Introduction to Sand-Restoration Technology and Model in China

Abstract

As one of the countries with the highest desertification in the world, sand ecological restoration and management have been given great attention in China. However, a systematic and comprehensive review of sand-restoration technology is still lacking. Therefore, with “sand restoration technology” and “China” as the keywords, we reviewed 226 English articles and 512 Chinese articles based on the Web of Science and China National Knowledge Infrastructure data sources from 1990 to 2021. The results showed that (1) The number of published articles about sand-restoration technology increased during the last 30 years, experiencing a slow–fast–steady growth process. (2) The analysis of keyword hotspots showed that the literature focuses on restoration, Maowusu sandy land, vegetation restoration, sand barrier, governance model, etc. (3) Biological restoration techniques are dominant among sand-restoration techniques and are mainly carried out through plant and physical technology. (4) Composite sand-restoration technology, including arbors, shrubs, grass, and soil, is a progressive research topic for the future. By installing an incorporated device for sand-restoration generation, we offer a theoretical foundation for strengthening sand-restoration generation in China and beyond.