Tarim River

Author: Wang Ranghui / Country:
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-05-01
Features: Desertification—A Curse to Oasis Prosperity
The geological, geomorphological, climatic, hydrological, soil, and vegetation conditions in the Tarim River Basin are the foundation for reflecting a series of characteristics of its ecological environment. In the Tarim River Basin, due to significant changes in the spatiotemporal distribution pattern of water resources, groundwater levels have declined, and soil drought has intensified. The coordination of material, energy, and information exchange among various environmental elements essential for the survival of organisms has become disrupted, directly leading to the degradation of natural vegetation. Meanwhile, under the influence of human activities, the process of land degradation has continued. The main ecological and environmental issue in the main stream area of the Tarim River is land desertification, with desertification and soil salinization being the dominant causes of land degradation. Land desertification is the primary manifestation of environmental degradation in fragile ecological zones, and the development of desertification further exacerbates the severe ecological imbalance within these zones. In many areas of the lower reaches of the Tarim River, varying degrees of sandy desertification have occurred. Accompanying the process of land desertification, disasters such as drought, sandstorms, and salinization have become frequent, directly threatening the ecological security of oases and affecting the inheritance and development of regional biodiversity. Land desertification and oasis formation are in opposition yet coexist in the Tarim River Basin. The development of land desertification has become a breeding ground for deserts, naturally becoming a significant obstacle to the prosperity of oases. Due to the lack of coordination in the matching of water, soil, thermal, and salinity factors, the ecosystem in different regions of the Tarim River Basin is sensitive to external disturbances under the long-term influence of natural and human activities, making it prone to evolving into fragile land types with reduced biodiversity and lower productivity. The Tarim River Basin is an important region for biodiversity in arid desert areas. Protecting and conducting research on species that have already degraded or are on the verge of extinction is a crucial foundation for regional ecological security and environmental improvement. As an important component of biodiversity, ecosystem diversity is closely related to regional resources, environment, society, and economy. Reasonably allocating water resources, moderately adjusting the scale of land development, improving land use practices, protecting existing natural vegetation, and maintaining the stability of natural ecosystems are important ways to curb land desertification. Currently, based on the overall planning, river channel regulation and environmental are being carried out in a regional and phased manner. By rationally utilizing water resources and combining biotechnology with engineering methods, typical ecosystem restoration experimental zones are being gradually established to create coordinated, stable, and efficient artificial ecosystems, thereby preventing the further expansion of land desertification. The severe land degradation in the western arid region is already widespread, with inland river basins being particularly typical. In accordance with China's strategic decisions, the western arid region is an important strategic base for future socio-economic development. For severely degraded areas, new theories, perspectives, and methods are being employed to investigate the extent, causes, and patterns of degradation, seeking scientific evidence and effective models for optimizing the environment. This has become a key issue for the sustainable development of resources, environment, and socio-economy in arid regions. P049-P050