Comprehensive benefits assessment of the ecological management model in Hobq Desert of China

The Hobq Desert is the seventh largest desert in China. Since 1988, the effects of ecological management in Hobq Desert have been obvious and a typical desertification control model developed gradually, which is well known as the "Hobq model". It is important to evaluate the comprehensive benefits of the "Hobq model", but this has not been addressed in previous studies. Thus, we established an index system to comprehensively evaluate the benefits of the "Hobq model", using an analytic hierarchy process method from 1988 to 2013. The results show the following: ecological benefits of the "Hobq model" had a positive trend, but with fluctuations during 2008 and 2009; economic benefits increased by 74% and the maximum value occurred in 2013; and social benefits increased steadily, but with fluctuations in 2010 and 2011. The social benefits were higher than ecological and economic benefits in the same period. Trends in overall benefits of the "Hobq model" were similar to changes in ecological benefits, which increased each year.