Abstract
In recent year, there has been large-scale afforestation in the gobi region of western Inner Mongolia, China. However, this area has low annual precipitation of 35–55 mm, and a high annual evaporation capacity of 3842 mm. Further, water resources in this region are scarce and cannot support the sustainable growth of shrubs. Thus, without effective irrigation, the shrubs cannot survive and ultimately, large-scale afforestation in the gobi region will destroy “black vegetation”. The surface of this area is covered by dense gravel (65.43–82.08%; average of 77.14%) as a result of long-term erosion caused by strong winds. The sediments underlying the gravel layer are rich in sand (60.34–87.51%) and silt (11.26–35.18%). Once the surface gravel layer is destroyed, the underlying sand and silt expose and increase dust supply, and result in increased intensity and frequency of dust storms. Thus, large-scale afforestation in the gobi region is an ecological disaster for these very dry lands.
Highlights
In recent year, there has been large-scale afforestation in the gobi region of western Inner Mongolia, China
The lower reaches of the Heihe River’s alluvial fan in Ejina Qi, western Inner Mongolia, is a typical gobi region in China, with a total area of 3 × 1 04 km[2], two-thirds of which is covered by gravel, and one-third by sand and silt
According to an incomplete survey, between 2013 and 2018, approximately 100 k m2 of the gobi region was afforested with 5 × 1 06 shrubs (Haloxylon ammodendron) (Fig. 1)
Summary
Ejina Qi has a temperate arid climate and encompasses dry and very dry land, which receives annual precipitation of 35–55 mm and has an annual evaporation capacity of 3842 mm. The data showed seriously low precipitation in several consecutive years, for example, during 1982–1989, Ejina Qi received 7–34.3 mm precipitation, with a mean value of 17.6 mm, and during 2000–2007, it received 18.7–34.9 mm with mean value of 28.2 mm (Fig. 2). This phenomenon is extremely unfavorable to the survival of vegetation. The water consumption of H. ammodendron is about 0.3 m3/year per plant This means that each shrub consumes about 15 mm of precipitation per year. Irrigation was cost- and labor-intensive, and once it stopped, the shrubs withered and died over the years (Fig. 3b)
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