Seasonal and inter-annual features of E_T were analyzed over four periods. A normalization method was adopted to exclude the effects of potential evapotranspiration and soil water stress on E_T. During the land degradation process, when natural vegetation (including leaves and branches), sand dunes, dry sand layers, and BSCs were all bulldozed, E_T was observed to increase at a mild rate. In a vegetation rehabilitation process with sufficient groundwater, E_T also increased at a faster rate.