The study looked at how soil moisture is distributed in a straw barrier system in the Gurbantonggute Desert in China. Researchers found that the soil moisture is divided into three layers: upper active, middle medium, and lower stable. They also discovered that the soil moisture levels change throughout the seasons, increasing in spring, decreasing in summer and autumn, and staying stable in winter. The soil moisture in the straw barrier system is higher than in natural land, thanks to bio-crust and ephemeral plants helping to redistribute water. The direction of the slope also affects soil moisture distribution.