Desertification in China
Evidence of sandy desertification through wind erosion?
1950s- growth of desertified land 1560km2/yr 1980s-increased to 2460km2/yr
Solutions for desertification in China?
1978- China implemented forest shelter belt development programme in prone regions. 16 million ha of plantations were established this increased forest cover by 4% 10% of desertified land was under control 11 million ha of farmland protected 1991- became nationwide campaign ban on foraging+distribution of 3 wild plants (e.g. facai) grown in dry western Chinese regions Government plans to build second green belt of forest around Beijing by 2020
How many people are at risk of desertification in China?
400 million
Evidence of salinisation?
69,000km2 of China's farmland has been salinised
China suffers from desertification due to natural ____ human causes
AND
What is RDCCD and what is it about?
China National Research and Development Centre on Combating Desertification was established to assist the government in implementing the UN convention to combat desertification by developing profitable techniques,environmentally improved practices, lessen poverty
evidence for desertification in China?
Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region: 130,000 ha of rangeland seriously degraded by *overgrazing*
Consequences of desertification?
annual direct economic losses at US $6.5 billion 2m ha of pasture degarded per year erosion claims 5b tonnes of China's topsoil each year, washing away nutrients equivalent to 54m tonnes of chemical fertiliser (x2 amount China produces in a year) dust storms becoming an annual problem government fears slow sands will reach Beijing by 2035 turning farmlands into dunes from droughts (dunes advancing at rate of 3.5km/yr)
Evidence of desertification through water erosion?
annual soil loss caused by water erosion reached 5 BILLION tonnes 2/5 pour into seas
desertification leads to decrease in
country's development and standard of living
Evidence of desertification caused by engineering construction?
development of mining and urbanisation led to increased wind and water erosion
Human causes of desertification in China
economic growth pop pressure
General solutions for combating desertification?
fixing sand by planting-effective fixing sand by engineering-cover sand with pebbles fixing sand using chemicals-protective layer over sand water saving techniques-spray irrigation integrated water management-terraces
Desertification is mainly happening on the edge of settled area which suggests...
human activities like overpopulation are to blame
Major problems in combating desertification
need to raise public awareness of desertification legislation is incomplete need stricter laws speed at which desertification is being tackled lags behind rate of development shortage of funds
How much of China is desertified?
over 27%
7% of Chinese land feeds...
quarter of the world's pop
Conclusion: even though China is tackling desertification...
rate of desertification>rate of environmental restoration
Main types of desertification in China?
sandy desertification by wind erosion land degradation by water erosion and engineering construction of residential areas soil salinisation industrial activities e.g. coal mining, oil extraction
Causes of desertification in China?
semi permanent high pressure belt causes aridity continental areas of China experience thunderstorms which can cause accelerated soil erosion drought plagues large parts of northern china human activities e.g. livestock grazing, cultivation of steep slopes, deforestation
