[Objective] In order to scientifically evaluate the effect of ecological restoration of rocky desertification land

the dynamic changes and interrelationships of karst rocky desertification land and river sediment content in the Pearl River basin were studied. [Methods] Based on the third rocky desertification monitoring result data which were issued in 2018 and the 2000—2018 “China River Sediment Bulletin” data

mathematical statistics

chart functions

and correlation analysis were used to study dynamic changes in and interrelationships of rocky desertification land and river sediment content. [Results] ① The area of rocky desertification land in the Pearl River basin accounted for 34.1% of the country. Since the beginning of the 21st century

the area of regional rocky desertification land has continually decreased

the degree has been reduced

and the ecological environment has improved significantly. ② From 2001 to 2018

the inter-annual variation of the annual sediment transport at major hydrological stations was not obvious. The annual sediment transport

annual average sediment concentration

and multi-year average sediment transport modulus of rivers generally showed a downward trend. [Conclusion] There is an exponential positive correlation between the rocky desertification land area and river sediment content in the Pearl River basin. The amount of sediment transported by rivers and the area of rocky desertification land are exponentially negatively correlated with the comprehensive vegetation coverage and exponentially positively correlated with the area of arable land.