Factors controlling and variations of CO2 fluxes during the growing season in Gurbantunggut Desert

•Vortex-related data using continuous observations at Kelameili Station in the Gurbantunggut Desert.•The correlation analysis of NEE, GPP, Reco and various environmental factors was carried out.•Assess the carbon sequestration capacity of China's second largest desert and largest fixed semi-fixed desert (Gurbantunggut Desert).•The comparison of carbon source/sink functions in different terrestrial ecosystems provides a reference.•a new direction for finding “carbon failures”.