Grasslands and Grassland Sciences in Northern China (1992) / Chapter Skim
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1 The Grazinglands of Northern China: Ecology, Society, and Land Use
1 The Grazinglands of Northern China: Ecology, Society, and Land Use
Pages 9-36
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From page 9... ...
More than half of these grasslands are in northern China, the area covered in this study. These northern grazinglands include parts of the three provinces of the Northeast-Heilongjiang, lilin, and Liaoning-the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, the Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, Gansu and Qinghai provinces, and the Xinjiang Uighur Autonomous Region.
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From page 13... ...
Subzone of broadleaf deciduous forest containing sub tropical deciduous trees III. Subtropical evergreen broadleaf forest region IIIA Eastern evergreen broadleaf forest subregion IIIA~ Mixed broadleaf deciduous and evergreen forest zone IIIA2 Evergreen broadleaf forest zone IIIA2(~ )
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From page 14... ...
In the mesic eastern regions, inappropriate conversion to agriculture is probably the leading TABLE 1-1 Grasslands of Northern China, by Province or Region, 1989 (million hectares) Province/ Grasslands RegionAreaTotal % Usable % Heilongjiang65.47.5 16.5 4.8 64.0 Jilin 18.7 1.9 10.2 1.3 68.6 Liaoning 14.6 2.0 13.7 Inner Mongolia 118.3 86.7 73.3 68.0 78.4 Ningxia 5.2 3.0 57.7 2.6 86.6 Gansu 45.0 16.1 35.8 9.7 60.2 Qinghai 72.1 38.6 53.5 33.5 86.8 Xinjiang 160.0 57.3 35.8 48.0 83.7 Total 479.3 213.1 46~.5 167.9 78.8 China (total)
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From page 15... ...
The grazinglands of northern China, although vast, are a threatened resource. More detailed descriptions of the topography and vegetation of each region of the northern grasslands appear below.
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From page 17... ...
to the south of the Yellow River loop was uplifted and tilted westward at the same time as the uplift of the Mongolian Plateau. The southern part of the Ordos is covered by thick aeolian loess deposits, alkali lakes, and extensive deserts.
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From page 18... ...
Compared to 1965, the area of the region's grasslands is said to have decreased by 6.2 million hectares, deteriorated grasslands have increased by 28.7 million hectares, and total grass production has dropped by 30% (IMAR, 1990~. Human land use in Inner Mongolia varies across grassland types and along a second gradient that runs from the agricultural lands of the warmer, wetter south to the grazinglands of the cooler, drier north.
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From page 19... ...
Wengniute Banner, south and east of the Daxinganling, in a slightly warmer region more suitable for agriculture and closer to the center of the Han population, has about 35 persons/km2, whereas Xilingele, which is on the plateau, cooler, less amenable to agriculture, and further from the cities of northern China, has no more than one-tenth that number. Some grasslands of Xilingele, near settlements and watering sites, show signs of degradation, but in most places the vegetation remains intact.
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From page 21... ...
The Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region occupies a small wedge of land along the Yellow River, east of Gansu. Northern Ningxia includes an alluvial plain formed by loess deposits laid down by flooding of the Yellow River.
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From page 23... ...
Soil fertility has also declined in most soils, the organic matter content is less than 1%. In 1980, grain production per unit area was only one- third the national average, and in 1987, grain production per capita in the loess plateau of Gansu was no higher than the level of the early 1950s.5 The Haibei Research Station in the Menyuan Hui Autonomous County, 160 hen north of Xining, provides an example of an alpine meadow ecosystem.
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From page 24... ...
In fact, most of the pastoralists take their sheep herds off summer pasture in midsummer to trespass on other collective farms located on the north face of the Qilian Mountains in Gansu Province. Although grazing times are regulated and strictly enforced within the brigade, trespassing both by and against neighboring communities is common and tolerated.
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From page 26... ...
settlers are concentrated in the cities and agricultural areas. POLICY AND LACED USE IN NORTHERN CHINA A detailed picture of the political, social, and economic contexts in which animal husbandry is practiced in northern China awaits future research.
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From page 27... ...
A major limiting factor for animal husbandry throughout northern China is winter feed, which can come either from winter pastures or from fodder cut and stored for this purpose. True nomadism, the continuous movement of herders and animals without fixed abode, which was once a standard practice among pastoral peoples of this region, is no longer found in China.
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From page 30... ...
30 et o ~o oo o ~ o o o ~ ~.
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From page 33... ...
It remains to be seen how Beijing will achieve acceptable stocking rates, while at the same time leaving decisions in this area to producers and local authorities. The analysis of many Chinese grassland experts, whose views are reported in the following chapters, points to a downward spiral of man, animals, and vegetation.
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From page 34... ...
Finally, a comparison of provincial, regional, and national figures suggests that the size of the herds in the northern grazinglands may in fact be leveling oh. These figures, presented in Table 1-5, show that in five regions where extensive grazing is widely practiced Inner Mongolia, Ningxia, Gansu, Qinghai, and Xinjiangthe total number of grazing animals increased from 52.5 million in 1952 tO 110.3 million in 1978, for an average annual increase of 2.9%, and from 110.3 million to 126.1 million between 1978 and 1988, for an average annual increase of 1.3%.
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From page 35... ...
, 433-464. Grassland and livestock numbers: Qinghaisheng shehui jingji tongji nianjian [Statistical Year book of Qinghai Province]
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From page 36... ...
1982. The communities and density of rodents in the Haibei Alpine Meadow Ecosystem Research Station.
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