Land degradation and ecological restoration in desert steppe of Bayannur of Inner Mongolia, China

The desert steppe serves as the predominant landscape and a crucial ecological security barrier in Bayannur, Inner Mongolia. This ecosystem is extremely fragile and highly sensitive to both climate change and human activities. However, it remains unclear about the key mechanisms underlying land degradation and restoration in the desert steppe of Bayannur. We provide novel insights into the major challenges, problems, and future perspectives concerning this issue found by the Grassland Ecological Research Association of Urad Middle Banner, through nearly a decade of field surveys, academic discussions, and demonstration training. Our research emphasizes the strategy of “natural recovery supplemented by artificial intervention,” which involves implementing a 3–5 year grazing ban followed by rotational grazing. Additionally, the use of artificial sand barriers and reseeding is recommended to restore areas experiencing extreme degradation. These findings have broader implications for enhancing the understanding of land degradation and facilitating rational restoration efforts in other desert steppes across global drylands.