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Arid Land Geography ›› 2026, Vol. 49 ›› Issue (9): 1777-1787.doi: 10.12118/j.issn.1000-6060.2025.595

• Earth Surface Process • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Relationship between soil moisture content and topography-vegetation factors in the Gurbantunggut Desert

ZHANG Lu(), ZHANG Dinghai(), YANG Tian, QIU Yue   

  1. Center for Quantitative Biology, College of Science, Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou 730070, Gansu, China
  • Received:2025-09-25 Revised:2025-10-24 Online:2026-09-25 Published:2026-09-07
  • Contact: ZHANG Dinghai E-mail:13303846180@163.com;zhangdh@gsau.edu.cn

Abstract:

Soil moisture forms an essential component in the formation, transformation, and consumption of water resources. This study investigates soil moisture in fixed, semifixed, and mobile dunes of the Gurbantunggut Desert in Xinjiang, China. The relationship between moisture at different soil depths and topography-vegetation factors was analyzed using partial least squares structural equation model (PLS-SEM), random forest model, and Shapley additive explanations (SHAP) value analysis. The results showed that: (1) Except for soil moisture in the middle layer of semifixed and mobile dunes, the vertical distribution of moisture among dune types varied significantly. (2) Structual equation model indicated that the topography factor—height difference and vegetation factor—shrub abundance—had the most pronounced impacts on soil moisture in fixed dunes; slope degree and shrub coverage were dominant factors in semifixed dunes, whereas topography and vegetation factors had relatively minor effects in mobile dunes. (3) The interaction among key factors revealed that in fixed dunes, a combination of herb and shrub abundance >300 plants·m-2 and >2 plants·m-2, respectively alleviated water stress; in semifixed dunes, >200 plants·m-2 and >30%, respectively mitigated the adverse impacts of slope degree on soil moisture; in mobile dunes, maintaining herb coverage at >20% and biomass at >10 g·m-2 was necessary to enhance soil moisture content. These findings can help formulate refined management strategies for desertification control.

Key words: Gurbantunggut Desert, soil moisture, topography-vegetation factors, partial least squares structural equation model, random forest model