Water resources: groundwater maintains dune landscape.
The Badain Jaran desert in western Inner Mongolia in China has a unique landscape that contains 72 lakes, with a total water surface area of 23 km2, and the world's highest stationary sand dunes, which are up to 500 m tall--despite the prevailing dry and windy weather conditions. Here we present evidence of a major groundwater system that underpins the factors leading to this landscape. Our finding could transform plans for the region's water resources.
Chen
Jian Sheng
JS
Institute of Isotope Research, Hohai University, Nanjing, 210098, China.
Li
Ling
L
Wang
Ji Yang
JY
Barry
D A
DA
Sheng
Xue Fen
XF
Gu
Wei Zu
WZ
Zhao
Xia
X
Chen
Liang
L