Investigating the relationship between atmospheric precipitable water vapor (PWV) and precipitation is helpful not only for revealing regional cloud-precipitation physical characteristics and water cycle mechanisms, but also for providing key technical support for disaster prevention and mitigation, water resource utilization, and ecological protection. Based on hourly ground-based GPS atmospheric PWV data and precipitation data from January 2021 to December 2025, and focusing on the climate-sensitive alpine region of Bayanbuluk as the study area, the temporal variation characteristics of PWV and its correlation mechanisms with precipitation were investigated. The results show that: (1) Both PWV and precipitation exhibit unimodal distributions at the monthly scale, with peak values occurring from June to August and troughs from December to February. At the daily scale, cumulative precipitation shows a notable increasing trend with PWV growth, indicating close synergistic variations between PWV and precipitation in the study area. (2) Before the occurrence of light rain events, the PWV peak usually appears 6 to 8 h earlier, while for moderate rain and heavy rain events, the lead time is relatively consistent, mainly 3 to 7 h before precipitation onset. This indicates that as the interval between the PWV peak and the start of precipitation becomes shorter, events with larger precipitation magnitudes are more likely to occur. (3) For events with rainfall intensities of R≤2.0 mm and 4.1 mm≤R≤6.0 mm at precipitation onset, the PWV peak mostly occurs 6 to 10 h before precipitation; for the 2.1 mm≤R≤4.0 mm range, it mostly occurs 5 to 7 h before; and for R≥6.1 mm, the PWV peak mostly occurs 3 to 6 h before. This indicates that as the interval between the PWV peak and precipitation onset becomes shorter, the hourly precipitation at the initial moment tends to be larger. (4) When the duration of precipitation is less than 5 h, the precipitation conversion rate is generally high, exceeding 8.0%, while for durations of 5-14 h, the conversion rate is generally low, mostly less than 5.0%. In addition, the average precipitation conversion rate is highest for moderate rainfall events and R≥6.1 mm rainfall intensity events in the afternoon, exceeding 11.3% and 40.0%, respectively.

To investigate the accuracy and hydrological simulation applicability of different precipitation products in a typical inland river alpine basin, the upper Yarkant River Basin was selected as the study area. Based on ground-based precipitation observations, we compared and analyzed the spatiotemporal distribution characteristics of four high-resolution (0.1°×0.1°) precipitation products (the merged products AERA5-Asia and AIMERG, and the reanalysis datasets CMFD and ERA5-Land), evaluated their accuracy, and combined the spatial processes in hydrology model to explore their applicability in runoff simulation. Both AERA5-Asia and CMFD effectively captured the north-to-south increasing precipitation gradient across the basin at different time scales. CMFD and AIMERG accurately identified the high precipitation near the southwestern glacier snowline and exhibited relatively higher spatial heterogeneity. Except for ERA5-Land, the other three products generally showed an increasing trend in annual mean precipitation with elevation. All precipitation products reasonably represented the seasonal variation of intra-annual precipitation but exhibited varying degrees of overestimation. AERA5-Asia showed the highest correlation with ground station observations at the monthly scale and a high daily precipitation detection accuracy across different time scales, indicating more reliable precipitation monitoring. Daily runoff simulations based on AERA5-Asia and AIMERG showed similar performance, with considerably higher accuracy than the other two datasets, although they failed to capture the timing of peak runoff and exhibited certain biases in simulating runoff volumes across different periods. Overall, AERA5-Asia and AIMERG demonstrate considerable advantages for hydrometeorological research and runoff simulation in the upper Yarkant River Basin. These findings provide valuable references for runoff simulation and soil erosion prevention in data-scarce alpine mountainous basins.

Against the backdrop of global warming, extreme climate events have grown more frequent and intense, particularly extreme snowfall events. Changes in extreme snowfall not only pose challenges to the ecosystem of the Mongolian Plateau but may also exert considerable effects on the local socioeconomy. Understanding the patterns and causes of changes in extreme snowfall is therefore of great importance for ecological protection and the improvement of disaster resilience. Taking the Mongolian Plateau as the study area, this paper monitors the spatiotemporal dynamics of snowfall and extreme snowfall on the Mongolian Plateau from 1980 to 2021 by employing methods such as correlation analysis and trend analysis, to analyze the spatiotemporal variation characteristics and driving factors of extreme snowfall under the backdrop of global warming. The results show the following: (1) Total snowfall on the Mongolian Plateau exhibited a decreasing trend from 1980 to 2021, and its spatial distribution generally followed the pattern of a gradual increase from south to north. (2) The extreme snowfall amount (R95P), the contribution rate of extreme snowfall (R95C), and the maximum daily snowfall (Rx1) decreased at rates of 0.11 mm, 0.004%, and 0.01 mm per year, respectively, while the total heavy snowfall (R10P) and heavy snow days (R10D) increased at rates of 0.05 mm and 0.001 d per year, respectively. (3) Snowfall amount, R95P, R95C, and Rx1 were negatively correlated with the temperature in the snow cover season, whereas R10P and R10D showed a positive correlation with it. Snowfall amount and most extreme snowfall indices in the study area increased with rising latitude and altitude. The findings on the spatiotemporal distribution characteristics of extreme snowfall can provide a key scientific basis for predicting the occurrence risk of extreme snowfall on the Mongolian Plateau, formulating targeted emergency management strategies, and enhancing the regional capacity for disaster prevention and mitigation.

Under global warming, extreme climate events are occurring with increasing frequency. Among these, compound drought and heatwave events (CDHEs) pose a severe threat to both the ecosystem and socioeconomic stability of Inner Mongolia. This study utilizes the CN05.1 gridded observational dataset and Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 6 (CMIP6) global climate model data under medium (SSP2-4.5) and high (SSP5-8.5) emission scenarios to identify four types of CDHEs in Inner Mongolia from 1980 to 2100 using the daily-scale Standardized Precipitation Index and Standardized Heatwave Index (SHI). Their spatiotemporal characteristics are analyzed via ordinary linear regression. The results indicate that during the historical period, all metrics of the four CDHEs types showed significant increasing trends in the western and northern regions. Among these, the union type (D-or-H) and drought-conditioned heatwave type (D-cond-H) exhibited higher metric values and growth rates than the intersection type (D-and-H) and heatwave-conditioned drought type (H-cond-D). Under the SSP2-4.5 scenario, CDHEs generally feature shorter duration yet higher intensity than in the historical period, accompanied by a further expansion of the affected area. These characteristics are further intensified under the SSP5-8.5 scenario. Across all periods, the heatwave intensity of the four CDHEs types increased significantly, indicating that high-temperature heatwaves are the dominant factor driving changes in CDHEs. These findings provide a scientific basis for regional climate risk assessment and the development of adaptation strategies.

To address the limitations of using a single drought index to capture comprehensive drought events, this study focuses on the extremely arid Turpan Basin. It integrates meteorological (standardized precipitation evapotranspiration index [SPEI]), hydrological (standardized runoff index [SRI]), agricultural (standardized soil moisture index [SSMI]), and ecological (vegetation condition index [VCI]) drought indices, incorporating optimal combination weights and the theory of multivariate joint distribution (Copula function) into the framework for constructing a comprehensive drought index. Two comprehensive drought indices, the multivariate comprehensive drought index (MCDI) and the optimal copula-based drought index (OCDI), were constructed. Based on a suitability comparison, the spatiotemporal dynamics and risk patterns of drought in the study area from 1982 to 2022 were further revealed. The results show the following: (1) Both the MCDI and OCDI are suitable for drought monitoring, with the OCDI based on the copula function performing best in terms of drought identification consistency, response sensitivity, and spatial characterization capability. (2) Comprehensive drought in the study area generally showed a continuous intensifying trend, with particularly severe conditions after 2008. Seasonally, droughts occurred frequently in spring and autumn but eased in summer and winter. In the human-activity-intensive central and northern regions, droughts exhibited low-frequency, long-duration, high-intensity characteristics, whereas the southeastern desert area was mainly characterized by high-frequency, short-duration, medium-to-low-intensity droughts. (3) Drought risk showed a phased increasing trend, with a spatial pattern of increasing risk from northwest to southeast. Regional drought risk exhibited strong persistence, with probabilities exceeding 65% for each grade of drought risk remaining unchanged over two consecutive years. These results provide an effective method for comprehensive drought monitoring and dynamic risk assessment in the Turpan region and hold considerable scientific importance for deepening the understanding of drought evolution patterns in extremely arid areas and formulating regional drought mitigation strategies.

To address critical issues of water scarcity and prominent imbalance between water supply and demand in arid endorheic river basins, this study investigated the Heihe River Basin and its administrative regions. Based on the logistic model and fuzzy comprehensive evaluation method, combined with the analytical hierarchy process, the study assesses the Heihe River Basin’s water resource development and utilization status and potential from 2014 to 2023. A panel Tobit regression model was further employed to analyze development and utilization potential’s influencing factors. Results indicate that the basin’s overall water resource development and utilization status has entered the saturation stage, with an average comprehensive potential score of 0.26 during the study period. Development potential exhibited fluctuating trends over the years, reaching its peak in 2022. Significant spatial disparities were observed among the basin’s administrative regions. Alxa League and Jiayuguan City are still in the development stage, showing moderate potential, but Zhangye City, Jiuquan City, and Jinchang City have entered the saturation stage, with relatively lower potential for further development. Regression results reveal that total water resources and proportion of ecological-environmental water use have significant positive effects on the comprehensive potential score, with coefficients of 0.45 and 0.15, respectively. In contrast, the urbanization rate (coefficient-0.41), the proportion of primary industry (-0.91), the share of surface water resources (-0.41), and water use per 10000 yuan of GDP (-0.20) all showed significant negative impacts. These findings provide a scientific basis for promoting efficient, sustainable water resource management and water-saving evaluation in arid inland river basins. This study’s integrated methodology and empirical insights can support policymakers in formulating region-specific strategies to alleviate water stress and enhance development potential under changing environmental and socioeconomic conditions.

The Qira River, as the only source of surface runoff sustaining the Qira Oasis, plays a vital role in the sustainable development of the basin. To achieve rational development and ecological protection of water resources in the Qira River Basin, this study employed hydrochemical analysis and hydrogen and oxygen stable isotope techniques to investigate the composition and hydrochemical types of major ions in water bodies of the Qira River Basin and to analyze the contributions of atmospheric precipitation, snow and ice meltwater, and spring water to river recharge. The results show that the hydrochemical types in the Qira River Basin are predominantly SO₄^2--Na⁺-Cl^-, influenced mainly by rock weathering processes. The δ¹⁸O values range from -11.42‰ to 4.19‰, and the δD values range from -51.38‰ to 35.40‰. IsoSource model analysis indicates that spring water is the primary recharge source of the Qira River, accounting for an average proportion of 0.57 throughout the year, with a recharge proportion as high as 0.77 in June. The contribution of snow and ice meltwater to river recharge increases markedly during summer, peaking at 0.47. Atmospheric precipitation also contributes to river recharge, showing a notable upward trend in May and August. The findings of this study can provide a scientific basis for water resource management in the Qira River Basin.

Revealing the spatiotemporal evolution characteristics and driving mechanisms of groundwater chemistry in the oasis region north of Bosten Lake can support the precise implementation of groundwater protection in this area. Using groundwater sample data from two periods (2016 and 2025) combined with groundwater flow field characteristics, this study employed mathematical statistics, hydrochemical diagrams, hydrogen and oxygen stable isotope methods, and the UNMIX model for systematic analysis. The results show that groundwater in the study area is generally neutral to weakly alkaline; the mean total dissolved solids (TDS) of phreatic water decreased, while confined water remained slightly saline. The evolution of hydrochemical components was controlled by the groundwater burial depth gradient from the northwest recharge area to the southeast discharge area. As the runoff path extended and the water table became shallower, intense evaporation-concentration processes drove the accumulation of high TDS and major ion concentrations toward the southeastern lakeside zone. The anion composition became dominated by $\mathit{S}{\mathit{O}}_{4}^{2-}$, the medium-to-high-value area of $\mathit{N}{\mathit{O}}_{3}^{-}$ concentration continued to expand, and the $\mathit{H}\mathit{C}{\mathit{O}}_{3}^{-}$ concentration underwent a fundamental change. The chemical type of phreatic water remained stable, while the confined water tended toward the SO₄·Cl-Ca·Mg type. Comprehensive analyses based on Gibbs diagrams, end-member plots, and ionic ratios indicate that groundwater hydrochemical evolution is jointly controlled by rock weathering and evaporation-crystallization, with rock weathering being dominant. Carbonate influence has weakened, whereas silicate and evaporite dissolution has intensified, and cation exchange is predominantly positive. Agricultural input is an important anthropogenic source of elevated $\mathit{N}{\mathit{O}}_{3}^{-}$, while Cl^- enrichment is mainly controlled by evaporation-concentration and evaporite dissolution, with additional influence from agricultural activities. The UNMIX model identified three major factors: an agricultural input-nitrification factor, an industrial input-silicate weathering composite factor, and a dissolution-evaporation-concentration salinization factor, contributing 22.22%, 41.64%, and 36.14%, respectively.

Soil stratification structure is a critical factor governing water-salt transport and crop growth in farmland, and its accurate identification is essential for assessing tillage quality and optimizing water-salt management. Addressing the challenges of rapid electromagnetic wave attenuation and the difficulty of identifying deep weak interfaces in arid saline-alkali soils, this study proposes a soil stratification identification method based on the fusion of ground-penetrating radar (GPR) instantaneous attributes. The method was validated using typical cotton fields with drip irrigation durations of 16 a and 26 a in Xinjiang. Using a 1000 MHz high-frequency GPR, shallow soil structure data were acquired, and instantaneous attributes were extracted via the Hilbert transform. On this basis, a time-gradient enhanced layer boundary fusion index was constructed to achieve weighted integration of envelope energy and time-gradient information, thereby suppressing noise and enhancing weak reflection signals. The results indicate that the proposed fusion method effectively overcomes the limitations of single-attribute analysis, clearly identifying the topsoil, plow layer, plow pan, and subsoil within the 0-60 cm depth range. Compared with measured profiles, the absolute error of layer boundary identification ranged from 0.55 to 4.83 cm (mean: 2.04 cm), and the relative error ranged from 1.78% to 16.60% (mean: 9.09%), demonstrating high detection precision. Further application of this method revealed that long-term drip irrigation (26 a) caused a marked downward migration of the boundaries between the plow layer and plow pan, quantitatively characterizing the remodeling of the soil profile by long-term tillage. The attribute fusion approach proposed in this study provides a high-precision, non-destructive detection means for identifying farmland soil stratification under complex geological conditions.

Desert vegetation plays crucial roles in ecosystem stability and desertification control. This study analyzed the spatiotemporal dynamics and driving factors of fractional vegetation cover (FVC) in major plant communities of the Ulan Buh Desert using multi-source remote sensing and ground observation data from 2000-2022. Applying Theil-Sen Median trend analysis, Mann-Kendall significance testing, and geographical detector methods, we identified 41 typical plant communities in the Ulan Buh Desert, which were dominated by Nitraria tangutorum (3197.84 km²), Artemisia ordosica (2168.86 km²), and Ammopiptanthus mongolicus-Nitraria tangutorum (1055.46 km²) communities. The overall FVC was mainly low to moderate, with distinct interannual periodic fluctuations that were especially intense in 2014-2018. FVC fluctuation amplitude varied significantly among different communities, ranging from the most stable Artemisia blepharolepis community (19.13%) to highly fluctuating communities such as Calligonum mongolicum (approaching 100%). Spatially, the interannual FVC changes in the Ulan Buh Desert exhibited significant increases in northeastern and southeastern regions, non-significant decreases in the central desert hinterland, and alternating increases and decreases in western regions. Spatial differentiation was driven primarily by coupled precipitation and hydrological factors (explanatory power up to 0.583). Two-factor interactions generally exceeded single-factor effects, particularly the interactions between precipitation-hydrological factors and between precipitation, hydrological, and soil factors. The impacts of human activity on plant community FVC were relatively limited (q≤0.187).

The construction of a vegetation restoration system dominated by drought-tolerant shrubs at the edge of desert oases is the predominant model for maintaining oasis ecological security. The establishment of artificial sand-fixing vegetation profoundly impacts the physicochemical properties of the soil under the vegetation, particularly as the vegetation ages, because soil salinity and nutrient may undergo further evolution. This study investigated the soil texture, salinity, major ions (including Cl^-, HCO₃^-, Na⁺, and Ca²⁺), total nutrients, available nutrients, and ecological stoichiometry in soil layers between 0 and 500 cm deep in Haloxylon ammodendron plantations of different ages along the Linze desert oasis edge in the Hexi Corridor. The study analyzed the temporal evolution of soil salinity and nutrients with H. ammodendron plantation age, and examined potential correlations among soil factors. The results showed that: (1) Soil pH and Na⁺ concentrations peak at 30 a across all soil layers; soil salinity, Cl^-, and HCO₃^- concentrations peak at 30 a in the 0-80 cm layer; Ca²⁺ peaks at 50 a and 10 a peaks in the 80-500 cm layer, indicating significantly stronger shallow accumulation of Cl^-, Na⁺, and HCO₃^- than Ca²⁺ in 30 a H. ammodendron plantations. (2) Soil total nitrogen (TN) and total phosphorus (TP) peak at 30 a in the 0-80 cm layer, whereas available phosphorus (AP), ammonium nitrogen (NH₄⁺-N), and nitrate nitrogen (NO₃^--N) peak at 50 a. The 50 a TN:TP ratio decreases to 0.43, and the AP:TP ratio decreases to approximately 1%, suggesting that growth of the 50 a H. ammodendron plantation is jointly constrained by nitrogen and phosphorus. (3) Saline ions and nutrients in different soil layers exhibit significant nonlinear variations in soil clay, silt, and pH value. Cl^-, HCO₃^-, Ca²⁺, TP, and AP exhibited significant nonlinear increases as the soil clay and silt content. Conversely, TN and the TN:TP ratio showed marked nonlinear decreases as the soil clay and silt content increased. AP and NH₄⁺-N content declined significantly in a nonlinear manner as soil pH increased. (4) In summary, the 0-80 cm soil layer in the 30 a H. ammodendron plantation exhibited improved texture, with pronounced fine-graining of sandy soil, a notable increase in soil clay and silt particles, and enrichment of salt and nitrogen-phosphorus nutrients. However, owing to soil salinization, TN and available nutrients declined markedly after 30 a. Therefore, beyond this 30 a period, human intervention in H. ammodendron plantations is recommended to prevent further soil salinization and consequently ensure the long-term stability of the artificial sand-fixing vegetation system.

Yamdrok Yumtso Lake, a vital lake and ecological barrier on the southern Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, depends on its surrounding vegetation to maintain regional environmental security. This study employs the kernel normalized difference vegetation index (kNDVI) derived from MODIS remote sensing data spanning 2000-2020, combined with Theil-Sen median trend analysis, the Mann-Kendall significance test, the coefficient of variation, and the Hurst index, to analyze the spatiotemporal variation characteristics and future trends of vegetation coverage around Yamdrok Yumtso Lake. Additionally, the optimal parameters geographic detector model was used to quantitatively identify driving factors and reveal the underlying mechanisms. The results indicate the following: (1) Vegetation coverage exhibited a slow overall improvement trend but with significant fluctuations Spatially, it presented a pattern of “significant improvement in the west and significant degradation in the southeast,” with the area of the significantly improved region (10.53%) being considerably larger than that of the significantly degraded region (3.67%). (2) Spatial variations in vegetation fluctuation characteristics were pronounced: areas near the lake showed continuous improvement, while inland regions exhibited both degradation and improvement. Areas with high and extremely high fluctuation accounted for 76.08% of the total area, indicating a high risk of future degradation. (3) Sunshine duration (q=0.22) and relative humidity (q=0.20) were the dominant factors driving spatial differentiation of vegetation. Their interactions were primarily nonlinear enhancement, with the combination of hydrothermal and light conditions (sunshine duration ∩ relative humidity, q=0.37) having the strongest explanatory power. (4) Given the future risks identified, monitoring and early warning systems as well as soil improvement measures should be strengthened in inland areas. In the southeastern region, development should be strictly controlled and vegetation restored. At the same time, dominant factors such as sunlight and humidity should be dynamically regulated to reduce ecological risks. These results provide a basis for vegetation management and ecological restoration in the areas surrounding Yamdrok Yumtso Lake, and offer scientific support for related research and policy-making.

Soil moisture is a key factor regulating the structure and function of grassland ecosystems. This study investigated how the vulnerable ecosystem in the transitional zone between the Qinghai-Xizang Plateau and the Loess Plateau responds to drought, selecting a typical temperate steppe area on the northeastern edge of the Qinghai-Xizang Plateau. A simulated precipitation reduction experiment with varying gradients was conducted continuously for 6 a (2019-2024) to examine the effects of six treatments—natural precipitation and 20%, 30%, 40%, 60%, and 90% precipitation reduction—on soil moisture, community structure, species diversity, and ecological niches in the region. The results were as follows: (1) Shallow soil moisture was the most sensitive to drought, showing a clear decline and increasing drought severity as precipitation reduction intensified. (2) Plant community responses exhibited nonlinear transitions: species diversity increased under light to moderate drought but decreased under extreme drought, leading to community simplification. (3) The drought resistance of Gramineae species, such as Agropyron cristatum, increased progressively with drought stress intensity. Under the 90% precipitation reduction treatment, the importance value of Agropyron cristatum reached 37.8%, indicating clear dominance, whereas Cyperaceae species and legume species gradually declined. (4) Five key plant species—Kobresia humilis, Stipa krylovii, Agropyron cristatum, Medicago ruthenica, and Potentilla bifurca exhibited niche breadths greater than 0.9 and niche overlap values exceeding 0.8. Under drought stress, these species formed a competitively dominant group and served as an important foundation for maintaining community stability. This study indicates that intensified drought driven by reduced precipitation is a key factor limiting the stability of temperate steppe ecosystems on the Qinghai-Xizang Plateau and that extreme drought events are likely to accelerate grassland desertification.

The aim of this study was to investigate the typical desert vegetation Alhagi sparsifolia in northwestern China. Samples of root-soil composite were prepared by artificially cultivating Alhagi sparsifolia in PVC pipes. The aboveground biomass and root distribution characteristics of Alhagi sparsifolia were measured, and the shear strength parameters of the root-soil composite were determined using large-scale direct shear tests. The effects of growth stage and soil layer depth on the shear strength of the root-soil composite were analyzed. Based on the growth indicators of Alhagi sparsifolia, the growth period can be divided into three stages: emergence (0-60 d), rapid growth (60-120 d), and seedling hardening (120-180 d). Root biomass, average root diameter, and root tissue density were positively correlated with growth stage, whereas root water content and specific root length were negatively correlated with growth stage. The most significant changes were observed during the rapid growth stage. The effect of time on the shear strength parameters of the Alhagi sparsifolia root-soil composite was primarily reflected by an increase in cohesion. The cohesion values during the different stages were 11.11 kPa, 17.32 kPa, and 19.14 kPa, representing increases of 44.9%, 125.8%, and 149.5%, respectively, compared with cohesion of plain soil. The internal friction angle was less affected. These results describe the temporal variation in the shear strength of the Alhagi sparsifolia root-sandy soil composite, providing important scientific insights for the future characterization of soil stabilization and slope protection by desert vegetation in arid regions.

In wind and sand hazard control practice, vegetation establishment is a fundamental measure for dune fixation. To reveal the influence of different vegetation configuration patterns on the movement characteristics of barchan dunes, this study systematically quantified the eolian activity features and movement patterns of bare barchan dunes in the Ten Tributaries region and evaluated the regulatory effects of vegetation configurations on dune movement. The research was based on ERA5 wind condition data and Google Earth Pro high-resolution mosaic imagery, employing an integrated methodology that included vectorization, spatial statistics, and regression analysis. The results indicate that regional sand-driving winds are concentrated from March to May. The directional variability ratio (RDP/DP) exceeds 0.9, signifying a highly consistent wind regime. The sand drift potential (DP) ranges from 229.7 to 258.9 vector units, classifying the area as a high wind energy environment. The resultant drift direction is southeastward, defining the primary net sand transport pathway. For bare barchan dunes, the average annual migration speed is 5.61 m. Their movement direction aligns closely with the dominant sand-driving wind, trending southeast. A strong negative correlation exists between migration speed and dune perimeter (r²=0.72), indicating that larger dunes tend to move more slowly under similar wind conditions. Compared to bare barchan dunes, all three tested vegetation configuration patterns, “single-ring,” “multi-ring,” and “multi-ring combined with linear belts,” effectively inhibit dune movement, with migration speed reduction rates of 19.47%, 27.58%, and 39.27%, respectively. This demonstrates a clear gradient of effectiveness, with the more complex “multi-ring combined with linear belts” pattern offering the greatest stabilizing effect. However, none of the vegetation patterns altered the predominant southeastward movement direction of the dunes; the average direction remained stable within the southeastern quadrant. Notably, vegetation weakened the relationship between dune migration speed and morphological parameters. The strong correlation observed for bare dunes was substantially diminished in vegetated cases, as evidenced by a marked decrease in the goodness-of-fit (r²) values of the regression models. This suggests that vegetation alters the fundamental eolian processes and feedback mechanisms governing dune dynamics. Furthermore, the study identifies a critical threshold of 700 m for barchan dune perimeter. Beyond this scale, the inhibitory effect of vegetation on dune movement weakens considerably. This threshold is important for planning, as it indicates that larger dunes may require more intensive or alternative stabilization measures and that vegetation strategies should prioritize smaller, more mobile dunes for cost-effective control. In conclusion, this research quantitatively confirms the efficacy of strategic vegetation configuration in mitigating barchan dune mobility and provides key scientific evidence and practical technical parameters for optimizing vegetation-based sand fixation engineering in arid and semi-arid regions.

Located on the southern margin of the Taklimakan Desert in Xinjiang, the Qiemo sandy area is characterized by an extremely arid environment, which is highly sensitive to disturbances. With the rapid expansion of photovoltaic (PV) projects in arid environments, the ecological impacts of PVs have attracted considerable attention. However, the phased effects of PV construction on vegetation and the underlying driving mechanisms in extremely arid environments have not yet been systematically quantified. In this study, we investigated a PV-based sand-control site in the Qiemo sandy area on the southern edge of the Taklimakan Desert. Using multisource remote-sensing imagery and meteorological data from 2016 to 2025 and integrating Sen’s slope, Mann-Kendall trend test, Hurst exponent, geographical detector, and Granger causality analysis, the spatiotemporal variation patterns of fractional vegetation cover (FVC) before and after PV development, as well as its key driving factors, were identified. The results indicate the following. (1) PV construction induces distinct ecological phases: FVC decreased by approximately 40% during the construction period and then began to recover during the operational period, with the average value increasing to approximately 0.2183, although interannual fluctuations persisted. (2) The ecological impact exhibited a clear spatial gradient, with the strongest response occurring within 100 m of PV installations, demonstrating a pattern of near-field enhancement and far-field attenuation. (3) At the regional scale, vegetation change was mainly controlled by precipitation and temperature, whereas FVC variation within the PV area was primarily driven by engineering disturbances and surface energy redistribution. (4) The PV area demonstrated a “low Hurst-high coefficient of variation” pattern, indicating lower ecological stability than non-PV areas. Overall, the findings reveal that PV projects in extremely arid environments exhibit a phased ecological effect characterized by “disturbance-regulation-recovery,” providing scientific support for the engineering of desert-margin stabilization and the coordinated development of new energy and ecological systems in arid environments.

In Uzbekistan, this study explored the coupling and coordination relationship between water-saving irrigation’s development level and poverty reduction’s effectiveness. As research units, the study chose twelve states and one autonomous republic, selecting data from 2018 to 2023. To conduct the comprehensive study, researchers constructed an evaluation index system for water-saving irrigation’s development level and an evaluation index system for poverty reduction’s effectiveness; they adopted the comprehensive evaluation, coupling degree, and coupling coordination degree models of the coupling and coordination relationship’s effectiveness. Results show: (1) Water-saving irrigation’s development level in Uzbekistan’s various areas is characterized by the spatial distribution pattern of: higher in the central and eastern regions and lower in the western region, with an annual upward trend. Poverty reduction’s effectiveness is better in the eastern region and poorer in the southern and western regions, also with an upward trend. (2) In all areas, the coupling degree between water-saving irrigation’s development level and poverty reduction’s effectiveness fluctuates upward, forming a regional agglomeration pattern of medium coupling in the western and central regions and high coupling in the eastern and southern regions. (3) The coupling coordination degree between water-saving irrigation’s development level and poverty reduction’s effectiveness increases annually, with distribution of high coordination in the central and eastern regions and relatively low coordination in the western region. Finally, all areas except the Republic of Karakalpakstan and the Syrdarya Region have entered the high-quality coordination stage. (4) Water-saving lag is key in restricted improvement of the coupling coordination degree between water-saving irrigation’s development level and poverty reduction’s effectiveness.

To investigate the synergistic mechanisms of three conservation tillage practices, namely no-till, stubble retention, and straw mulching, in controlling farmland wind erosion, and to establish an optimized allocation framework grounded in the physical processes of wind-sand movement that balances windbreak performance with resource efficiency, this study conducted in situ experiments using a mobile direct-blow wind tunnel in a severely wind-eroded area of Dengkou County, Inner Mongolia. Eleven treatments were tested: no-till bare soil (control); the local practice of no-till with 10 cm stubble retention; no-till with 10 cm stubble combined with 40%, 50%, or 60% straw coverage; no-till with 20 cm stubble combined with 40%, 50%, or 60% straw coverage; and no-till with 30 cm stubble combined with 40%, 50%, or 60% straw coverage. Wind field characteristics, comprehensive windbreak efficacy, vertical distribution of near-surface sediment transport flux, and the relative significance of factors governing sediment transport flux were quantified across all treatments. The results show that protective measures markedly altered near-surface wind field structure and wind-sand flow patterns. Stubble height was the dominant factor controlling near-surface wind field structure and played a primary role in reducing wind erosion. At 50% coverage, straw mulching achieved an effective balance between resource utilization and windbreak performance. Among the factors examined, contributions to sediment transport flux followed the order: wind speed>stubble height>straw mulching coverage. At 60% coverage, straw mulching effectively suppressed particle entrainment and transport even under extreme wind conditions. Overall, the integrated strategy of no-till cultivation combined with 30 cm stubble retention and 50%-60% straw mulching demonstrates strong efficacy in mitigating agricultural wind erosion and offers a scalable reference for wind erosion management and corn production in arid farming regions.