Multiscale and multifunctional analysis of the coupling relationship between land use and desertification

Understanding the interactions between land use and desertification in arid regions is crucial for both improving human well-being and achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. However, there has been limited research on the effect of spatial scale on this relationship, especially within different land utilization function orientations. We used a revised coupling relationship index to analyze the complex interactions and dynamic changes between land use and desertification with multiscale and multifunctional oriented regions in the Tarim Basin, northwest China. Our results showed that the coupling relationship was more significant in small watersheds than in large watersheds. An inverted U-shaped curve was observed for the coupling relationship with an increase in the proportion of cultivated land, which changed with the land utilization function orientations. The watersheds with a high proportion of unused land and a fragile ecological environment were dominated by negative coupling. Watersheds with roughly equal proportions of forest-grassland and cultivated land showed positive coupling and followed an inverted U-shaped trend. Watersheds with a relatively high proportion of cultivated land may achieve a win-win situation with both the reclamation of cultivated land and the control of desertification. Our study proves the necessity of research about the coupling differences in different functional oriented regions and may also help to suggest action priorities to desertification control and ecological restoration.