Responses of three typical plants to wind erosion in the shrub belts atop Mogao Grottoes, China.

Highlights: [•] Caragana korshinskii Kom. has better in-site accumulating sand effect. [•] Hedysarum scoparium belts can cause sand to accumulate down their outer edges. [•] Two adjacent parallel configurations perpendicular to the main wind path are best. [•] The optimal time periods for sand fixation are April, May, June and November. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]