Background There are differences in aeolian activities and expansion velocity of sandy land in different parts of the Poyang Lake coast, which greatly affects the ecological environment and sustainable economic development of the Poyang Lake region. Therefore, strengthening the research on the wind regime and sandy environment of the Poyang Lake helps to understand the erosion patterns of the sandy land in Poyang Lake, and provides guidance for the key directions and regions of sand-control work.

Methods Based on the wind data of seven meteorological stations along Poyang Lake from the year of 2005 to 2020, including Jiujiang, Lushan, Xingzi, Yongxiu, Duchang, Poyang and Nanchang. The value and direction of sand-driving wind and sand drift potential were calculated, and the characteristics of sand wind activity and wind energy environment of sandy land along Poyang Lake were analyzed and evaluated.

Results 1) The fluctuation of sand-driving wind velocity in almost all stations decreased during 16 years, and presented the largest velocity in the northward directions and the highest sand-driving wind frequency (F_s) in winter versus the lowest in summer. 2) The sand drift potential (DP) showed a downward trend during the past 16 years, and the seasonal variation was larger, with spring and winter being larger than summer and autumn. The spatial heterogeneity of Poyang Lake was significant, and the spatial distribution was higher in the north and lower in the south, and higher in the west and lower in the east. The wind energy environment in the Lushan station was medium, while the other six stations were low. Moreover, The wind energy environment in the Lushan station was medium, while the other six stations were low. The DPs were primarily derived from north-to-northwest wind directions, which accorded to the south-to-southwest directions of resultant drift potential (RDP). 3) There was a significant regional difference in the wind direction variability (C_r), Nanchang and Yongxiu had large variability and single peak wind energy, and the other 5 stations had medium variability and double peak wind energy.

Conclusions The spatial and temporal variation of drift potential was consistent with the variation of sandy land area. The resultant drift potential and sandy land area increased or decreased at the same time, and the high value area was distributed in the large sandy land area. It is suggested that the northwest of Poyang Lake, Duchang and Yongxiu should be the key areas of desertification control.