[Challenge to the desertification reversion in Horqin Sandy Land].
Analyses of the changes in desertified land area, water resource availability, land use, and plant productivity in Horqin Sandy Land in recent 50 years showed that from 1950 to the late 1980s, the land desertification in Horqin Sandy Land had a rapid expansion, but reversed since then. The annual runoff of Xiliaohe River decreased consistently, and in 1999, the middle reach at Tongliao section was dried up. In recent 20 years, the water table of Xihu Lake was decreased by about 10 m, and dried up in 2001. The above-ground biomass of grasslands decreased from 520 g x m(-2) in 1937 to 197 g x m(-2) in 2005. The main cause of these results was the change of land use pattern, i. e., the overuse of water resources for re-vegetation or cropland irrigation. Water resources reduction was the major challenge to the desertification reversion in Horqin Sandy Land.
Zhao
Xue-Yong
XY
Cold and Arid Regions Environment and Engineering Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou 730000, China. nmzhaoxy@yahoo.com.cn
Zhang
Chun-Min
CM
Zuo
Xiao-An
XA
Huang
Gang
G
Huang
Ying-Xin
YX
Luo
Ya-Yong
YY
Wang
Shao-Kun
SK
Qü
Hao
H
D002681:China; D003247:Conservation of Natural Resources; D018556:Crops, Agricultural / Q000254:growth & development*; D003889:Desert Climate; D017753:Ecosystem; D006109:Poaceae / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000378:metabolism; D045483:Rivers; D012822:Silicon Dioxide / Q000737:chemistry; D012987:Soil / Q000032:analysis; D014867:Water / Q000032:analysis*
D012987:Soil; D014867:Water; D012822:Silicon Dioxide