Effects of land-use patterns on soil microbial diversity and composition in the Loess Plateau,China

In the Loess Plateau of China,land-use pattern is a major factor in controlling underlying biological processes.Additionally,the process of land-use pattern was accompanied by abandoned lands,potentially impacting soil microbe.However,limited researches were conducted to study the impacts of land-use patterns on the diversity and community of soil microorganisms in this area.The study aimed to investigate soil microbial community diversity and composition using high-throughput deoxyribonucleic acid(DNA)sequencing under different land-use patterns(apricot tree land,apple tree land,peach tree land,corn land,and abandoned land).The results showed a substantial difference(P<0.050)in bacterial alpha-diversity and beta-diversity between abandoned land and other land-use patterns,with the exception of Shannon index.While fungal beta-diversity was not considerably impacted by land-use patterns,fungal alpha-diversity indices varied significantly.The relative abundance of Actinobacteriota(34.90%),Proteobacteria(20.65%),and Ascomycota(77.42%)varied in soils with different land-use patterns.Soil pH exerted a dominant impact on the soil bacterial communities'composition,whereas soil available phosphorus was the main factor shaping the soil fungal communities'composition.These findings suggest that variations in land-use pattern had resulted in changes to soil properties,subsequently impacting diversity and structure of microbial community in the Loess Plateau.Given the strong interdependence between soil and its microbiota,it is imperative to reclaim abandoned lands to maintain soil fertility and sustain its function,which will have significant ecological service implications,particularly with regards to soil conservation in ecologically vulnerable areas.

Contamination assessment,source apportionment and associated health risks of PTEs in agricultural soil under five land-use patterns in Sanya,China

To understand the levels of potentially toxic elements(PTEs)contamination in soils and their effects on human health from different agricultural land use in Sanya,China.128 soil samples(64 topsoil samples and corresponding subsoil samples)were collected from the five representative land-use patterns.Inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry(ICP-MS),Atomic fluorescence spectrometry(AFS),and Inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry(ICP-OES)were used to determine the content of PTEs(As,Cd,Hg,Cu,Cr,Ni,Pb,Zn,Co,Mo,Sb,and V).Correlation analysis and factor analysis were used to determine the source of PTEs.Geo-accumulation index(I_(geo)),hazard quotient(HQ),and total carcinogenic risk index(TR)were used to measure the PTEs contamination and its relative health impacts.Results showed that the average values of 12 PTEs in topsoil were higher than the Hainan soil geochemical baseline,showing different degrees of PTEs accumulation effect.The concentration of PTEs in the topsoil was lower than those in the subsoil except for Cd and Hg.The I_(geo)revealed that the major accumulated element in soils was As followed by Mo.Source apportionment suggested that parent materials and agricultural practices were the dominant factors for PTEs accumulation in the topsoil.Noncarcinogenic risks of soil samples from five land-use patterns presented a trend of paddy field>dry field>woodland>orchard>garden plot.However,the HQ values of 12 PTEs were less than the recommended limit of HQ=1,representing that there are no non-carcinogenic risks of PTEs for children and adults in the study area.The TR values are within 6.95×10^(-6)-1.38×10^(-5),which corresponds to the low level.Therefore the PTEs in the agricultural soil of the study area show little influence on the health status of the local population.

Driving forces behind the spatiotemporal heterogeneity of land-use and land-cover change:A case study of the Weihe River Basin,China

The impact of socioeconomic development on land-use and land-cover change(LUCC)in river basins varies spatially and temporally.Exploring the spatiotemporal evolutionary trends and drivers of LUCC under regional disparities is the basis for the sustainable development and management of basins.In this study,the Weihe River Basin(WRB)in China was selected as a typical basin,and the WRB was divided into the upstream of the Weihe River Basin(UWRB),the midstream of the Weihe River Basin(MWRB),the downstream of the Weihe River Basin(DWRB),the Jinghe River Basin(JRB),and the Luohe River Basin(LRB).Based on land-use data(cultivated land,forestland,grassland,built-up land,bare land,and water body)from 1985 to 2020,we analyzed the spatiotemporal heterogeneity of LUCC in the WRB using a land-use transfer matrix and a dynamic change model.The driving forces of LUCC in the WRB in different periods were detected using the GeoDetector,and the selected influencing factors included meteorological factors(precipitation and temperature),natural factors(elevation,slope,soil,and distance to rivers),social factors(distance to national highway,distance to railway,distance to provincial highway,and distance to expressway),and human activity factors(population density and gross domestic product(GDP)).The results indicated that the types and intensities of LUCC conversions showed considerable disparities across different sub-basins,where complex conversions among cultivated land,forestland,and grassland occurred in the LRB,JRB,and UWRB,with higher dynamic change before 2000.The conversion of other land-use types to built-up land was concentrated in the UWRB,MWRB,and DWRB,with substantial increases after 2000.Additionally,the driving effects of the influencing factors on LUCC in each sub-basin also exhibited distinct diversity,with the LRB and JRB being influenced by the meteorological and social factors,and the UWRB,MWRB,and DWRB being driven by human activity factors.Moreover,the interaction of these influencing factors indicated an enhanced effect on LUCC.This study confirmed the spatiotemporal heterogeneity effects of socioeconomic status on LUCC in the WRB under regional differences,contributing to the sustainable development of the whole basin by managing sub-basins according to local conditions.

An Assessment and Geostatistics of Land-Use and Selected Physico-Chemical Properties of Soils in the Mount Cameroon Area

This work investigated the land-use/land-cover and some physico-chemical properties of the soils of Mt Cameroon and presented same in maps. ArcGIS Pro mapping software, Landsat images, Global Positioning Systems (GPS) coordinates collected from the field combined with updated shape files from competent services were used to produce the location and land-use/land-cover maps. Sixteen topsoil samples (0 - 20 cm) were collected, 4 from each land use/cover category: farmland, forest, plantation and settlement, and analysed for soil pH, cation exchange capacity (CEC), bulk density, moisture content and soil texture, in the laboratory using standard analytical procedures. This data was used to produce spatial distribution maps using ordinary kriging, in ArcGIS Pro. The main terrestrial land use/cover categories comprised of the forest (mangrove, lowland, montane and sub-montane), agroforestry, plantations, grassland, settlement, cropland, shrubby savannah, and bare lava. Bulk density showed the highest values in settlement areas and least values under forest land-use categories. Soil moisture content exhibited a reverse trend compared to that of soil bulk density. Forest soils were the sandiest while soils in plantation agricultural land were the most clayey. The soils were slightly acidic to neutral with soils from agricultural land being more acidic (pH(water) = 5.43). It is discernible from the results that the conversion from forest to other land use/cover classes enhances soil degradation and that soil physico-chemical properties adequately serve as indicators of soil quality in the Mt Cameroon area.

啮齿类动物Playfighting的行为学研究进展

Playfighting是一种常见的社会性互动形式,具有互惠性和合作性等特点。其贯穿于动物的整个生命周期,并且会通过影响动物的社交、认知和运动等进一步影响大脑的执行功能。啮齿类动物的playfighting行为因具有易识别、易量化等特点,而被广泛研究。本文主要以大鼠和金仓鼠为例,整理概述了近年来啮齿类动物playfighting行为的研究现状,包括行为模式及其相关影响因素,希望为今后进一步研究playfighting行为提供参考。

STUDY ON THE SPATIAL PATTERNS OF LAND-USE CHANGE AND ANALYSES OF DRIVING FORCES IN NORTHEASTERN CHINA DURING 1990-2000

Land-use change is an important aspect of global environment change. It is,in a sense, the direct result of human activities influencing our physical environment. Supported bythe dynamic serving system of national resources, including both the environment database and GIStechnology, this paper analyzed the land-use change in northeastern China in the past ten years(1990 ― 2000). It divides northeastern China into five land-use zones based on the dynamic degree(DD) of land-use: woodland/grassland ― arable land conversion zone, dry land ― paddy fieldconversion zone, urban expansion zone, interlocked zone of farming and pasturing, and reclamationand abandoned zone. In the past ten years, land-use change of northeastern China can be generalizedas follows: increase of cropland area was obvious, paddy field and dry land increased by 74. 9 and276. 0 thousand ha respectively; urban area expanded rapidly, area of town and rural residenceincreased by 76. 8 thousand ha; area of forest and grassland decreased sharply with the amount of1399. 0 and 1521. 3 thousand ha respectively; area of water body and unused land increased by 148. 4and 513. 9 thousand ha respectively. Besides a comprehensive analysis of the spatial patterns ofland use, this paper also discusses the driving forces in each land-use dynamic zones. The studyshows that some key biophysical factors affect conspicuously the conversion of different land-usetypes. In this paper, the relationships between land-use conversion and DEM, accumulated temperature(≥10℃) and precipitation were analysed and represented. We conclude that the land-use changes innortheast China resulted from the change of macro social and economic factors and local physicalelements. Rapid population growth and management changes, in some sense, can explain the shaping ofwoodland/grassland ― cropland conversion zone. The conversion from dry land to paddy field in thedry land ― paddy field conversion zone, apart from the physical elements change promoting theexpansion of paddy field, results from two reasons: one is that the implementation of market-economyin China has given fanners the right to decide what they plant and how they plant their crops, theother factor is originated partially from the change of dietary habit with the social and economicdevelopment. The conversion from paddy field to dry land is caused primarily by the shortfall ofirrigation water, which in turn is caused by poor water allocation managed by local governments. Theshaping of the reclamation and abandoned zone is partially due to the lack of environmentprotection consciousness among pioneer settlers. The reason for the conversion from grassland tocropland is the relatively higher profits of farming than that of pasturing in the interlocked zoneof farming and pasturing. In northeastern China, the rapid expansion of built-up areas results fromtwo factors: the first is its small number of towns; the second comes from the huge potential forexpansion of existing towns and cities. It is noticeable that urban expansion in the northeasternChina is characterized by gentle topographic relief and low population density. Physiognomy,transportation and economy exert great influences on the urban expansion.

Soil Nutrients in Intensive Agricultural Areas with Different Land-Use Types in Qingzhou County, China

On the basis of the data obtained from a field survey, the relationship between land use and soil nutrients was evaluated in Qingzhou County, Shandong Province, China, through a statistical analysis of differences in 17 nutrients in five types of cultivated land. The results showed significant effects (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01) of land-use type on soil organic matter and concentration of macronutrients, secondary nutrients, and micronutrients, as well as total salt and soil pH. In vegetable land, because of the large amounts of fertilizer applied to vegetable crops, the concentrations of most soil nutrients, with exception of available Si and micronutrients, were higher than those in grain cropland. Grain cropland had a significantly lower total salt content (P < 0.01) and tended to have a higher soil pH than vegetable land. Within subtypes of land use, dry land, irrigable land, and open-air vegetable land had the highest coefficient of variation (CV) for available P, whereas protected vegetable land had the highest CV for total N and available S. In general, land-use types had greater impact on macronutrients than on secondary nutrients and micronutrients.

Impact of Climate and Land-Use Changes on Water Security for Agriculture in Northern China

North China is the most important food basket of China, where the majority of wheat and corn are produced. Most crops grown in North China are irrigated, thus water security is food security. Since the 1980s, drying has been frequently observed, as shown by a reduction in precipitation, cutoff in riverflow, and shrinkage of lakes. This increase in drying cannot be explained by climate change alone. We propose that intensive land-use in this area in recent decades has had a significant impact. The objectives of the study are to develop a quantitative model of the concurrent processes of climate change and land-use in North China, and to estimate the relative contributions of each on the observed drying. We integrated relevant socioeconomic data, land-use data, and climate data in the model, and carried out a detailed multi-temporal （decade, year, day） analysis. Results showed that land-use has greatly changed since 1999. This change is mainly associated with an extremely important 1999 national policy of ＂returning farmland and grazing land to forest and grassland＂. We found an interesting interaction between climate change and land use policy on riverflow, runoff, and evapotranspiration. During 1970s and 1980s, climate change explained more than 80%, while the land-use change explained only 10% of the riverflow change. The relative contributions were 45 and 45% in the 1980s-1990s and 35 and 55% in the 1990s-2000s respectively for climate change and land-use change. Since the 1990s land-use change has also contributed more to runoff change than climate change. The opposite trend was found for changes in evapotranspiration. Water availability for agriculture in northern China is simultaneously stressed by extensive changes in land-use and rapid climate change. Adaptation of ecological principles, such as the ＂returning farmland/grazing land to forest and grassland＂ policy, and other adjustments of economic developmental strategies can be effective tools to mitigate the water shortage problem in northern China and promote sustainable agricultural and food development.

Application of Land-use Change Model in Guiding Regional Planning:A Case Study in Hun-Taizi River Watershed,Northeast China

This paper firstly investigated the land-use and land-cover change （LUCC） in the Hun-Taizi River water- shed, Northeast China from 1988 to 2004 based on remotely sensed images and geographic information systems （GIS） technology. Then, using the famous land-use change model of Conversion of Land Use and its Effects at Small re- gional extent （CLUE-S）, this paper simulated the land use changes under historical trend （HT）, urban planning （UP） and ecological protection （EP） scenarios considering urban planning and ecological protection over the next 20 years. The simulated results under UP scenario in 2020 were compared with the planning map to assess the feasibility of us- ing land-use change model to guide regional planning. Results show that forest land, dry farmland, paddy, and shrub land were the main land-use categories. Paddy and dry farmland being converted to urban area and rural settlement characterized the land-use change from 1988 to 2004. The main land-use categories changed over time. Landscape-pattem fragmentation will be worse under HT and UP scenarios, but better in EP scenario. The comparing results of simulated map with planning map in 2020 show that land-use change model is powerful tool to guide regional planning. Land-use scenarios can support regional planning and policy-making through analyzing future consequences scientifically.

Classification and Extraction of Urban Land-Use Information from High-Resolution Image Based on Object Multi-features

Urban land provides a suitable location for various economic activities which affect the development of surrounding areas. With rapid industrialization and urbanization, the contradictions in land-use become more noticeable. Urban administrators and decision-makers seek modern methods and technology to provide information support for urban growth. Recently, with the fast development of high-resolution sensor technology, more relevant data can be obtained, which is an advantage in studying the sustainable development of urban land-use. However, these data are only information sources and are a mixture of ＂information＂ and ＂noise＂. Processing, analysis and information extraction from remote sensing data is necessary to provide useful information. This paper extracts urban land-use information from a high-resolution image by using the multi-feature information of the image objects, and adopts an object-oriented image analysis approach and multi-scale image segmentation technology. A classification and extraction model is set up based on the multi-features of the image objects, in order to contribute to information for reasonable planning and effective management. This new image analysis approach offers a satisfactory solution for extracting information quickly and efficiently.

MODELING OF REGIONAL DIFFERENTIATION OF LAND-USE DEGREE IN CHINA

This paper presents an index system and a method for calculating the comprehensive index of land-use degree. The latest data form two projects titled "Remote sensing Macro Investigation and Dynamic Study of National Resources and Environment" and "Resources and Environment Database of China" have been fully applied. In addition, this paper analyzes the regularity of the regional differentiation of land-use degree in China and the socio-economic and physical factors which affect the change of land-use degree in China. The "polar" model and the "longitude-distance" model of land-use degree of China are also developed.

STRATEGIC ENVIRONMENT ASSESSMENT ON LAND-USE PLANNING-A Case Study of Changchun Economic and Technological Zone

The study centers on the necessity,t he workflowand the synthetically in tegrated methods(Principal Compo-nentAnalysis(PCA),AndyticalHierarchy Process(AHP)andFuzzy Comprerhensive Evaluatio n(FCE))ofstrategic environ-ment assessment (SEA)on land-use planning.The whole article includes three main parts:firstly,some attribute database,graphic-base and the spatial transform matrix,which reflect the change of regional land-use pattern,can be ob-tained by GIS technique;secondly,a dopting fitting method of trend-sur face analysis will convert environm ent monitoring data from scattered spots to regular control spots,based on which we can p erform regional environment impact assess-ment;finally,Changchun Economic a nd Technological Developmen Zone is chosen as a case study on land-use pla nning.Through those efforts the results ma y be obtained as follows:1)according to transform matrix,the p ossibility of transforma-tion from one land-use to another can be obtained after the planning is carried out;2)environment quality would change as a result of the change of land-use p attern;3)the SEA on land-use plan is an effecti ve tool to make land-use pattern more reasonable.

Land-use Change and Socio-economic Driving Forces of Rural Settlement in China from 1996 to 2005

While urbanization has accelerated, the rural population in China has started decreasing in recent years. However, the expansion of rural settlement has not been sufficiently curbed. The questions of why this has happened and who has driven the land-use change(LUC) of rural settlement in China have aroused great interests among researchers. In this paper, it is suggested that population is not always a positive driving force for the LUC of rural settlement in China. Furthermore, socio-economic driving forces other than urbanization, population and industrialization are analyzed. On a national scale, the major driving forces are the per-capita rural housing area and the cultivated land area. On a regional scale, the main driving forces in the eastern China are the house-building capacity of rural households and the per-capita rural housing area; while in the central China, the main driving forces are rural housing investment, the proportion of primary industry employees in the rural working population, and the cultivated land area. For the western China, the main driving forces are rural register population and cultivated land area.

A grey multi-objective programming approach for sustainable land-use in the Miyun Reservoir Basin,China

Miyun Reservoir is the most important water source to Beijing City. Land-use of the basin plays a great role in the protection of water resources. Hence a sustainable land-use planning is required to optimize land-use structure and protect water resources in the basin. Based on the complete land-use system analysis in Miyun, a grey multi-objective programming to basin land-use(GMOPBLU) model was developed and applied to land-use planning. Two alternatives were produced and analyzed by means of interactive adjustment and scenario analysis. The results showed the GMOPBLU model is a valuable approach for basin land-use planning.

Long-term impacts of land-use change on dynamics of tropical soil carbon and nitrogen pools

Land-use changes, especially the conversion of native forest vegetation to cropland and plantations in tropical region, can alter soil C and N pools and N availability for plant uptake. Deforestation, followed by shifting cultivation and establishment of rubber tree plantation, is a common land-use change in Xishuangbanna, southwest China. However the influence of this kind of land-use change on soil C and N dynamics in this region remains poorly understood. This study was conducted to assess the effects of land-use change on soil C and N pools. Soil samples were collected on five adjacent plots, which belong to three land-use types including secondary forest-an acuminate banana(Musa itinerans) secondary forest and a male bamboo(Dendrocalamus membranaceae) secondary forest, shifting cultivation, and rubber tree (Hevea brasiliensis (H.B.K.) Muell. Arg.) plantation(one plot is 3-year-old, and another is 7-year-old). We measured soil bulk density (BD), pH value, moisture content and concentrations of soil organic carbon(SOC), total soil nitrogen(TSN), and inorganic N(NO - 3-N and NH + 4-N ) at 0—3, 3—20, 20—40 and 40—60 cm depths, and calculated C and N pools in 0—20, 20—40, 40—60, and 0—60 cm soil layers. Compared with the adjacent secondary forests, shifting cultivation and establishment of rubber tree plantations resulted in significant decline in concentrations and stocks of SOC and TSN in 0—20 and 0—60 cm soil layers, and increase in pH and bulk density at 0—3, 3—20, and 20—40 cm depths. Soil moisture content decreased only in 0—20 cm surface soils in shifting cultivation and plantations. The dynamics of mineral N was much more complex, which had different trends among depths and ecosystems. Compared with the secondary forests, SOC stocks in 0—20 cm surface soils in shifting cultivation and rubber tree plantations(3-year-old plantation and 7-year-old plantation) decreased by 34.0%, 33%, and 23%; and TSN stocks decreased by 32 2%, 20.4%, and 20.4%, respectively, whereas the decreases of SOC and TSN stocks in 0—60 cm soil layers were much less. The results indicated that C and N losses were mainly occurred in 0—20 cm surface soil, followed by 20—40 cm layer.

Soil properties related to land-use systems in oases of Sangong river watershed, Xinjiang

Understanding the effect of human activities on the soil environment is fundamental to understanding global change and sustainable development. In the process of transformation of tropical rain forests and semiarid grasslands to farmlands, land degradation usually occurs. But the transformation of arid desert landscape to oasis is found to have quite different consequences. Taking an alluvial plain oasis in the north piedmont of the Tianshan Mountains as a case study, we investigate oasis soil properties related to different land-use systems during the transformation of arid desert to oases. Selected land-use systems con- sisted of an annual crop field less than 3 years old, annual crop field 3-6 years old, annual crop field more than 6 years old, perennial crop field less than 4 years old, perennial crop field of 4-6 years old, perennial crop field more than 6 years old, abandoned farmland more than 3 years old, woodland field more than 6 years old, ecological forestation field, natural shrubbery field, desert grass land, and saline or alkaline field. Different land-use systems affect significantly the distribution of sand, silt and clay. Sand content in oasis soil tends to decrease with cultivation years but silt and clay contents tend to be increased in the oasis soils. Soil fertility is higher in the land-use systems under strong human disturbance than under weak human disturbance. Oasis soil nutrients also tend to increase with cultivation years. Soils have a significantly lower salinity in the land-use systems under strong human disturbance than under weak human disturbance. Soil organic matter and nutrients of the annual and perennial crop systems in the oasis tend to increase with cultivation time with the oasis soil acting as a carbon sink. These results show that soils are not degraded and the soil quality is gradually improved under rational land use and scientific management patterns, including uniform exploitation of land resources, effective irrigation systems, sound drainage systems, balanced fertilizer application, crushed straw return to soil and transformation of annual crop fields to perennial ones.

A Hybrid Inexact Optimization Model for Land-use Allocation of China

Land scarcity has become the prominent obstacle on the way to sustainable development for China. Under the constraints of land shortage, how to allocate the finite land resources to the multiple land users in China considering various political, environmental, ecological and economic conditions have become research topics with great significance. In this study, an interval fuzzy national-scale land-use model(IFNLM) was developed for optimizing land systems of China. IFNLM is based on an integration of existing interval linear programming(ILP), and fuzzy flexible programming(FFP) techniques. IFNLM allows uncertainties expressed as discrete interval values and fuzzy sets to be incorporated within a general optimization framework. It can also facilitate national-scale land-use planning under various environmental, ecological, social conditions within a multi-period and multi-option context. Then, IFNLM was applied to a real case study of land-use planning in China. The satisfaction degree of environmental constraints is between 0.69 and 0.97, the system benefit will between 198.25 × 1012 USD and 229.67 × 1012 USD. The results indicated that the hybrid model can help generate desired policies for land-use allocation with a maximized economic benefit and minimized environmental violation risk. Optimized land-use allocation patterns can be generated from the proposed IFNLM.

Land-use induced changes in topsoil organic carbon stock of paddy fields using MODIS and TM/ETM analysis:A case study of Wujiang County,China

Topsoil soil organic carbon (SOC) that plays an important role in mitigating atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO_2) buildup is greatly affected by human activities.To evaluate the influence of land-use changes on SOC stocks in paddy soils,a new algorithm was developed by integrating MODIS (moderate resolution imaging spectral-radiometer) and TM/ETM data for timely monitoring the land-use change in Wujiang County.Thereafter,the land-use class-maps derived from MODIS and TM/ETM analyses were further used to estima...

Impact of Land-use Patterns on Distributed Groundwater Recharge and Discharge——A Case Study of Western Jilin,China

The impact of land-use on distributed groundwater recharge and discharge in the western Jilin (WJ) was analyzed in this study. WJ is a transitional, semi-arid zone with a fragile, hydrological closed ecosystem in the Songhua River Basin (SRB). The research tool includes a seamlessly linked MODFLOW, WetSpass, the Seepage packages, and ArcGIS. The model calibration showed good agreement between simulated water table elevation and measured water table depths, while predicted groundwater discharge zones showed strong correlations with field occurrences of drainage systems and wetlands. Simulated averages for distributed recharge, water table elevation and groundwater drawdown were 377.42mm/yr, 194.43m, and 0.18m respectively. Forest vegetation showed the highest recharge, followed by ag- ricultural farmlands, while open-water and other drainage systems constituted groundwater exit zones. When present land-use conditions were compared with the hypothetical natural pre-development scenario, an overall loss of ground- water recharge (24.09mm/yr) was observed, which for the project area is 18.05×108m3. Groundwater abstraction seemed to be the cause of water table drawdown, especially in the immediate vicinities of the supply wells. An important issue of the findings was the ability of the hypothetical forest vegetation to protect, and hence sustain aquifer reserves and dependent ecosystems. The profound data capture capability of ArcGIS makes it particularly useful in spa- tio-temporal hydroecological modeling.

Sustainable land-use patterns for arid lands: A case study in the northern slope areas of the Tianshan Mountains

Sustainable land use patterns are ecological and economic prerequisites of regional sustainable development. This is especially true for arid lands, where the environment is wholly fragile thanks to extremely limited precipitation, and where human activities have greatly transformed natural desert system by clearing natural vegetation, expanding oases and even building dams on inland rivers. However, the current studies on land use patterns are still characterized by field investigations and case studies, with almost no solid scientific basis. This paper holds that land types and their combination patterns are the principal basis for designing sustainable land use patterns, and that GIS and RS-based large-scale land type mapping and the study of their spatial combination structures should be coordinated with the demand of social development. The existing environmental problems induced by irrational land use mostly result from their deviation from the natural properties of land types. Taking the northern slope of the Tianshan Mountains （NSTM） as an example and considering land type patterns as the basis of land use patterns, this paper improves the vertical oa- sis-and-mid-mountain two-belts development model and the sustainable mountain land use model for arid lands put forward in recent years; and in terms of oases patterns, it outlines oasis development models, including intensive land use pattern in alluvial-diluvial fans, moderate agricultural development pattern in alluvial plains, and ecological land use pattern in river-end oases.