Arid Zone Research ›› 2025, Vol. 42 ›› Issue (11): 2142-2152.doi: 10.13866/j.azr.2025.11.16

• Agricultural Ecology • Previous Articles    

Systematic investigation of agricultural land use patterns and sustainability assessment of typical models in the northern slope economic belt of Tianshan Mountains, 1990-2020

YU Xiaotong1,2(), GUO Kang1,2, WANG Zuojun3, MA Xiaofei2,4, WU Shuai1,2, XU Shixian2,4, LUO Geping2,4()   

  1. 1. State Key Laboratory of Desert and Oasis Ecology, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi 830011, Xinjiang, China
    2. School of Ecology and Environment, Xinjiang University, Urumqi 830046, Xinjiang, China
    3. Dunhuang City Landscaping and Sanitation Service Center, Dunhuang 736200, Gansu, China
    4. University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
  • Received:2024-12-27 Revised:2025-05-12 Online:2025-11-15 Published:2025-12-13
  • Contact: LUO Geping E-mail:yuxiaotong322@gmail.com;luogp@ms.xjb.ac.cn

Abstract:

The northern slope economic belt of Tianshan Mountains faces multiple challenges in agricultural resource utilization, including water scarcity, ecological vulnerability, and an unbalanced production structure, all of which are closely linked to patterns of agricultural land use. To address these issues, a systematic analysis and assessment of land use patterns and their sustainability is urgently needed. This study examines the evolution and transformation of agricultural land use in the region from 1990 to 2020, identifying 36 distinct utilization patterns. An evaluation framework integrating economic, ecological, and management dimensions is developed to assess the sustainability of two representative models: efficient water-saving irrigation and agricultural mechanization. The results indicate that, driven by socioeconomic progress and technological advancements, the efficient water-saving irrigation model has undergone continuous optimization, achieving the highest sustainability rating (Level I) by 2020, with notable economic, social, and ecological benefits. Similarly, agricultural mechanization has experienced rapid growth since the early 21st century, also reaching Level I by 2020, with the enhancement of mechanization capacity as its primary driver. Looking ahead, agricultural land use in the Northern Slope Economic Belt should transition toward an intelligent, efficient, and ecologically sustainable high-quality development pathway.

Key words: northern slope economic belt of Tianshan Mountains, land use patterns, water-saving models, agricultural mechanization model