Objective Wind erosion is a dominant geomorphic and ecological process driving land degradation and desertification in arid and semi-arid regions. It directly affects soil texture, vegetation stability, and regional ecological security. The Badain Jaran–Tengger Desert ecotone, located in the Inner Mongolia region of China's Three-North Sand Control Campaign, is one of the most wind-active and ecologically fragile areas in northern China. As a critical frontline of the national ecological security barrier, this region remains highly sensitive to climate variability and land use change. Despite extensive control efforts, long-term medium-scale assessments of wind erosion intensity, spatial differentiation, and transitions among erosion intensity classes in this desert transitional zone remain limited. Therefore, this study aims to quantify the spatiotemporal evolution of wind erosion and to establish a functional zoning framework for differentiated sand control strategies.

Methods Multi-temporal Landsat remote sensing data from 2000 to 2024 were used to analyze land use change and vegetation dynamics in the study area. Soil wind erosion intensity was quantified using the revised wind erosion equation (RWEQ), incorporating meteorological data, soil properties, surface roughness, and vegetation cover. Land use transfer analysis was employed to identify conversion pathways among major land use types. The normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) and a 30 m digital elevation model (DEM) were integrated to evaluate vegetation conditions and topographic influences. By overlaying RWEQ-derived erosion intensity, land use, NDVI, and terrain factors, a three-zone functional framework for wind erosion prevention and control was established.

Results The results showed that during 2000–2024, bare land was the dominant land use type in the study area, accounting for 93.3% of the total area, whereas grassland accounted for 5.6% and was mainly distributed around the Yabulai Mountains and Beidashan. From 2000 to 2024, soil wind erosion intensity exhibited a clear stage-wise pattern, characterized by initial intensification followed by recent mitigation. High-intensity wind erosion zones consistently occupied a large proportion of the region, exceeding 41% of the total area in 2024. These high-intensity erosion zones were mainly concentrated along the margins of the Badain Jaran and Tengger Deserts and within major wind-sand corridors, where bare land and active aeolian processes dominated. Analysis of transitions among erosion intensity levels further indicated that over the entire study period, the cumulative area shifting toward higher erosion levels was substantially larger than that shifting toward lower levels, indicating an overall long-term intensification trend. However, during 2020–2024, downward transitions became dominant, with significant conversions from moderate and intense erosion to lower-intensity levels. These changes corresponded closely to recent ecological restoration measures, including grazing exclusion, artificial sand fixation, and vegetation rehabilitation. Spatially, slight and mild erosion zones were mainly distributed in mountainous and piedmont areas, where higher vegetation cover and more complex terrain effectively reduced wind energy and sediment transport.

Conclusions This study clarifies the long-term spatiotemporal evolution and level transition characteristics of wind erosion in the Badain Jaran–Tengger Desert ecotone. The results indicate that although wind erosion intensifies over the long term, recent control measures have contributed to a measurable mitigation trend. The proposed three-zone prevention and control framework provides a practical scientific basis for implementing differentiated sand control strategies within the Three-North Sand Control Campaign zone.