobica, and Salsola laricifolia communities) in the proluvial fan in the eastern foothills of the Helan Mountain in Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, China. We recorded the plant community information mainly including the plant coverage and herb and shrub species, and obtained the aboveground biomass and plant species diversity through sample surveys in late July 2023. Soil samples were also collected at depths of 0-10 cm (topsoil) and 10-20 cm (subsoil) to determine the soil physicochemical properties and enzyme activities. The results showed that the plant coverage and aboveground biomass of S. laricifolia community were significantly higher than those of C. tragacanthoides, S. breviflora, and S. tianschanica var. gobica communities (P<0.05). Soil enzyme activities varied among different plant communities. In the topsoil, the enzyme activities of alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and β-1,4-glucosidas (βG) were significantly higher in E. rhytidosperma and S. tianschanica var. gobica communities than in other plant communities (P<0.05). The topsoil had higher POC and MAOC contents than the subsoil. Specifically, the content of POC in the topsoil was 18.17%-42.73% higher than that in the subsoil. The structural equation model (SEM) indicated that plant species diversity, soil pH, and soil water content (SWC) were the main factors influencing POC and MAOC. The soil pH inhibited the formation of POC and promoted the formation of MAOC. Conversely, SWC stimulated POC production and hindered MAOC formation. Our study aimed to gain insight into the effects of desert plant communities on soil enzyme activities and SOC fractions, as well as the drivers of SOC fractions in the proluvial fan in the eastern foothills of the Helan Mountain and other desert ecosystems.

Quantitative assessment of the impact of climate variability and human activities on runoff plays a pivotal role in water resource management and maintaining ecosystem integrity. This study considered six sub-basins in the upper reaches of the Yangtze River basin, China, to reveal the trend of the runoff evolution and clarify the driving factors of the changes during 1956-2020. Linear regression, Mann-Kendall test, and sliding t-test were used to study the trend of the hydrometeorological elements, while cumulative distance level and ordered clustering methods were applied to identify mutation points. The contributions of climate change and human disturbance to runoff changes were quantitatively assessed using three methods, i.e., the rainfall-runoff relationship method, slope variation method, and variable infiltration capacity (Budyko) hypothesis method. Then, the availability and stability of the three methods were compared. The results showed that the runoff in the upper reaches of the Yangtze River basin exhibited a decreasing trend from 1956 to 2020, with an abrupt change in 1985. For attribution analysis, the runoff series could be divided into two phases, i.e., 1961-1985 (baseline period) and 1986-2020 (changing period); and it was found that the rainfall-runoff relationship method with precipitation as the representative of climate factors had limited usability compared with the other two methods, while the slope variation and Budyko hypothesis methods had highly consistent results. Different factors showed different effects in the sub-basins of the upper reaches of the Yangtze River basin. Moreover, human disturbance was the main factor that contributed to the runoff changes, accounting for 53.0%-82.0%; and the contribution of climate factors to the runoff change was 17.0%-47.0%, making it the secondary factor, in which precipitation was the most representative climate factor. These results provide insights into how climate and anthropogenic changes synergistically influence the runoff of the upper reaches of the Yangtze River basin.

Rain-on-snow (ROS) events involve rainfall on snow surfaces, and the occurrence of ROS events can exacerbate water scarcity and ecosystem vulnerability in the arid region of Northwest China (ARNC). In this study, using daily snow depth data and daily meteorological data from 68 meteorological stations provided by the China Meteorological Administration National Meteorological Information Centre, we investigated the spatiotemporal variability of ROS events in the ARNC from 1978 to 2015 and examined the factors affecting these events and possible changes of future ROS events in the ARNC. The results showed that ROS events in the ARNC mainly occurred from October to May of the following year and were largely distributed in the Qilian Mountains, Tianshan Mountains, Ili River Valley, Tacheng Prefecture, and Altay Prefecture, with the Ili River Valley, Tacheng City, and Altay Mountains exhibiting the most occurrences. Based on the intensity of ROS events, the areas with the highest risk of flooding resulting from ROS events in the ARNC were the Tianshan Mountains, Ili River Valley, Tacheng City, and Altay Mountains. The number and intensity of ROS events in the ARNC largely increased from 1978 to 2015, mainly influenced by air temperature and the number of rainfall days. However, due to the snowpack abundance in areas experiencing frequent ROS events in the ARNC, snowpack changes exerted slight impact on ROS events, which is a temporary phenomenon. Furthermore, elevation imposed lesser impact on ROS events in the ARNC than other factors. In the ARNC, the start time of rainfall and the end time of snowpack gradually advanced from the spring of the current year to the winter of the previous year, while the end time of rainfall and the start time of snowpack gradually delayed from autumn to winter. This may lead to more ROS events in winter in the future. These results could provide a sound basis for managing water resources and mitigating related disasters caused by ROS events in the ARNC.

Gobi spans a large area of China, surpassing the combined expanse of mobile dunes and semi-fixed dunes. Its presence significantly influences the movement of sand and dust. However, the complex origins and diverse materials constituting the Gobi result in notable differences in saltation processes across various Gobi surfaces. It is challenging to describe these processes according to a uniform morphology. Therefore, it becomes imperative to articulate surface characteristics through parameters such as the three-dimensional (3D) size and shape of gravel. Collecting morphology information for Gobi gravels is essential for studying its genesis and sand saltation. To enhance the efficiency and information yield of gravel parameter measurements, this study conducted field experiments in the Gobi region across Dunhuang City, Guazhou County, and Yumen City (administrated by Jiuquan City), Gansu Province, China in March 2023. A research framework and methodology for measuring 3D parameters of gravel using point cloud were developed, alongside improved calculation formulas for 3D parameters including gravel grain size, volume, flatness, roundness, sphericity, and equivalent grain size. Leveraging multi-view geometry technology for 3D reconstruction allowed for establishing an optimal data acquisition scheme characterized by high point cloud reconstruction efficiency and clear quality. Additionally, the proposed methodology incorporated point cloud clustering, segmentation, and filtering techniques to isolate individual gravel point clouds. Advanced point cloud algorithms, including the Oriented Bounding Box (OBB), point cloud slicing method, and point cloud triangulation, were then deployed to calculate the 3D parameters of individual gravels. These systematic processes allow precise and detailed characterization of individual gravels. For gravel grain size and volume, the correlation coefficients between point cloud and manual measurements all exceeded 0.9000, confirming the feasibility of the proposed methodology for measuring 3D parameters of individual gravels. The proposed workflow yields accurate calculations of relevant parameters for Gobi gravels, providing essential data support for subsequent studies on Gobi environments.

The unique geomorphological features and farming methods in the Mollisol region of Northeast China increase water catchment flow and aggravate the erosion of ephemeral gully (EG). Vegetation suffers from rain erosion and damage during the growth stage, which brings serious problems to the restoration of grass in the early stage. Therefore, effects of coir geotextile and geocell on EG erosion under four confluence intensities were researched in this study. Results of the simulated water discharge erosion test showed that when the confluence strength was less than 30 L/min, geocell and coir geotextile had a good effect on controlling EG erosion, and sediment yield of geocell and coir geotextile was reduced by 25.95%-37.82% and 73.73%-88.96%, respectively. However, when confluence intensity increased to 40 L/min, protective effect of coir geotextile decreased, and sediment yield rate increased sharply by 189.03%. When confluence intensity increased to 50 L/min, the protective effect of coir geotextile was lost. On the other hand, geocell showed that the greater the flow rate, the better the protective effect. In addition, with the increase in confluence intensity, erosion pattern of coir geotextile developed from sheet erosion to intermittent fall and then to completion of main rill, and the protective effect was gradually weakened. In contrast, the protective effect of EG under geocell was gradually enhanced from the continuous rill to the intermittent rill and finally to the intermittent fall. This study shows that coir geotextile and geocell can prevent EG erosion, and the effect of geocell is better than that of coir geotextile on the surface of EG.

The maintenance of sand-fixing vegetation is important for the stability of artificial sand-fixing systems in which seed dispersal plays a key role. Based on field wind tunnel experiments using 11 common plant species on the southeastern edge of the Tengger Desert, China, we studied the secondary seed dispersal in the fixed and semi-fixed sand dunes as well as in the mobile dunes in order to understand the limitations of vegetation regeneration and the maintenance of its stability. Our results indicated that there were significant variations among the selected 11 plant species in the threshold of wind speed (TWS). The TWS of Caragana korshinskii was the highest among the 11 plant species, whereas that of Echinops gmelinii was the lowest. Seed morphological traits and underlying surface could generally explain the TWS. During the secondary seed dispersal processes, the proportions of seeds that did not disperse (no dispersal) and only dispersed over short distance (short-distance dispersal within the wind tunnel test section) were significantly higher than those of seeds that were buried (including lost seeds) and dispersed over long distance (long-distance dispersal beyond the wind tunnel test section). Compared with other habitats, the mobile dunes were the most difficult places for secondary seed dispersal. Buried seeds were the easiest to be found in the semi-fixed sand dunes, whereas fixed sand dunes were the best sites for seeds that dispersed over long distance. The results of linear mixed models showed that after controlling the dispersal distance, smaller and rounder seeds dispersed farther. Shape index and wind speed were the two significant influencing factors on the burial of seeds. The explanatory power of wind speed, underlying surface, and seed morphological traits on the seeds that did not disperse and dispersed over short distance was far greater than that on the seeds that were buried and dispersed over long distance, implying that the processes and mechanisms of burial and long-distance dispersal are more complex. In summary, most seeds in the study area either did not move, were buried, or dispersed over short distance, promoting local vegetation regeneration.

Vegetation restoration and reconstruction are effective approaches to desertification control and achieving social and economic sustainability in desert areas. However, the self-succession ability of native plants during the later periods of vegetation restoration remains unclear. Therefore, this study was conducted to bridge the knowledge gap by investigating the regeneration dynamics of artificial forest under natural conditions. The information of seed rain and soil seed bank was collected and quantified from an artificial Caragana korshinskii Kom. forest in the Tengger Desert, China. The germination tests were conducted in a laboratory setting. The analysis of species quantity and diversity in seed rain and soil seed bank was conducted to assess the impact of different durations of sand fixation (60, 40, and 20 a) on the progress of vegetation restoration and ecological conditions in artificial C. korshinskii forest. The results showed that the top three dominant plant species in seed rain were Echinops gmelinii Turcz., Eragrostis minor Host., and Agropyron mongolicum Keng., and the top three dominant plant species in soil seed bank were E. minor, Chloris virgata Sw., and E. gmelinii. As restoration period increased, the density of seed rain and soil seed bank increased first and then decreased. While for species richness, as restoration period increased, it gradually increased in seed rain but decreased in soil seed bank. There was a positive correlation between seed rain density and soil seed bank density among all the three restoration periods. The species similarity between seed rain or soil seed bank and aboveground vegetation decreased with the extension of restoration period. The shape of the seeds, specifically those with external appendages such as spines and crown hair, clearly had an effect on their dispersal, then resulting in lower seed density in soil seed bank. In addition, precipitation was a crucial factor in promoting rapid germination, also resulting in lower seed density in soil seed bank. Our findings provide valuable insights for guiding future interventions during the later periods of artificial C. korshinskii forest, such as sowing and restoration efforts using unmanned aerial vehicles.

Land use change affects the balance of organic carbon (C) reserves and the global C cycle. Microbial residues are essential constituents of stable soil organic C (SOC). However, it remains unclear how microbial residue changes over time following afforestation. In this study, 16-, 23-, 52-, and 62-year-old Mongolian pine stands and 16-year-old cropland were studied in the Horqin Sandy Land, China. We analyzed changes in SOC, amino sugar content, and microbial parameters to assess how microbial communities influence soil C transformation and preservation. The results showed that SOC storage increased with stand age in the early stage of afforestation but remained unchanged at about 1.27−1.29 kg/m² after 52 a. Moreover, there were consistent increases in amino sugars and microbial residues with increasing stand age. As stand age increased from 16 to 62 a, soil pH decreased from 6.84 to 5.71, and the concentration of total amino sugars increased from 178.53 to 509.99 mg/kg. A significant negative correlation between soil pH and the concentration of specific and total amino sugars was observed, indicating that the effects of soil acidification promote amino sugar stabilization during afforestation. In contrast to the Mongolian pine plantation of the same age, the cropland accumulated more SOC and microbial residues because of fertilizer application. Across Mongolian pine plantation with different ages, there was no significant change in calculated contribution of bacterial or fungal residues to SOC, suggesting that fungi were consistently the dominant contributors to SOC with increasing time. Our results indicate that afforestation in the Horqin Sandy Land promotes efficient microbial growth and residue accumulation in SOC stocks and has a consistent positive impact on SOC persistence.

Arid areas with low precipitation and sparse vegetation typically yield compact urban pattern, and drought directly impacts urban site selection, growth processes, and future scenarios. Spatial simulation and projection based on cellular automata (CA) models is important to achieve sustainable urban development in arid areas. We developed a new CA model using bat algorithm (BA) named bat algorithm-probability-of-occurrence-cellular automata (BA-POO-CA) model by considering drought constraint to accurately delineate urban growth patterns and project future scenarios of Urumqi City and its surrounding areas, located in Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, China. We calibrated the BA-POO-CA model for the drought-prone study area with 2000 and 2010 data and validated the model with 2010 and 2020 data, and finally projected its urban scenarios in 2030. The results showed that BA-POO-CA model yielded overall accuracy of 97.70% and figure-of-merits (FOMs) of 35.50% in 2010, and 97.70% and 26.70% in 2020, respectively. The inclusion of drought intensity factor improved the performance of BA-POO-CA model in terms of FOMs, with increases of 5.50% in 2010 and 7.90% in 2020 than the model excluding drought intensity factor. This suggested that the urban growth of Urumqi City was affected by drought, and therefore taking drought intensity factor into account would contribute to simulation accuracy. The BA-POO-CA model including drought intensity factor was used to project two possible scenarios (i.e., business-as-usual (BAU) scenario and ecological scenario) in 2030. In the BAU scenario, the urban growth dominated mainly in urban fringe areas, especially in the northern part of Toutunhe District, Xinshi District, and Midong District. Using exceptional and extreme drought areas as a spatial constraint, the urban growth was mainly concentrated in the "main urban areas-Changji-Hutubi" corridor urban pattern in the ecological scenario. The results of this research can help to adjust urban planning and development policies. Our model is readily applicable to simulating urban growth and future scenarios in global arid areas such as Northwest China and Africa.

The Aral Sea was the fourth largest lake in the world but it has shrunk dramatically as a result of irrational human activities, triggering the "Aral Sea ecological crisis". The ecological problems of the Aral Sea have attracted widespread attention, and the alleviation of the Aral Sea ecological crisis has reached a consensus among the five Central Asian countries (Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Turkmenistan). In the past decades, many ecological management measures have been implemented for the ecological restoration of the Aral Sea. However, due to the lack of regional planning and zoning, the results are not ideal. In this study, we mapped the ecological zoning of the Aral Sea from the perspective of ecological restoration based on soil type, soil salinity, surface water, groundwater table, Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), land cover, and aerosol optical depth (AOD) data. Soil salinization and salt dust are the most prominent ecological problems in the Aral Sea. We divided the Aral Sea into 7 first-level ecological restoration subregions (North Aral Sea catchment area in the downstream of the Syr Darya River (Subregion I); artificial flood overflow area in the downstream of the Aral Sea (Subregion II); physical/chemical remediation area of the salt dust source area in the eastern part of the South Aral Sea (Subregion III); physical/chemical remediation area of severe salinization in the central part of the South Aral Sea (Subregion IV); existing water surface and potential restoration area of the South Aral Sea (Subregion V); Aral Sea vegetation natural recovery area (Subregion VI); and vegetation planting area with slight salinization in the South Aral Sea (Subregion VII)) and 14 second-level ecological restoration subregions according to the ecological zoning principles. Implementable measures are proposed for each ecological restoration subregion. For Subregion I and Subregion II with lower elevations, artificial flooding should be carried out to restore the surface of the Aral Sea. Subregion III and Subregion IV have severe salinization, making it difficult for vegetation to grow. In these subregions, it is recommended to cover and pave the areas with green biomatrix coverings and environmentally sustainable bonding materials. In Subregion V located in the central and western parts of the South Aral Sea, surface water recharge should be increased to ensure that this subregion can maintain normal water levels. In Subregion VI and Subregion VII where natural conditions are suitable for vegetation growth, measures such as afforestation and buffer zones should be implemented to protect vegetation. This study could provide a reference basis for future comprehensive ecological management and restoration of the Aral Sea.

Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region is a typical inland arid area in China with a sparse and uneven distribution of meteorological stations, limited access to precipitation data, and significant water scarcity. Evaluating and integrating precipitation datasets from different sources to accurately characterize precipitation patterns has become a challenge to provide more accurate and alternative precipitation information for the region, which can even improve the performance of hydrological modelling. This study evaluated the applicability of widely used five satellite-based precipitation products (Climate Hazards Group InfraRed Precipitation with Station (CHIRPS), China Meteorological Forcing Dataset (CMFD), Climate Prediction Center morphing method (CMORPH), Precipitation Estimation from Remotely Sensed Information using Artificial Neural Networks-Climate Data Record (PERSIANN-CDR), and Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission Multi-satellite Precipitation Analysis (TMPA)) and a reanalysis precipitation dataset (ECMWF Reanalysis v5-Land Dataset (ERA5-Land)) in Xinjiang using ground-based observational precipitation data from a limited number of meteorological stations. Based on this assessment, we proposed a framework that integrated different precipitation datasets with varying spatial resolutions using a dynamic Bayesian model averaging (DBMA) approach, the expectation-maximization method, and the ordinary Kriging interpolation method. The daily precipitation data merged using the DBMA approach exhibited distinct spatiotemporal variability, with an outstanding performance, as indicated by low root mean square error (RMSE=1.40 mm/d) and high Person's correlation coefficient (CC=0.67). Compared with the traditional simple model averaging (SMA) and individual product data, although the DBMA-fused precipitation data were slightly lower than the best precipitation product (CMFD), the overall performance of DBMA was more robust. The error analysis between DBMA-fused precipitation dataset and the more advanced Integrated Multi-satellite Retrievals for Global Precipitation Measurement Final (IMERG-F) precipitation product, as well as hydrological simulations in the Ebinur Lake Basin, further demonstrated the superior performance of DBMA-fused precipitation dataset in the entire Xinjiang region. The proposed framework for solving the fusion problem of multi-source precipitation data with different spatial resolutions is feasible for application in inland arid areas, and aids in obtaining more accurate regional hydrological information and improving regional water resources management capabilities and meteorological research in these regions.

The isotope composition in precipitation has been widely considered as a tracer of monsoon activity. Compared with the coastal region, the monsoon margin usually has limited precipitation with large fluctuation and is usually sensitive to climate change. The water resource management in the monsoon margin should be better planned by understanding the composition of precipitation isotope and its influencing factors. In this study, the precipitation samples were collected at five sampling sites (Baiyin City, Kongtong District, Maqu County, Wudu District, and Yinchuan City) of the monsoon margin in the northwest of China in 2022 to analyze the characteristics of stable hydrogen (δD) and oxygen (δ¹⁸O) isotopes. We analyzed the impact of meteorological factors (temperature, precipitation, and relative humidity) on the composition of precipitation isotope at daily level by regression analysis, utilized the Hybrid Single-Particle Lagrangian Integrated Trajectory (HYSPLIT)-based backward trajectory model to simulate the air mass trajectory of precipitation events, and adopted the potential source contribution function (PSCF) and concentration weighted trajectory (CWT) to analyze the water vapor sources. The results showed that compared with the global meteoric water line (GMWL), the slope of the local meteoric water line (LMWL; δD=7.34δ¹⁸O-1.16) was lower, indicating the existence of strong regional evaporation in the study area. Temperature significantly contributed to δ¹⁸O value, while relative humidity had a significant negative effect on δ¹⁸O value. Through the backward trajectory analysis, we found eight primary locations that were responsible for the water vapor sources of precipitation in the study area, of which moisture from the Indian Ocean to South China Sea (ITSC) and the western continental (CW) had the greatest influence on precipitation in the study area. The hydrogen and oxygen isotopes in precipitation are significantly influenced by the sources and transportation paths of air mass. In addition, the results of PSCF and CWT analysis showed that the water vapor source areas were primarily distributed in the south and northwest direction of the study area.

Land surface temperature (LST) directly affects the energy balance of terrestrial surface systems and impacts regional resources, ecosystem evolution, and ecosystem structures. Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region is located at the arid Northwest China and is extremely sensitive to climate change. There is an urgent need to understand the distribution patterns of LST in this area and quantitatively measure the nature and intensity of the impacts of the major driving factors from a spatial perspective, as well as elucidate the formation mechanisms. In this study, we used the MOD11C3 LST product developed on the basis of Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) to conduct regression analysis and determine the spatiotemporal variation and differentiation pattern of LST in Xinjiang from 2000 to 2020. We analyzed the driving mechanisms of spatial heterogeneity of LST in Xinjiang and the six geomorphic zones (the Altay Mountains, Junggar Basin, Tianshan Mountains, Tarim Basin, Turpan-Hami (Tuha) Basin, and Pakakuna Mountain Group) using geographical detector (Geodetector) and geographically weighted regression (GWR) models. The warming rate of LST in Xinjiang during the study period was 0.24°C/10a, and the spatial distribution pattern of LST had obvious topographic imprints, with 87.20% of the warming zone located in the Gobi desert and areas with frequent human activities, and the cooling zone mainly located in the mountainous areas. The seasonal LST in Xinjiang was at a cooling rate of 0.09°C/10a in autumn, and showed a warming trend in other seasons. Digital elevation model (DEM), latitude, wind speed, precipitation, normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI), and sunshine duration in the single-factor and interactive detections were the key factors driving the LST changes. The direction and intensity of each major driving factor on the spatial variations of LST in the study area were heterogeneous. The negative feedback effect of DEM on the spatial differentiation of LST was the strongest. Lower latitudes, lower vegetation coverage, lower levels of precipitation, and longer sunshine duration increased LST. Unused land was the main heat source landscape, water body was the most important heat sink landscape, grassland and forest land were the land use and land cover (LULC) types with the most prominent heat sink effect, and there were significant differences in different geomorphic zones due to the influences of their vegetation types, climatic conditions, soil types, and human activities. The findings will help to facilitate sustainable climate change management, analyze local climate and environmental patterns, and improve land management strategies in Xinjiang and other arid areas.

Improving cultivated land use eco-efficiency (CLUE) can effectively promote agricultural sustainability, particularly in developing countries where CLUE is generally low. This study used provincial-level data from China to evaluate the spatiotemporal evolution of CLUE from 2000 to 2020 and identified the influencing factors of CLUE by using a panel Tobit model. In addition, given the undesirable outputs of agricultural production, we incorporated carbon emissions and nonpoint source pollution into the global benchmark-undesirable output-super efficiency-slacks-based measure (GB-US-SBM) model, which combines global benchmark technology, undesirable output, super efficiency, and slacks-based measure. The results indicated that there was an upward trend in CLUE in China from 2000 to 2020, with an increase rate of 2.62%. The temporal evolution of CLUE in China could be classified into three distinct stages: a period of fluctuating decrease (2000-2007), a phase of gradual increase (2008-2014), and a period of rapid growth (2015-2020). The major grain-producing areas (MPAs) had a lower CLUE than their counterparts, namely, non-major grain-production areas (non-MPAs). The spatial agglomeration effect followed a northeast-southwest strip distribution; and the movement path of barycentre revealed a "P" shape, with Luoyang City, Henan Province, as the centre. In terms of influencing factors of CLUE, investment in science and technology played the most vital role in improving CLUE, while irrigation index had the most negative effect. It should be noted that these two influencing factors had different impacts on MPAs and non-MPAs. Therefore, relevant departments should formulate policies to enhance the level of science and technology, improve irrigation condition, and promote sustainable utilization of cultivated land.

In the Loess Plateau of China, land-use pattern is a major factor in controlling underlying biological processes. Additionally, the process of land-use pattern was accompanied by abandoned lands, potentially impacting soil microbe. However, limited researches were conducted to study the impacts of land-use patterns on the diversity and community of soil microorganisms in this area. The study aimed to investigate soil microbial community diversity and composition using high-throughput deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) sequencing under different land-use patterns (apricot tree land, apple tree land, peach tree land, corn land, and abandoned land). The results showed a substantial difference (P<0.050) in bacterial alpha-diversity and beta-diversity between abandoned land and other land-use patterns, with the exception of Shannon index. While fungal beta-diversity was not considerably impacted by land-use patterns, fungal alpha-diversity indices varied significantly. The relative abundance of Actinobacteriota (34.90%), Proteobacteria (20.65%), and Ascomycota (77.42%) varied in soils with different land-use patterns. Soil pH exerted a dominant impact on the soil bacterial communities' composition, whereas soil available phosphorus was the main factor shaping the soil fungal communities' composition. These findings suggest that variations in land-use pattern had resulted in changes to soil properties, subsequently impacting diversity and structure of microbial community in the Loess Plateau. Given the strong interdependence between soil and its microbiota, it is imperative to reclaim abandoned lands to maintain soil fertility and sustain its function, which will have significant ecological service implications, particularly with regards to soil conservation in ecologically vulnerable areas.

One of the goals of grazing management in the desert steppe is to improve its ecosystem. However, relatively little is known about soil microbe communities in the desert steppe ecosystem under grazing management. In this study, we investigated the diversity and aboveground biomass of Caragana korshinskii Kom. shrub communities in long-term fencing and grazing areas, combined with an analysis of soil physical-chemical properties and genomics, with the aim of understanding how fence management affects plant-soil-microbial inter-relationships in the desert steppe, China. The results showed that fence management (exclosure) increased plant diversity and aboveground biomass in C. korshinskii shrub area and effectively enhanced soil organic carbon (233.94%), available nitrogen (87.77%), and available phosphorus (53.67%) contents. As well, the Shannon indices of soil bacteria and fungi were greater in the fenced plot. Plant-soil changes profoundly affected the alpha- and beta-diversity of soil bacteria. Fence management also altered the soil microbial community structure, significantly increasing the relative abundances of Acidobacteriota (5.31%-8.99%), Chloroflexi (3.99%-5.58%), and Glomeromycota (1.37%-3.28%). The soil bacterial-fungal co-occurrence networks under fence management had higher complexity and connectivity. Based on functional predictions, fence management significantly increased the relative abundance of bacteria with nitrification and nitrate reduction functions and decreased the relative abundance of bacteria with nitrate and nitrite respiration functions. The relative abundances of ecologically functional fungi with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi, ectomycorrhizal fungi, and saprotrophs also significantly increased under fence management. In addition, the differential functional groups of bacteria and fungi were closely related to plant-soil changes. The results of this study have significant positive implications for the ecological restoration and reconstruction of dry desert steppe and similar areas.

Nitrogen (N) deposition is a significant aspect of global change and poses a threat to terrestrial biodiversity. The impact of plant-soil microbe relationships to N deposition has recently attracted considerable attention. Soil microorganisms have been proven to provide nutrients for specific plant growth, especially in nutrient-poor desert steppe ecosystems. However, the effects of N deposition on plant-soil microbial community interactions in such ecosystems remain poorly understood. To investigate these effects, we conducted a 6-year N-addition field experiment in a Stipa breviflora Griseb. desert steppe in Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, China. Four N treatment levels (N0, N30, N50, and N100, corresponding to 0, 30, 50, and 100 kg N/(hm²•a), respectively) were applied to simulate atmospheric N deposition. The results showed that N deposition did not significantly affect the aboveground biomass of desert steppe plants. N deposition did not significantly reduce the alfa-diversity of plant and microbial communities in the desert steppe, and low and mediate N additions (N30 and N50) had a promoting effect on them. The variation pattern of plant Shannon index was consistent with that of the soil bacterial Chao1 index. N deposition significantly affected the beta-diversity of plants and soil bacteria, but did not significantly affect fungal communities. In conclusion, N deposition led to co-evolution between desert steppe plants and soil bacterial communities, while fungal communities exhibited strong stability and did not undergo significant changes. These findings help clarify atmospheric N deposition effects on the ecological health and function of the desert steppe.

Groundwater quality assessment is important to assure safe and durable water use. In semi-arid areas of Algeria, groundwater represents the main water resource for drinking water supply of the rural population as well as for irrigation of agricultural lands. Groundwater samples from wells and springs were collected from the Gargaat Tarf and Annk Djemel sub-watersheds of the Oum El Bouaghi, Algeria, and were analyzed and compared with the World Health Organization (WHO) standards. Results showed that most of the measured physical and chemical parameters exceeded the quality limits according to the WHO standards. Groundwater had a slightly alkaline water pH (7.00-7.79), electrical conductivity>1500 µS/cm, chloride>500 mg/L, calcium>250 mg/L, and magnesium>155 mg/L. Water quality index (WQI) results showed that 68% of the area had excellent water quality, 24% of the samples fell into good category, and only 8% were of poor quality and unsuitable for human consumption. Six wells in the area showed bacterial contamination. Total coliforms (453.9 (±180.3) CFU (colony-forming units)/100 mL), fecal coliforms (243.2 (±99.2) CFU/100 mL), and fecal streptococci (77.9 (±32.0) CFU/100 mL) loads were above the standard limits set by the WHO. These results confirmed that water resources in the study area were strongly influenced by anthropogenic activities and were not recommended for consumption as drinking water.

Analysing runoff changes and how these are affected by climate change and human activities is deemed crucial to elucidate the ecological and hydrological response mechanisms of rivers. The Indicators of Hydrologic Alteration and the Range of Variability Approach (IHA-RVA) method, as well as the ecological indicator method, were employed to quantitatively assess the degree of hydrologic change and ecological response processes in the Yellow River Basin from 1960 to 2020. Using Budyko's water heat coupling balance theory, the relative contributions of various driving factors (such as precipitation, potential evapotranspiration, and underlying surface) to runoff changes in the Yellow River Basin were quantitatively evaluated. The results show that the annual average runoff and precipitation in the Yellow River Basin had a downwards trend, whereas the potential evapotranspiration exhibited an upwards trend from 1960 to 2020. In approximately 1985, it was reported that the hydrological regime of the main stream underwent an abrupt change. The degree of hydrological change was observed to gradually increase from upstream to downstream, with a range of 34.00%-54.00%, all of which are moderate changes. However, significant differences have been noted among different ecological indicators, with a fluctuation index of 90.00% at the outlet of downstream hydrological stations, reaching a high level of change. After the mutation, the biodiversity index of flow in the middle and lower reaches of the Yellow River was generally lower than that in the base period. The research results also indicate that the driving factor for runoff changes in the upper reach of the Yellow River Basin is mainly precipitation, with a contribution rate of 39.31%-54.70%. Moreover, the driving factor for runoff changes in the middle and lower reaches is mainly human activities, having a contribution rate of 63.70%-84.37%. These results can serve as a basis to strengthen the protection and restoration efforts in the Yellow River Basin and further promote the rational development and use of water resources in the Yellow River.

Climate warming profoundly affects hydrological changes, agricultural production, and human society. Arid and semi-arid areas of China are currently displaying a marked trend of warming and wetting. The Chinese Tianshan Mountains (CTM) have a high climate sensitivity, rendering the region particularly vulnerable to the effects of climate warming. In this study, we used monthly average temperature and monthly precipitation data from the CN05.1 gridded dataset (1961-2014) and 24 global climate models (GCMs) of the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 6 (CMIP6) to assess the applicability of the CMIP6 GCMs in the CTM at the regional scale. Based on this, we conducted a systematic review of the interannual trends, dry-wet transitions (based on the standardized precipitation index (SPI)), and spatial distribution patterns of climate change in the CTM during 1961-2014. We further projected future temperature and precipitation changes over three terms (near-term (2021-2040), mid-term (2041-2060), and long-term (2081-2100)) relative to the historical period (1961-2014) under four shared socio-economic pathway (SSP) scenarios (i.e., SSP1-2.6, SSP2-4.5, SSP3-7.0, and SSP5-8.5). It was found that the CTM had experienced significant warming and wetting from 1961 to 2014, and will also experience warming in the future (2021-2100). Substantial warming in 1997 was captured by both the CN05.1 derived from interpolating meteorological station data and the multi-model ensemble (MME) from the CMIP6 GCMs. The MME simulation results indicated an apparent wetting in 2008, which occurred later than the wetting observed from the CN05.1 in 1989. The GCMs generally underestimated spring temperature and overestimated both winter temperature and spring precipitation in the CTM. Warming and wetting are more rapid in the northern part of the CTM. By the end of the 21^st century, all the four SSP scenarios project warmer and wetter conditions in the CTM with multiple dry-wet transitions. However, the rise in precipitation fails to counterbalance the drought induced by escalating temperature in the future, so the nature of the drought in the CTM will not change at all. Additionally, the projected summer precipitation shows negative correlation with the radiative forcing. This study holds practical implications for the awareness of climate change and subsequent research in the CTM.

Severe soil erosion and drought are the two main factors affecting the ecological security of the Loess Plateau, China. Investigating the influence of drought on soil conservation service is of great importance to regional environmental protection and sustainable development. However, there is little research on the coupling relationship between them. In this study, focusing on the Jinghe River Basin, China as a case study, we conducted a quantitative evaluation on meteorological, hydrological, and agricultural droughts (represented by the Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI), Standardized Runoff Index (SRI), and Standardized Soil Moisture Index (SSMI), respectively) using the Variable Infiltration Capacity (VIC) model, and quantified the soil conservation service using the Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation (RUSLE) in the historical period (2000-2019) and future period (2026-2060) under two Representative Concentration Pathways (RCPs) (RCP4.5 and RCP8.5). We further examined the influence of the three types of drought on soil conservation service at annual and seasonal scales. The NASA Earth Exchange Global Daily Downscaled Projections (NEX-GDDP) dataset was used to predict and model the hydrometeorological elements in the future period under the RCP4.5 and RCP8.5 scenarios. The results showed that in the historical period, annual-scale meteorological drought exhibited the highest intensity, while seasonal-scale drought was generally weakest in autumn and most severe in summer. Drought intensity of all three types of drought will increase over the next 40 years, with a greater increase under the RCP4.5 scenario than under the RCP8.5 scenario. Furthermore, the intra-annual variation in the drought intensity of the three types of drought becomes smaller under the two future scenarios relative to the historical period (2000-2019). Soil conservation service exhibits a distribution pattern characterized by high levels in the southwest and southeast and lower levels in the north, and this pattern has remained consistent both in the historical and future periods. Over the past 20 years, the intra-annual variation indicated peak soil conservation service in summer and lowest level in winter; the total soil conservation of the Jinghe River Basin displayed an upward trend, with the total soil conservation in 2019 being 1.14 times higher than that in 2000. The most substantial impact on soil conservation service arises from annual-scale meteorological drought, which remains consistent both in the historical and future periods. Additionally, at the seasonal scale, meteorological drought exerts the highest influence on soil conservation service in winter and autumn, particularly under the RCP4.5 and RCP8.5 scenarios. Compared to the historical period, the soil conservation service in the Jinghe River Basin will be significantly more affected by drought in the future period in terms of both the affected area and the magnitude of impact. This study conducted beneficial attempts to evaluate and predict the dynamic characteristics of watershed drought and soil conservation service, as well as the response of soil conservation service to different types of drought. Clarifying the interrelationship between the two is the foundation for achieving sustainable development in a relatively arid and severely eroded area such as the Jinghe River Basin.

Land use and cover change (LUCC) is the most direct manifestation of the interaction between anthropological activities and the natural environment on Earth's surface, with significant impacts on the environment and social economy. Rapid economic development and climate change have resulted in significant changes in land use and cover. The Shiyang River Basin, located in the eastern part of the Hexi Corridor in China, has undergone significant climate change and LUCC over the past few decades. In this study, we used the random forest classification to obtain the land use and cover datasets of the Shiyang River Basin in 1991, 1995, 2000, 2005, 2010, 2015, and 2020 based on Landsat images. We validated the land use and cover data in 2015 from the random forest classification results (this study), the high-resolution dataset of annual global land cover from 2000 to 2015 (AGLC-2000-2015), the global 30 m land cover classification with a fine classification system (GLC_FCS30), and the first Landsat-derived annual China Land Cover Dataset (CLCD) against ground-truth classification results to evaluate the accuracy of the classification results in this study. Furthermore, we explored and compared the spatiotemporal patterns of LUCC in the upper, middle, and lower reaches of the Shiyang River Basin over the past 30 years, and employed the random forest importance ranking method to analyze the influencing factors of LUCC based on natural (evapotranspiration, precipitation, temperature, and surface soil moisture) and anthropogenic (nighttime light, gross domestic product (GDP), and population) factors. The results indicated that the random forest classification results for land use and cover in the Shiyang River Basin in 2015 outperformed the AGLC-2000-2015, GLC_FCS30, and CLCD datasets in both overall and partial validations. Moreover, the classification results in this study exhibited a high level of agreement with the ground truth features. From 1991 to 2020, the area of bare land exhibited a decreasing trend, with changes primarily occurring in the middle and lower reaches of the basin. The area of grassland initially decreased and then increased, with changes occurring mainly in the upper and middle reaches of the basin. In contrast, the area of cropland initially increased and then decreased, with changes occurring in the middle and lower reaches. The LUCC was influenced by both natural and anthropogenic factors. Climatic factors and population contributed significantly to LUCC, and the importance values of evapotranspiration, precipitation, temperature, and population were 22.12%, 32.41%, 21.89%, and 19.65%, respectively. Moreover, policy interventions also played an important role. Land use and cover in the Shiyang River Basin exhibited fluctuating changes over the past 30 years, with the ecological environment improving in the last 10 years. This suggests that governance efforts in the study area have had some effects, and the government can continue to move in this direction in the future. The findings can provide crucial insights for related research and regional sustainable development in the Shiyang River Basin and other similar arid and semi-arid areas.

Tree plantation and forest restoration are the major strategies for enhancing terrestrial carbon sequestration and mitigating climate change. The Grain for Green Project in China has positively impacted global carbon sequestration and the trend towards fragmentation of plantation forests. Limited studies have been conducted on changes in plantation biomass and stand structure caused by fragmentation, and the effect of fragmentation on the carbon storage of plantation forests remains unclear. This study evaluated the differences between carbon storage and stand structure in black locust forests in fragmented and continuous landscape in the Ansai District, China and discussed the effects of ecological significance of four landscape indices on carbon storage and tree density. We used structural equation modelling to explore the direct and indirect effects of fragmentation, edge, abiotic factors, and stand structure on above-ground carbon storage. Diameter at breast height (DBH) in fragmented forests was 53.3% thicker, tree density was 40.9% lower, and carbon storage was 49.8% higher than those in continuous forests; for all given DBH>10 cm, the trees in fragmented forests were shorter than those in continuous forests. The patch area had a negative impact on carbon storage, i.e., the higher the degree of fragmentation, the lower the density of the tree; and fragmentation and distance to edge (DTE) directly increased canopy coverage. However, canopy coverage directly decreased carbon storage, and fragmentation directly increased carbon storage and tree density. In non-commercial forests, fragmentation reduces the carbon storage potential of plantation, and the influence of patch area, edge, and patchy connection on plantation should be considered when follow-up trees are planted and for the plantation management. Thus, expanding the area of plantation patches, repairing the edges of complex-shaped patches, enhancing the connectivity of similar patches, and applying nutrients to plantation forests at regular intervals are recommended in fragmented areas of the Loess Plateau.