A Study on the Precise Identification of Oases in Arid Northwest China

This research focuses on the precise identification and distribution characteristics of oases in the arid regions of Northwest China, developing a process utilizing ArcGIS spatial analysis and manual refinement. Utilizing data from the Fifth National Desertification Monitoring, as well as geographic national conditions monitoring Land Cover and hydrological data, the study extracts and analyzes oases within a 100kilometer buffer zone around major deserts. The results indicate that oases are primarily distributed in bands or sporadically around deserts, correlating with regional water resource supply, topographical conditions, and human activities. The study also finds that oasis in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau are predominantly covered by forest and grassland, while deserts and barren lands are concentrated in the Qaidam Basin; the Ningxia and Hetao plains feature a mosaic of cultivated land and residential areas. This research provides a scientific basis for ecological evolution analysis and sustainable development of oases, offering technical support to address climate change and anthropogenic impacts.