The loess plains cover approximately 2000.00 km² of the northern Negev Desert, accounting for about 9% of Israel's total land area. As elsewhere, the loess in the Negev Desert is composed of wind-transported dust and sand particles that have been deposited in sink sites. The loess deposits are characteristically covered by biocrusts, which constitute a substantial share of the region's primary productivity. The biocrusts regulate the vascular vegetation communities, including herbaceous and woody plants, many of which are endemic and/or endangered plant species. Throughout history, the region's main land-uses have been based on extensive livestock grazing and runoff-harvesting agriculture, which both still exist to some extent. These land-uses did not challenge the sustainability of the geo-ecosystems over centuries and millennia. At present, predominant land-uses include intensive rangelands (1016.81 km², encompassing 51% of the loess plains' area), croplands (encompassing both rainfed and irrigated cropping systems: 930.92 km², 47% of the loess plains' area), and afforestation lands (158.75 km²). These current land-uses impose substantial challenges to the functioning of the loess plains. Further, urban and rural settlements have expanded considerably in the last decades (158.45 km²), accompanied by mass construction of infrastructures. Altogether, these new land-uses have caused widespread soil erosion, soil structure deformation, depletion of soil organic carbon, environmental contamination, native vegetation removal, invasion of plant species, and habitat fragmentation. Recent climate change has intensified these stressors, exacerbating adverse impacts and forming feedback loops that intensify land degradation and desertification. The declining ecosystem functioning over recent decades emphasizes the urgent need for passive and active restoration schemes. While some of these efforts have proven to be successful, other have failed. Therefore, proactive policy making and environmental legislation are needed to plan and develop schemes aimed at halting land degradation, while simultaneously maximizing nature conservation and restoration of degraded lands across the loess plains. Such actions are expected to increase the regions' capacity for climate change mitigation and adaptation.

Scientifically constructing an ecological security pattern (ESP) is an important spatial analysis approach to improve ecological functions in arid areas and achieve sustainable development. However, previous research methods ignored the complex trade-offs between ecosystem services in the process of constructing ESP. Taking the mainstream of the Tarim River Basin (MTRB), China as the study area, this study set seven risk scenarios by applying Ordered Weighted Averaging (OWA) model to trade-off the importance of the four ecosystem services adopted by this study (water conservation, carbon storage, habitat quality, and biodiversity conservation), thereby identifying priority protection areas for ecosystem services. And then, this study identified ecological sources by integrating ecosystem service importance with eco-environmental sensitivity. Using circuit theory, the ecological corridors and nodes were extracted to construct the ESP. The results revealed significant spatial heterogeneity in the four ecosystem services across the study area, primarily driven by hydrological gradients and human activity intensity. The ESP of the MTRB included 34 ecological sources with a total area of 1471.38 km², 66 ecological corridors with a length of about 1597.45 km, 11 ecological pinch points, and 13 ecological barrier points distributed on the ecological corridors. The spatial differentiation of the ESP was obvious, with the upper and middle reaches of the MTRB having a large number of ecological sources and exhibiting higher clustering of ecological corridors compared with the lower reaches. The upper and middle reaches require ecological protection to sustain the existing ecosystem, while the lower reaches need to carry out ecological restoration measures including desertification control. Overall, this study makes up for the shortcomings of constructing ESP simply by spatial superposition of ecosystem service functions and can effectively improve the robustness and stability of ESP construction.

Research on grassland carrying capacity (GCC) and forage-livestock balance is of great significance for promoting the harmonious development of human and grassland. However, the lack of understanding of GCC and forage-livestock balance in the agro-pastoral transition zone of northern China has limited the grassland sustainable development. Here, the spatial and temporal characteristics of GCC and forage-livestock balance in the grassland of agro-pastoral transition zone of northern China from 2000 to 2022 were analyzed using meteorological data and remote sensing data. Geographical detectors and geographically weighted regression were also used to identify the driving factors and their interactions with GCC changes. Moreover, future GCC trends were predicted using the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 6 dataset. Results revealed that: (1) GCC showed an overall upward trend from 2000 to 2022 but with significant inter-annual fluctuations. Its spatial distribution decreased gradually from north to south and from east to west. Precipitation, temperature, and cumulative solar radiation were the main drivers of the inter-annual variation of GCC, and the interaction between precipitation and temperature was the main influencing factor of the spatial distribution of GCC; (2) the forage-livestock balance was in an overloaded state in most years, but its index remained basically stable. Spatially, grazing overloading was mainly distributed in northeastern area and the severe overloading was mainly distributed in northwestern area; and (3) future projections indicated a downward trend in potential GCC. Under shared socioeconomic pathway (SSP)2-4.5 scenario, the potential GCC had a ranged of 1.38×10⁷-1.86×10⁷ standard sheep unit (SHU) and a mean of 1.60×10⁷ SHU. Meanwhile, the potential GCC under SSP5-8.5 scenario had a range of 1.18×10⁷-1.69×10⁷ SHU and a mean of 1.49×10⁷ SHU. These results indicated that although GCC of the agro-pastoral transition zone of northern China showed an overall increasing trend from 2000 to 2022, the forage-livestock balance index remained basically stable. The GCC was predicted to show a decreasing trend in the future. The findings provide a scientific basis for the sustainable development of grassland and the optimization of grazing management policies in this area.

Given that Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region of China possesses exceptionally abundant solar radiation resources that can be harnessed to develop clean energy, accurately characterizing their spatiotemporal distribution is crucial. This study investigated the applicability of the Clouds and the Earth's Radiant Energy System (CERES) Single Scanner Footprint TOA/Surface Fluxes and Clouds (SSF) product downward surface shortwave radiation dataset (DSSR_CER) under clear-sky conditions in Xinjiang. By integrating multi-source data and utilizing techniques like multivariate fitting and model simulation, we established a two-layer aerosol model and developed a clear-sky downward surface shortwave radiation (DSSR) retrieval model specific to Xinjiang using the Santa Barbara Discrete Atmospheric Radiative Transfer (SBDART) model. We further explored the spatiotemporal distribution characteristics of DSSR under clear-sky conditions in Xinjiang from 2017 to 2019 based on the localized DSSR retrieval model. Our findings revealed a significant discrepancy in DSSR_CER under clear-sky conditions at the Xiaotang station in Xinjiang. By comparing, screening, and correcting core input parameters while incorporating the two-layer aerosol model, we achieved a more accurate SBDART simulated DSSR (DSSR_SBD) compared to DSSR_CER. The annual mean DSSR exhibited a distinct distribution pattern with high values in mountainous regions such as the Altay Mountains, Kunlun Mountains, and Tianshan Mountains and significantly lower values in adjacent lowland areas, including the Tarim River Basin and Junggar Basin. In the four typical administrative regions in northern Xinjiang, the annual mean DSSR (ranging from 551.60 to 586.09 W/m²) was lower than that in the five typical administrative regions in southern Xinjiang (ranging from 522.10 to 623.62 W/m²). These spatial variations stem from a complex interplay of factors, including latitude, altitude, solar altitude angle, and sunshine duration. The variations in seasonal average DSSR aligned closely with variations in the solar altitude angle, with summer (774.76 W/m²) exhibiting the highest values, followed by spring (684.86 W/m²), autumn (544.76 W/m²), and winter (422.74 W/m²). The monthly average DSSR showed a unimodal distribution, peaking in June (792.94 W/m²) and reaching its lowest level in December (363.06 W/m²). Overall, our study findings enhance the current understanding of the spatiotemporal distribution characteristics of DSSR in Xinjiang and provide certain references for the management of clean energy development in this region.

Integrating sprinkler with deficit irrigation system is a new approach to improve crop water productivity and ensure water and food security in arid areas of India. This study undertook a field experiment of sprinkler-irrigated cumin (variety GC-4) with a mini-lysimeter setup at an experimental research farm in Jodhpur, India during 2019-2022. Four irrigation treatments T₁, T₂, T₃, and T₄ were designed at irrigation water/cumulative pan evaporation (IW/CPE) of 1.0, 0.8, 0.6, and 0.4, respectively, with three replications. Daily actual crop evapotranspiration (ET_c) was recorded and weekly soil moisture was monitored over the crop growth period. Quantities of applied water and drainage from mini-lysimeters were also measured at every irrigation event. Yield of cumin was recorded at crop maturity. Furthermore, change in farmer's net income from 1-hm² land was computed based on the cost of applying irrigation water and considering yield variations among the treatments. Results indicated the highest mean seasonal actual ET_c (371.7 mm) and cumin yield (952.47 kg/hm²) under T₁ (with full irrigation). Under T₂, T₃, and T₄, the seasonal actual ET_c decreased by 10.4%, 27.6%, and 41.3%, respectively, while yield declined by 5.0%, 28.4%, and 50.8%, respectively, as compared to the values under T₁. Furthermore, crop water productivity of 0.272 (±0.068) kg/m³ under T₂ was found relatively higher in comparison to other irrigation treatments, indicating that T₂ can achieve improved water productivity of cumin in arid areas at an optimum level of deficit irrigation. The results of cost-economics indicated that positive change in farmer's net income from 1-hm² land was 108.82 USD under T₂, while T₃ and T₄ showed net losses of 5.33 and 209.67 USD, respectively. Moreover, value of yield response factor and ratio of relative yield reductions to relative ET_c deficits were found to be less than 1.00 under T₂ (0.48), and more than 1.00 under T₃ (1.07) and T₄ (1.23). This finding further supports that T₂ shows the optimized level of deficit irrigation that saves 20.0% of water with sacrificing 5.0% yield in the arid areas of India. Findings of this study provide useful strategies to save irrigation water, bring additional area under irrigation, and improve crop water productivity in India and other similar arid areas in the world.

Artificial cyanobacteria crusts are formed by inoculating soil with cyanobacteria. These crusts help prevent soil erosion and restore soil functionality in degraded croplands. However, how fast the artificial cyanobacteria crusts can be formed is a key issue before their practical application. In addition, the effects of artificial cyanobacteria crusts on soil nutrients and plant growth are not fully explored. This study analyzed the effect of inoculation of cyanobacteria from local biological soil crusts on soil nutrients and Pak-choi (Brassica campestris L. ssp. Chinensis Makino var. communis Tsen et Lee; Chinese cabbage) growth in a cropland, northern China through field experiments by comparing with no fertilizer. The results showed that artificial cyanobacteria crusts were formed on the 18^th d after inoculation with a coverage of 56.13%, a thickness of 3.74 mm, and biomass of 22.21 μg chla/cm². Artificial cyanobacteria crusts significantly improved the soil organic matter (SOM), NO₃^--N, total nitrogen (TN) contents, and the activities of sucrase, alkaline phosphatase, urease, and catalase enzymes of plants on the 50^th d after inoculation. Additionally, artificial cyanobacteria crusts led to an increase in plant biomass, improved root morphology, and raised the phosphorus and potassium contents in the plants. Furthermore, the biomass of plant grown with artificial cyanobacteria crusts was comparable with that of grown with chemical fertilizer. The study suggested that, considering plant biomass and soil nutrients, it is feasible to prevent wind erosion in the cropland of arid and semi-arid areas by inoculating cyanobacteria crusts. This study provides new perspectives for the sustainable development and environmental management of cropland in arid and semi-arid areas.

Cotton, as one of important economic crops, is widely planted in the saline-alkaline soil of southern Xinjiang, China. Moreover, in order to control the saline-alkaline content for seed germination and seedlings survive of cotton, farmers always adopt salt leaching during winter and spring seasons. However, excessive amount of salt leaching might result in the waste of water resources and unsuitable irrigation seasons might further increase soil salinization. In this study, a field experiment was conducted in the saline-alkaline soil in 2020 and 2021 to determine the effects of leaching amount and period on water-salinity dynamics and cotton yield. Five leaching amounts (0.0 (W0), 75.0 (W1), 150.0 (W2), 225.0 (W3), and 300.0 (W4) mm) and three leaching periods (seedling stage (P1), seedling and squaring stages (P2), and seedling, squaring, flowering, and boll setting stages (P3)) were used. In addition, a control treatment (CK) with a leaching amount of 300.0 mm in spring was performed. The soil water-salt dynamics, cotton growth, seed cotton yield, water productivity (WP), and irrigation water productivity (WPI) were analyzed. Results showed that leaching significantly decreased soil electrical conductivity (EC), and W3P2 treatment reduced EC by 11.79% in the 0-100 cm soil depth compared with CK. Plant height, stem diameter, leaf area index, and yield under W3 and W4 treatments were greater than those under W1 and W2 treatments. Compared with W3P1 and W3P3 treatments, seed cotton yield under W3P2 treatment significantly enhanced and reached 6621 kg/hm² in 2020 and 5340 kg/hm² in 2021. Meanwhile, WP and WPI under W3P2 treatment were significantly higher than those under other leaching treatments. In conclusion, the treatment of 225.0 mm leaching amount and seedling and squaring stages-based leaching period was beneficial for the salt control, efficient water utilization, and yield improvement of cotton in southern Xinjiang, China.

Understanding how different vegetation-based restoration practices alter soil chemical and microbial characteristics is crucial, as restoration practices influence phosphorus (P) transformation and fractions and modify P adsorption behavior during the restoration process of degraded land. This study investigated the impacts of vegetation-based restoration practices on soil chemical and microbial parameters, P fractions, and patterns of P adsorption and desorption, and highlighted the combined influence on P availability. To evaluate the impact of vegetation-based restoration practices on P fractions and adsorption behavior in the semi-arid degraded land in India, this study compared three distinct tree-based restoration systems, including Leucaena leucocephala (Lam.) de Wit-based silviculture system (SCS), Acacia nilotica (L.) Willd. ex Delile-based silvopasture system (SPS), and Emblica officinalis Gaertn-based hortipasture system (HPS), with a natural grassland system (NGS) and a degraded fallow system (FS) as control. The soil samples across various soil depths (0-15, 15-30, and 30-45 cm) were collected. The findings demonstrated that SCS, SPS, and HPS significantly improved soil organic carbon (SOC) and nutrient availability. Moreover, SCS and SPS resulted in increased microbial biomass phosphorus (MBP) content and phosphatase enzyme activity. The P fractionation analysis revealed that ferrum-associated phosphorus (Fe-P) was the major P fraction, followed by aluminum-associated phosphorus (Al-P), reflecting the dominance of ferrum (Fe) and aluminum (Al) oxides in the semi-arid degraded land. Compared with FS, vegetation-based restoration practices significantly increased various P fractions across soil depths. Additionally, P adsorption and desorption analysis indicated a lower adsorption capacity in tree-based restoration systems than in FS, with FS soils adsorbing higher P quantities in the adsorption phase but releasing less P during the desorption phase. This study revealed that degraded soils responded positively to ecological restoration in terms of P fraction and desorption behavior, influencing the resupply of P in restoration systems. Consequently, litter rich N-fixing tree-based restoration systems (i.e., SCS and SPS) increased total phosphorus (TP) stock for plants and sustained the potential for long-term P supply in semi-arid ecosystems. With the widespread adoption of restoration practices across degraded landscapes, SCS and SPS would significantly contribute to soil restoration and improve productivity by maintaining the soil P supply in semi-arid ecosystems in India.