hierarchical numerical method based on the two methods of TWINSPAN (Two WayIndicator Species Analysis)and DCA (Detrended Correspondence Analysis)from the CornellEcology Program(CEP)and involving 17 variables from peddogical ones to hydrological,vegetational,geological and geomorphological ones was used to classify the Maowusu sand-lands into the following 10 landscape ecotypes:salinized lowland,wet lowland,sandcoveredlowland,lowland with a thick sandcover,Nitraria lowland,xili,soft ridge,sandcovered ridge,f...