荒漠化是中国目前最严重的生态环境问题之一，探索荒漠化发生的源头，并提出科学有效的治理方案是推进生态文明建设，关系人民福祉、关乎民族未来的长远大计。该项目以黄土高原中部的生态脆弱区马莲河流域为研究对象，并基于荒漠化成因将研究区划分为：流域北部环江流域风蚀沙化区、流域北部黄土丘陵沟壑强烈水蚀荒漠化区和流域南部黄土残塬中、轻度水蚀荒漠化区三大生态区。通过历史遗迹考证、资料收集、遥感监测和野外观察等方式获取自清代同治年间以来的气候、土壤、植被、土地利用与管理和其他社会经济数据，作为荒漠化风险评估的基础数据。搞清楚本区域荒漠化的进程的几个阶段，并探索其原因；在遥感（RS）和地理信息系统技术（GIS）的支持下，建立环境敏感区指数模型，对马莲河流域不同生态区的荒漠化风险程度进行评价；提出分区域、分层次的短期治理措施和全流域、大范围、同步治理的中长期措施和生态修复方案。对整个黄土高原荒漠化治理具有借鉴和指导意义，并为当地政府提供必要的决策支持。

Desertification is one of China's most serious environmental problems. It is very important to explorer the source of desertification and make an effective governance program for promoting the construction of ecological civilization , the relationship between the people's well-being in relation to the nation's future long-term plan . we make a research in ecologically fragile areas of the central Loess Plateau in Malian River basin for the study, and based on Desertification in the study area was divided into three ecological zones, such as: The wind erosion and desertification area of huanjiang basin in northern Malian River basin, the intense watershed erosion desertification area in the northern Malian River basin and the Loess Plateau area of the mild erosion desertification area in the southern of Malian river basin. We get the research data from historical research, remote sensing, field research and other ways. It is from the Qing Tongzhi years include climate, soil , vegetation, land use and management, and other socio-economic data, as desertification risk assessment on the basis of data in remote sensing (RS) and geographic information systems technology (GIS) with the support of the establishment of environmentally sensitive areas exponential model. And then, we can determine environmentally sensitive areas since Qing Tongzhi years of the conclusion desertification degree of risk in different ecological zones and the causes of the Malian River Basin. The corresponding desertification control measures and ecological restoration program can provide a decision support for local governments.