Fig 2. Photographs of Daliyaboyi natural oasis at the lower reaches of the Keriya River.

(a) The vegetation (consisting of Tamarix and Populus) that surrounds the isolated dunes; the settlements are scattered in the delta; (b) Observed intra-annual variations in precipitation and temperature between 1961 and 2019 at the Yutian meteorological station located along the middle reach of Keriya River catchment; (c) Photograph of large-scale degradation and the general lack of desert riparian forests; (d) Photographs showing abandoned dwellings in the hinterland of the Taklimakan Desert. The study area is open to Chinese scholars for observation, and permits are not required to enter. Because these photographs were acquired during field observations by the authors of this article, the copyright belongs to this article.