Karst rocky desertification in southwestern China: geomorphology, landuse, impact and rehabilitation

TLDR

Karst rocky desertification is a severe land‑degradation process marked by intense soil erosion, extensive rock exposure, and sharply reduced soil productivity, creating desert‑like landscapes that are expanding rapidly and eroding residents’ living space, poverty, and disaster risk in southwestern China. The study analyzes the tectonic, geomorphic, and environmental background of karst rocky desertification. The authors describe how population pressure and intensive land use drive the degradation. Despite partial restoration experience, large‑scale remedial action has not yet been achieved. © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Abstract

Abstract Karst rocky desertification is a process of land degradation involving serious soil erosion, extensive exposure of basement rocks, drastic decrease in soil productivity, and the appearance of a desert‐like landscape. It is caused by irrational, intensive land use on a fragile karst geo‐ecological environment. The process is expanding rapidly, and it is daily reducing the living space of residents and is the root of disasters and poverty in the karst areas of southwestern China. The tectonic, geomorphic and environmental background to karst rocky desertification is analysed. Population pressure and the intensive land use that have led to this serious land degradation are described. Although the problem concerns the Chinese Government and some profitable experience in the partial restoration or reconstruction of the ecological environment has been gained, effective remedial action has not been achieved on a large scale. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.