The Institute of Applied Ecology (IAE) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) has been approved to establish a CAS-level scientific observation and research platform focusing on the Horqin Sandy Land ecosystem, according to a list of CAS field scientific observation and research stations released on July 31 by the Science and Technology Infrastructure Bureau of CAS.

The Horqin Sandy Land research station will adopt an innovative “main-and-auxiliary-site” model. The Ulan Aodu Desertification Control Ecological Experiment Station in Wengniuteqi Banner, Inner Mongolia autonomous region, will serve as the main site, while the Daqinggou Sandy Land Ecological Experiment Station in Ke’erqin zuoyihouqi Banner, Inner Mongolia, will serve as the auxiliary site. The station will operate a research network consisting of three long-term monitoring transects covering the core area of the Horqin Sandy Land, which spans approximately 52,000 square kilometers.

The newly established CAS-level station will become another key research platform for the institute following its existing CAS and national-level stations focusing on forest, farmland and grassland ecosystems.

For more than five decades, field researchers from IAE have remained committed to combating desertification in the Horqin Sandy Land. Established in 1975, the Ulan Aodu station of IAE is located in western Horqin Sandy Land, with an average annual precipitation of 340 millimeters. Its research focuses on desertification prevention and control. The station covers 32 hectares of scientific research land and includes a 25-hectare long-term experimental base for artificial restoration of sandy vegetation, a standard meteorological observation station, an automatic sandstorm monitoring station, three wind erosion observation sites and more than 40 typical ecosystem observation plots. The Daqinggou station of IAE, established in 1988, is located in the southeastern part of Horqin Sandy Land and focuses on shelterbelt ecology. Covering 30 hectares, the station operates several research platforms, including facilities for studying the water-controlled physiological ecology of sand-fixing plants, grazing and nutrient regulation mechanisms in sandy grasslands, and nitrogen addition and litter management in Mongolian pine plantations.

Together, the two stations have made significant contributions to research on vegetation restoration mechanisms, shelterbelt construction and stability, and integrated desertification control approaches such as the “transportation corridor-based sand control” model. Their achievements include more than 310 academic papers, 26 published books, 44 authorized patents, nine policy recommendations adopted by national and local governments, three national science and technology progress awards, and 16 provincial and ministerial-level awards.

Following its inclusion as a CAS-level field observation and research station, the Horqin Sandy Land research station will focus on major national ecological priorities, including the advancement of the the Three-North Shelterbelt Forest Program and the strengthening of ecological security in northern China. Researchers will study the the region’s interconnected natural ecosystems, including mountains, rivers, forests, farmland, lakes, grasslands and deserts, across Horqin Sandy Land, while targeting key scientific challenges in fields such as shelterbelt ecology and ecological restoration.

The station will also promote the development of a multi-dimensional ecological monitoring platform integrating satellite, aerial, tower-based and field observations, together with underground monitoring technologies. By establishing a digital and networked ecosystem observation system, the station aims to achieve continuous monitoring of water, soil, atmosphere and biological processes, ultimately becoming a comprehensive field research base integrating observation, research, demonstration and ecological applications.