The researchers used satellite images to study the landscape pattern in the middle reaches of the Tarim River. They looked at data from 2001 and 2005, analyzing factors like diversity, dominance, and patch density. The main findings were: 1) The landscape structure didn't change much, with shrub, grassland, and wasteland being the main types. 2) Farmland area increased, leading to a decrease in grassland. 3) Most landscape types grew in size, except for grassland and water areas, which decreased due to changes in their shape and poor connectivity.