Abstract
The Mu Us dune field in China has become a focal region for research of the prevention and control of desertification. Agricultural practices in this area have been modernized in recent years, evidenced by the development of Center Pivot Irrigation (CPI) farmlands. However, the impacts of CPI farmlands on combating desertification remain poorly understood. This study chose the southeastern part of the Mu Us dune field as a study area to investigate the variations of CPI farmlands from 2009 to 2018 and the influencing factors. The results showed growth trends in both the number and the area of these CPI farmland units over the period. The areas of meso- and micro-scale CPI farmland units stabilized over time to mainly 0–0.2 km2 and 0.2–0.4 km2, respectively; Topography, temperature, and geological substratum were preliminarily identified as the major natural factors driving the development of the CPI farmlands. Within the context of varied stakeholders, the potential for soil erosion, and damage to natural vegetation, the current study suggests that strict management of CPI farmland is required through effective long-term planning and land-use policies. The results of this study can assist in realizing the sustainable development of agriculture and its ecological significance in dune field areas.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Adriansen H K, 2009. Land reclamation in Egypt: A study of life in the new lands. Geoforum, 40(4): 664–674.
Alauddin M, Sarker M R, Islam Z et al., 2020. Adoption of alternate wetting and drying (AWD) irrigation as a water-saving technology in Bangladesh: Economic and environmental considerations. Land Use Policy, 91: 104430.
Amadi B C, 1988. The impact of rural road construction on agricultural development: An empirical study of Anambra state in Nigeria. Agricultural Systems, 27(1): 1–9.
Chen X, Thorp K R, Oel P et al., 2019a. Environmental impact assessment of water-saving irrigation systems across 60 irrigation construction projects in northern China. Journal of Cleaner Production, 245: 118883.
Chen X, Wang F T, Li J et al., 2019b. Impact of center pivot irrigation on vegetation dynamics in a farming-pastoral ecotone of Northern China: A case study in Ulanqab, Inner Mongolia. Ecological Indicators, 101: 274–284.
Darko R O, Yuan S Q, Liu J P et al., 2017. Overview of advances in improving uniformity and water use efficiency of sprinkler irrigation. International Journal Agricultural Biological Engine, 10(2): 1–15.
Ding Z L, Derbyshire E, Yang S L et al., 2005. Stepwise expansion of desert environment across northern China in the past 3.5 Ma and implications for monsoon evolution. Earth Planetary Science Letters, 237(1/2): 45–55.
Domínguez A, Schwartz R C, Pardo J J et al., 2022. Center pivot irrigation capacity effects on maize yield and profitability in the Texas High Plains. Agricultural Water Management, 261: 107335.
Ellis E C, Wang S M, 1997. Sustainable traditional agriculture in the Tai Lake region of China. Agriculture Ecosystems & Environment, 61(2/3): 177–193.
Hunter L M, Manuel D, Stevenson M et al., 2003. Population and land use change in the California Mojave: Natural habitat implications of alternative futures. Population Research Policy Review, 22(4): 373–397.
Izquiel A, Carrión P, Tarjuelo J M et al., 2015. Optimal reservoir capacity for centre pivot irrigation water supply: Maize cultivation in Spain. Biosystems Engineering, 135: 61–72.
Kalliola R, Kai V, 2001. Road construction in the Peruvian Amazon: Process, causes and consequences. Environmental Conservation, 28(3): 199–214.
Liu X K, Lu R J, Du J et al., 2018. Holocene resistant substrate and their roles in ecological safety of the Mu Us sandy land, Northern China. Catena, 165: 92–99.
Liu X K, Lu R J, Jia F F et al., 2021. The strategy and environmental significance of Neolithic subsistence in the Mu Us Desert, China. Quaternary International, 574: 68–77.
Liu X K, Lu R J, Lü Z Q et al., 2017. Magnetic susceptibility of surface soils in the Mu Us Desert and its environmental significance. Aeolian Research, 25: 127–134.
Liu Y, Li Y, 2017. Revitalize the world’s countryside. Nature, 548: 275–277.
Nassar A K, Blackburn G A, Whyatt J D et al., 2014. Developing the desert: The pace and process of urban growth in Dubai. Computer Environment and Urban Systems, 45: 50–62.
O’Shaughnessy S A, Evett S R, Andrade M A et al., 2016. Site-specific variable-rate irrigation as a means to enhance water use efficiency. Transactions of the ASABE, 59(1): 239–249.
Qassim A, Dunin F, Bethune M, 2008. Water balance of centre pivot irrigated pasture in northern Victoria, Australia. Agricultural Water Management, 95(5): 566–574.
Qi W, Fan Q, Zhang Y Q et al., 2019. Analysis of evolution and driving force of circular farmland in northern Shaanxi. Geomatics Spatial Information Technology, 42(11): 189–192. (in Chinese)
Qiao F, 2017. Increasing wage, mechanization, and agriculture production in China. China Economic Review, 46: 249–260.
Rose D C, Wheeler R, Winter M et al., 2021. Agriculture 4.0: Making it work for people, production, and the planet. Land Use Policy, 100: 104933.
Shi H, Liu X H, Chen Z F et al., 2019. Eco-environmental problems and their solution strategy for large-scale land consolidation and development in Mu Us Sandy Land of Yulin in North Shaanxi. Chinese Journal Ecology, 38(7): 2228–2235. (in Chinese)
Shi T C, Li X B, Xin L J et al., 2018. The spatial distribution of farmland abandonment and its influential factors at the township level: A case study in the mountainous area of China. Land Use Policy, 70: 510–520.
Sjoers H, 1980. Peat on earth: Multiple use or conservation? Ambio, 9: 303–308.
Splinter W E, 1976. Center-pivot irrigation. Scientific American, 234(6): 90–99.
Wu B, Ci L J, 2002. Landscape change and desertification development in the Mu Us Sandland, northern China. Journal of Arid Environments, 50(3): 429–444.
Xu B, Xin X P, Tang H J et al., 1999. The influence and strategy of global climate change to agricultural geographical distribution. Progress in Geography, 18(4): 316–321. (in Chinese)
Xu Z W, Hu R, Wang K X et al., 2018. Recent greening (1981–2013) in the Mu Us dune field, north-central China, and its potential causes. Land Degradation & Development, 29: 1509–1520.
Xu Z W, Mason J A, Lu H Y, 2015. Vegetated dune morphodynamics during recent stabilization of the Mu Us dune field, north-central China. Geomorphology, 228: 486–503.
Zhang D, Deng H, 2020. Historical human activities accelerated climate-driven desertification in China’s Mu Us Desert. Science of Total Environment, 708: 134771.
Zhang M M, Wu X Q, 2020. The rebound effects of recent vegetation restoration projects in Mu Us Sandy Land of China. Ecological Indicators, 113: 106228.
Zhang Y, Diao X, 2020. The changing role of agriculture with economic structural change: The case of China. China Economic Review, 62: 101504.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Additional information
Foundation
National Natural Science Foundation of China, No.41901094, No.41930641; Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities, No.GK202103148
Author
Liu Xiaokang (1989–), Lecturer, specialized in aeolian geomorphology.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Liu, X., Dong, Z., Ding, Y. et al. Development of center pivot irrigation farmlands from 2009 to 2018 in the Mu Us dune field, China: Implication for land use planning. J. Geogr. Sci. 32, 1956–1968 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11442-022-2031-4
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11442-022-2031-4