Search Results (72)

Glycyrrhiza uralensis (G. uralensis), a leguminous plant, is an important medicinal and economic plant in saline–alkaline soils of arid regions in China. Its main bioactive components include liquiritin, glycyrrhizic acid, and flavonoids, which play significant roles in maintaining human health and preventing and adjuvantly treating related diseases. However, the cultivation of G. uralensis is easily restricted by adverse soil conditions in these regions, characterized by high salinity, high alkalinity, and nutrient deficiency. This study investigated the impacts of four multistrain microbial inoculants (Pa, Pb, Pc, Pd) on the growth performance and bioactive compound accumulation of G. uralensis in moderately saline–sodic soil. The aim was to screen the most beneficial inoculant from these strains, which were isolated from the rhizosphere of plants in moderately saline–alkaline soils of the Hexi Corridor and possess native advantages with excellent adaptability to arid environments. The results showed that inoculant Pc, comprising Pseudomonas silesiensis, Arthrobacter sp. GCG3, and Rhizobium sp. DG1, exhibited superior performance: it induced a 0.86-unit reduction in lateral root number relative to the control, while promoting significant increases in single-plant dry weight (101.70%), single-plant liquiritin (177.93%), single-plant glycyrrhizic acid (106.10%), and single-plant total flavonoids (107.64%). Application of the composite microbial inoculant Pc induced no significant changes in the pH and soluble salt content of G. uralensis rhizospheric soils. However, it promoted root utilization of soil organic matter and nitrate, while significantly increasing the contents of available potassium and available phosphorus in the rhizosphere. High-throughput sequencing revealed that Pc reorganized the rhizospheric microbial communities of G. uralensis, inducing pronounced shifts in the relative abundances of rhizospheric bacteria and fungi, leading to significant enrichment of target bacterial genera (Arthrobacter, Pseudomonas, Rhizobium), concomitant suppression of pathogenic fungi, and proliferation of beneficial fungi (Mortierella, Cladosporium). Correlation analyses showed that these microbial shifts were linked to improved plant nutrition and secondary metabolite biosynthesis. This study highlights Pc as a sustainable strategy to enhance G. uralensis yield and medicinal quality in saline–alkali ecosystems by mediating microbe–plant–nutrient interactions. Full article

Elucidating the trade-offs and synergies among ecosystem services is crucial for effective ecosystem management and the promotion of sustainable development in specific regions. The Hexi Corridor, a vital agricultural hub in Northwest China, is instrumental in both ecological conservation and socioeconomic advancement throughout the area. Utilizing an integrated “water–soil–carbon–grain” framework, this study conducted a quantitative assessment of four essential ecosystem services within the Hexi Corridor from 2000 to 2020: water yield, soil conservation, vegetation carbon sequestration, and grain production. Our research thoroughly explores the equilibrium and synergistic interactions between grain production and other ecosystem services, while also exploring potential strategies to boost grain yields through the precise management of these services. The insights garnered are invaluable for strategic regional development and will contribute to the revitalization efforts in Northwest China. Key findings include the following: (1) between 2000 and 2020, grain production exhibited a steady increase, alongside rising trends in water yields, soil conservation, and carbon sequestration, all of which demonstrated significant synergies with agricultural productivity; (2) in areas identified as grain production hotspots, there were stronger positive correlations between grain output and carbon sequestration services, soil conservation, and water yields than the regional averages, suggesting more pronounced mutual benefits; (3) the implementation of strategic initiatives such as controlling soil erosion, expanding afforestation efforts, and enhancing water-saving irrigation infrastructure could simultaneously boost ecological services and agricultural productivity. These results significantly enhance our comprehension of the interplay between ecosystem services in the Hexi Corridor and present practical approaches for the optimization of regional agricultural systems. Full article

Gobi solar greenhouses (GSGs) enhance energy, food, and financial security in Gobi Desert regions through passive solar utilization. Thermal mass walls are critical for plant thermal comfort in GSGs but can lead to resource waste if poorly designed. This study pioneers the integration of payback period constrains into thermal mass wall optimization, establishing a new performance–cost trade-off approach for GSG wall design, balancing thermal performance and economic feasibility. We quantified energy-conserving benefits against wall-construction costs to derive the optimal inner-layer thicknesses under <25% GSG lifespan payback criteria. Three GSG thermal mass walls in China’s Hexi Corridor were optimized. For the concrete-layered, stone-layered, and pebble-soil walls, the optimum inner-layer thicknesses were 0.47, 0.65, and 1.24 m, respectively, with extra costs of 620.75, 767.60, and 194.56 RMB yuan; annual energy-conserving benefits of 82.77, 102.35, and 51.88 RMB yuan·yr⁻¹; and payback periods of 7.5, 7.5, and 3.75 years. A dynamic thermal load analysis confirmed that GSGs with optimized walls required no heating during a sunny winter solstice night. Cooling loads of 33.15–35.27 kW further indicated the potential to maintain thermal comfort under colder weather conditions. This approach improves plant thermal comfort cost-effectively, advancing sustainable Gobi agriculture. Full article

High-resolution groundwater storage is essential for effective regional water resource management. While Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) satellite data offer global coverage, the coarse spatial resolution (0.25–0.5°) limits the data’s applicability at regional scales. Traditional downscaling methods often fail to effectively capture spatial heterogeneity within regions, leading to reduced model performance. To overcome this limitation, a zoned downscaling strategy based on time series clustering is proposed. A K-means clustering algorithm with dynamic time warping (DTW) distance, combined with a random forest (RF) model, was employed to partition the Hexi Corridor region into relatively homogeneous subregions for downscaling. Results demonstrated that this clustering strategy significantly enhanced downscaling model performance. Correlation coefficients rose from 0.10 without clustering to above 0.84 with K-means clustering and the RF model, while correlation with the groundwater monitoring well data improved from a mean of 0.47 to 0.54 in the first subregion (a) and from 0.40 to 0.45 in the second subregion (b). The driving factor analysis revealed notable differences in dominant factors between subregions. In the first subregion (a), potential evapotranspiration (PET) was found to be the primary driving factor, accounting for 33.70% of the variation. In the second subregion (b), the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) was the dominant factor, contributing 29.73% to the observed changes. These findings highlight the effectiveness of spatial clustering downscaling methods based on DTW distance, which can mitigate the effects of spatial heterogeneity and provide high-precision groundwater monitoring data at a 1 km spatial resolution, ultimately improving water resource management in arid regions. Full article

Understanding the relationships between diversity and functional traits in plant communities is essential for elucidating ecosystem functions, forecasting community succession, and informing ecological restoration efforts in arid regions. Although the current research on plant functional traits and diversity has improved our ability to predict ecological functions, there are still many problems, such as how environmental changes affect the relationship between species diversity and plant functional traits, and how these interactions affect plant community functions. We examined the relationships among leaf and fine root functional traits, species diversity, and functional diversity at the community level, along with their environmental interpretations, in a plant community within the desert–oasis transition zone of the Hexi Corridor, where habitats are undergoing significant small-scale changes. During dune succession, plant community composition and diversity exhibited significant variation. Plants are adapted to environmental changes through synergistic combinations of above-ground and below-ground traits. Specifically, plants in fixed dunes adopted a “slow investment” strategy, while those in semi-fixed and mobile dunes employed a “fast investment” approach to resource acquisition. A strong coupling was observed between plant community functional traits and species diversity. Soil phosphorus content and compactness emerged as primary factors influencing differences in plant community functional traits and composition. These soil factors indirectly regulated fine root functional traits and diversity by affecting species diversity, thereby driving community succession. Our study elucidates the “soil—diversity—community functional trait” linkage mechanisms in the successional process of desert plants. This research provides scientific support for the restoring and reconstruction of degraded ecosystems in arid zones. Full article

The coupling coordination relationship between ecosystem services supply–demand and human well-being in arid inland regions is increasingly vulnerable to imbalance risks under the combined pressures of climate change and intensified anthropogenic activities. Here, we assessed dynamic changes in ecosystem services supply–demand, human well-being, their coupling relationships and influencing factors in the Hexi Regions by integrating remote sensing data, ecological model, ecosystem services supply–demand ratio (ESDR), coupling coordination degree (CCD) model, and the partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM). Our results showed that the six key ecosystem services supply, demand, and ESDR in the Hexi Regions from 1990 to 2020 exhibited greater ecosystem services surplus in the Qilian Mountains and stronger deficits in urban and surrounding areas of the Hexi Corridor. The deficit of water yield accounted for 32% in the Hexi Corridor with large cropland irrigated, four times that of the Qilian Mountains, indicating a serious supply–demand mismatch in space and time. Additionally, survival-oriented human well-being across regions is still dominant. Overall, the coupling relationship between ESDR and human well-being in the Hexi Regions progressed towards a high level of coordination, with higher values observed in the oases of the Hexi Corridor and the central and eastern Qilian Mountains. The ESDR of food production and water yield showed a higher coupling coordination level with human well-being in the Qilian Mountains, where the CCD was generally exceeded by 0.7. Climate, vegetation, and land use intensity were key drivers of spatial heterogeneity in CCD. Human well-being made a greater contribution to CCD than other elements in the influence paths. Our results can provide a reference for promoting coordinated development of the ecological environment and sustainable human well-being in arid inland regions. Full article

Timely and accurate crop mapping is crucial for providing essential data support for agricultural production management. Reliable ground truth samples form the foundation for crop mapping using remote sensing imagery, a task that presents significant challenges in regions with limited sample availability. To address this issue, this study evaluates instance-based transfer learning methods, using the Hexi Corridor as a case study to explore crop mapping strategies in areas with scarce samples. High-confidence pixels from the United States Cropland Data Layer (CDL), along with high-density time series data derived from Sentinel-1, Sentinel-2, and Landsat-8 satellite imagery, as well as key vegetation indices, were selected as training samples for the source domain. Various algorithms, including Random Forest (RF), Extreme Gradient Boosting (XGBoost), and TrAdaBoost, were employed to transfer knowledge from the source domain to the target domain for crop type mapping. The results demonstrated that during the transfer learning process using only source domain data—without utilizing any target domain data—the overall classification accuracy reached 73.88%, with optimal accuracies for maize and alfalfa at 88.97% and 85.23%, respectively. As target domain data were gradually incorporated, the total accuracy for all models ranged from 0.77 to 0.92, with F1-scores ranging from 0.76 to 0.92, showing a consistent improvement in model performance. This study highlights the feasibility of employing transfer learning for crop mapping in the Hexi Corridor, demonstrating its potential to reduce labeling costs for target domain samples and providing a valuable reference for crop mapping in regions with limited sample availability. Full article

The interplay between terrestrial water storage and vegetation dynamics in arid regions is critical for understanding ecohydrological responses to climate change and human activities. This study examines the coupling between total water storage anomaly (TWSA) and vegetation greenness changes in the Hexi Corridor, an arid region in northwestern China consisting of three inland river basins—Shule, Heihe, and Shiyang—from 2002 to 2022. Utilizing TWSA data from GRACE/GRACE-FO satellites and MODIS Enhanced Vegetation Index (EVI) data, we applied a trend analysis and partial correlation statistical techniques to assess spatiotemporal patterns and their drivers across varying aridity gradients and land cover types. The results reveal a significant decline in TWSA across the Hexi Corridor (−0.10 cm/year, p < 0.01), despite a modest increase in precipitation (1.69 mm/year, p = 0.114). The spatial analysis shows that TWSA deficits are most pronounced in the northern Shiyang Basin (−600 to −300 cm cumulative TWSA), while the southern Qilian Mountain regions exhibit accumulation (0 to 800 cm). Vegetation greening is strongest in irrigated croplands, particularly in arid and hyper-arid regions of the study area. The partial correlation analysis highlights distinct drivers: in the wetter semi-humid and semi-arid regions, precipitation plays a dominant role in driving TWSA trends. Such a rainfall dominance gives way to temperature- and human-dominated vegetation greening in the arid and hyper-arid regions. The decoupling of TWSA and precipitation highlights the importance of human irrigation activities and the warming-induced atmospheric water demand in co-driving the TWSA dynamics in arid regions. These findings suggest that while irrigation expansion cause satellite-observed greening, it exacerbates water stress through increased evapotranspiration and groundwater depletion, particularly in most water-limited arid zones. This study reveals the complex ecohydrological dynamics in drylands, emphasizing the need for a holistic view of dryland greening in the context of global warming, the escalating human demand of freshwater resources, and the efforts in achieving sustainable development. Full article

Military settlements along the Ming Great Wall are typical representatives of the construction of the ancient Chinese military defense system. The location of the military fortification is complex, and the settlements are scattered and affected by multiple factors. The academic community lacks systematic research on the military settlements along the Ming Great Wall. Existing studies focus on local protection, especially the regional connectivity and overall defense mechanism of the military settlements in the Hexi Corridor. This study incorporates the distribution, morphology, and function of the military settlements in the Hexi Corridor into a unified analytical framework to explore the coordinated defense mechanism under the spatial attributes of the military settlements. Additionally, this study looks at the distribution pattern of 173 local military settlements using tools such as the kernel density index, the Moran index, and the buffer zone. It also conducts statistical analyses of 85 existing settlements to determine their scale and morphological index and uses 18 typical settlements as examples to investigate their spatial morphology using space syntax. This study’s findings indicate that (1) military settlements are spread out in a straight line, which is affected by many things such as terrain, water systems, oasis, and the Great Wall; (2) military facilities and environmental factors are strongly connected and linked in space; (3) military settlements have obvious cluster characteristics, and most are relatively regular quadrilaterals; and (4) the organizational logic of the internal space form is consistent. The main blocks are highly accessible, and the overall space is recognizable and has certain defensive characteristics. This study systematically constructed an analytical framework for multi-scale collaborative defense mechanisms, revealing a collaborative defense model of “linear distribution–hierarchical defense–functional coordination”. This demonstrates the top–down strategic thinking of the ancient Chinese military system and provides a new perspective for the study and protection of linear military heritage corridors. Full article

This research investigated the impact of various mixed sowing combinations on soil nutrients and grass yield within the rhizosphere across different seasons. Three varieties of leguminous forages—Medicago sativa ‘Gannong No. 3’ (GN3), M. sativa ‘Gannong No. 9’ (GN9), and M. sativa ‘Juneng No. 7’ (JN7)—as well as three varieties of grasses—Leymus chinensis ‘Longmu No. 1’ (LC), Agropyron mongolicum ‘Mengnong No. 1’ (AC), and Bromus inermis ‘Yuanye’ (BI)—were used as experimental materials for mixed sowing combinations; the monocultures of each material served as controls. We explored the seasonal effects of different legumes and grasses intercropping combinations on rhizosphere soil nutrients and grass yield in the Hexi Corridor region of China. The results indicated that the levels of soil enzyme activity, microbial biomass, and soil nutrients in the rhizosphere across the various treatments followed the following sequence: summer > spring > autumn. The soil enzyme activities and microbial biomass of various mixed sowing combinations were significantly higher than those of the monocultures within the same growing season (p < 0.05). Specifically, the activities of alkaline phosphatase (APA), catalase (CAT), soil microbial biomass carbon (SMBC), soil microbial biomass nitrogen (SMBN), soil microbial biomass phosphorus (SMBP), soil organic matter (SOM), available nitrogen (AN), available phosphorus (AP), and available potassium (AK) within the GN9+BI group were the highest among all treatments. The hay yields of GN3, GN9, and JN7 were markedly greater than those of their respective mixed sowing combinations (p < 0.05). Correlation analysis revealed a positive relationship between enzyme activities, microbial biomass, and soil nutrient levels. This comprehensive evaluation indicated that the mixed sowing combinations of GN9 + BI and GN9 + LC are particularly well suited for widespread adoption in the Hexi Oasis irrigation area. Full article

The objective of this study was to examine the impact of various foliar fertilization treatments on the growth of new shoots, photosynthetic characteristics of leaves, and mineral nutrient content in the leaves of ‘Marselan’ grapevines. Five distinct combinations of nano zero-valent iron (n ZVI), compound sodium nitrophenolate (CSN), and potassium dihydrogen phosphate (KH₂PO₄) were administered through foliar application to ‘Marselan’ grapevines cultivated in the Wuwei region of the Hexi Corridor, with water spray serving as the control treatment. The results showed that T5 treatment (15 mg·L⁻¹ n ZVI + 0.4 g·L⁻¹ CSN + 2.5 g·L⁻¹ KH₂PO₄) significantly increased the leaf area and SPAD value of ‘Marselan’ grapes; T4 treatment (15 mg·L⁻¹ n ZVI + 0.4 g·L⁻¹ CSN + 1.67 g·L⁻¹ KH₂PO₄) significantly increased the internode length of new grape shoots. T5 treatment was favorable to increase the basic coarseness of new grape shoots, the net photosynthetic rate of the leaves, and stomatal conductance; leaf transpiration rate was the highest under the T4 and T5 treatments; T3 (15 mg·L⁻¹ n ZVI + 0.4 g·L⁻¹ CSN + 1.25 g·L⁻¹ KH₂PO₄), T4, and T5 treatments could improve leaf initial fluorescence at different periods. At 45 days after flowering, the maximum photochemical efficiency under the T3 and T4 treatments reached the highest value throughout the period, and the T3 treatment improved leaf potential maximum quantum yield. Meanwhile, the leaf nitrogen and phosphorus content under the T5 treatment were the highest in the five periods. Additionally, the contents of potassium (K), manganese (Mn), copper (Cu), and zinc (Zn) in the leaves increased significantly under the T4 and T5 treatments. The following conclusions emerged from a comprehensive analysis: the T4 treatment was the best, and the T5 treatment was the second most effective. Full article

This study establishes a dataset of ancient military defense system sites in the Hexi Corridor area from the Han Dynasty to the Qing Dynasty to analyze the temporal changes and spatial distribution characteristics of the military defense system in different periods. In addition, it compares the climate characteristics of the Hexi Corridor area though the past 2000 years. It also discusses the possible relationship between the construction of the Hexi military defense system and climate change. We found that the Han and Ming Dynasties were the main periods for constructing the regional military defense system. Furthermore, the Wei, Tsin, and Southern and Northern Dynasties expanded the scale based on the previous period. As a result, the spatial distribution was highly concentrated. During this time, multiple cold–dry and warm–humid periods occurred in the region. Moreover, significant climate change coincided with the heyday of building military facilities and the period of frequent warfare. Environmental factors have an impact on the spatial distribution of military sites. Therefore, the northern border war was the direct cause of the construction of the military defense system. However, the transformation of the environment caused by climate change was the fundamental driving force for this process, evolving across different eras. Full article

Water ecological security is intricately connected to regional economic development and human survival, exerting a profound influence on regional sustainability. Water ecological security in the study area is a matter of urgency. In this study, the socio-economic, ecological, and water resource data of five cities in the west of the river from 2006 to 2021 are used to construct a dynamic model of the regional water ecological security system and simulate the trend of the regional water ecological security from 2022 to 2035, and the results indicate the following: (1) From 2006 to 2021, Hexi Corridor’s economy exhibited a significant upward trend, while its total population experienced a marked decline. Indicators for the ecological environment system showed notable improvement, whereas those for the water resource system demonstrated a significant downward trend. (2) Spatially, the mean values of system indices in the southeast and northwest regions were higher than those in the central region. (3) Between 2022 and 2035, projections reveal that the total GDP, industrial added value, average sewage discharge, urban green space, and water consumption for ecological purposes will all trend upward. Concurrently, the total population, total water supply, and total water demand are expected to exhibit a continuous decline. (4) The comparative comprehensive scores of the scenario models are as follows: EPS (2.18) > RSS (1.57) > CDS (1.15) > EDS (1.08). This analysis provides valuable insights into the dynamics of water ecological security in the Hexi Corridor and offers critical guidance for sustainable regional development planning. Full article

Plant species diversity and spatial distribution patterns are critical for understanding ecosystem dynamics in arid and fragile environments. This study investigates the diversity, spatial distribution, and interspecific associations of shrubs and herbaceous plants in the transition zone of the desert oasis located in the Hexi Corridor and southern edge of the Badanjilin Desert, China. Vegetation data were collected across sample plots spanning three counties in Zhangye City. Important values, diversity indices, and spatial distribution metrics were calculated to evaluate plant species dominance and community structure. Interspecific relationships were analyzed using variance ratio (VR), clumping indicators, and corrected χ² tests. The shrub community exhibited low species diversity (H′ = 1.754) and was dominated by Reaumuria songarica (Pall.) Maxim (IV = 111.175), reflecting its superior adaptability to arid conditions. In contrast, the herbaceous community displayed higher diversity (H′ = 2.498), with Aristida adscensionis L. (IV = 48.6174) as the dominant species. Both communities showed predominantly aggregative spatial distribution patterns, influenced by localized resource availability and adaptive strategies. Weak interspecific associations characterized the shrub community, with limited competition among dominant species, while the herbaceous community demonstrated significant negative correlations, indicating stronger resource competition. The study highlights the contrasting diversity and ecological roles of shrubs and herbaceous plants in arid ecosystems, shaped by resource limitations and environmental stressors. Effective conservation strategies are needed to protect dominant species and sustain ecosystem resilience in desert regions. Future research should focus on below-ground interactions and long-term monitoring to enhance understanding of species coexistence and community stability. Full article

This research, situated in the geographical and historical context of the Tangut and East Java, uncovers a significant aspect of the evolution of Buddhist art styles. A thangka of the goddess Vajravārāhī found in Khara Khoto, dated to the late 12th century, shows the bodhisattva decorated with a pearl-chain girdle and upper-arm bands. This form of pearl-chain jewellery, which appears on Vajravārāhī and other Sino-Tibetan-style bodhisattvas, also appears on three stone statues of the goddess Prajñāpāramitā in East Java, all of which depict a near identical use of this pearl-chain ornamentation, as well as on a statue of Prajñāpāramitā at the Muara Jambi Buddhist site in Sumatra. Maritime trade between the regions of China and Java was extensive. The commonality of such motifs in China and Java may highlight a convergence of cultural forces and perhaps shared styles originating from the maritime realm and traded via maritime routes; however, a direct or indirect influence of Sino-Tibetan styles on thangka paintings featuring this depiction of the jewellery perhaps occurred following dynamics of north–south exchange, highlighting the interrelated links along maritime and overland routes through the Pāla Buddhist kingdom in eastern India. Thus, I propose that the connection between the Vajravārāhī and other Tibetan thangka paintings was inspired by Northeast Indian influence from the Hexi corridor, eventually reaching East Java. Full article