II. DESERT SOILS
85
on the gently undulating plains in Eastern Takla-Makan (Kovda and
Kondarskaya, 1957). Large saline flats are common, such as the famous
Turfan and Lop Nor Depressions, which collect water that evaporates leaving salts. Soils in these flats are halomorphic.
The vegetation in the Takla-Makan is sparse (McGinnies, 1967). Along
rivers, lush tugai communities grow. Halomorphic vegetation is found
along old valleys, river deltas, and saline lake depressions.
I. EAST CENTRAL ASIA—GOBI
The Gobi Desert is one of the most publicized deserts of the world,
partly because of its harsh climate, its remoteness, and its historic isolation
which give it an aura of mystery. Only recently, since World War II, has
the soil surface been described in any detail and in scientific language
(Bespalov, 1951; Academia Sinica, Sand Control Group, 1962). The Gobi
Desert is the largest single desert in Asia. Associated with the Gobi Desert
are four smaller deserts to the south and southwest, namely, Ordos, Ala
Shan (Ala-Chan), Bei Shan (Peishan, Beichan), and Tsaidam (Petrov,
1966, Vol. 1). The Gobi Desert lives up to its name "gobi" which means
"arid land of flat, stony surfaces." The Gobi is a monotony of repeating
nearly barren mountains flanked by rough stony alluvium, colluvium,
plains, depressions, and gentle slopes. Restless sand and sand dunes are
scattered over about 20% of the desert. They are not as extensive as in
the Sahara or the adjacent Takla-Makan. The Gobi appears on some of
the highest desert elevations in the world with a range from 154 meters
(the Turfan Depression) up to 2791 meters in the Bei Shan low mountain
area (Petrov, 1966, Vol. 2). McGinnies (1967), in his review of major
deserts, has estimated the mean elevations of some deserts to be as follows:
Ordos, 1100-1400 meters; Ala Shan, 800-1600 meters; Bei Shan,
1000-2000 meters; and Tsaidam, 2700-3100 meters.
The principal developed soils of the Gobi Desert proper, belong to the
Brown Gobi type. These are fairly deep well-drained soils. Lime is present
throughout but accumulates in significant layers only in the subsoil. Unlike
the Turkestan soils, gypsum is scarce. In some areas, crusted saline depressions are numerous. Solonchak and Solonetz soils occur mostly as a result
of capillary rise of salts from areas of high water tables. Vegetation is
sparse and has long been overgrazed. Short shrubs dot the plains; grasses
appear on the sandy soils and stabilized dunes.
Soils of the Ordos are coarse textured. Along the Hsinchaoshan Range,
gravels dominate. The lower piedmont plateau plain is covered with gravelly-sandy debris. Coarse-skeletal, gray-brown carbonated soils predomi-
85
on the gently undulating plains in Eastern Takla-Makan (Kovda and
Kondarskaya, 1957). Large saline flats are common, such as the famous
Turfan and Lop Nor Depressions, which collect water that evaporates leaving salts. Soils in these flats are halomorphic.
The vegetation in the Takla-Makan is sparse (McGinnies, 1967). Along
rivers, lush tugai communities grow. Halomorphic vegetation is found
along old valleys, river deltas, and saline lake depressions.
I. EAST CENTRAL ASIA—GOBI
The Gobi Desert is one of the most publicized deserts of the world,
partly because of its harsh climate, its remoteness, and its historic isolation
which give it an aura of mystery. Only recently, since World War II, has
the soil surface been described in any detail and in scientific language
(Bespalov, 1951; Academia Sinica, Sand Control Group, 1962). The Gobi
Desert is the largest single desert in Asia. Associated with the Gobi Desert
are four smaller deserts to the south and southwest, namely, Ordos, Ala
Shan (Ala-Chan), Bei Shan (Peishan, Beichan), and Tsaidam (Petrov,
1966, Vol. 1). The Gobi Desert lives up to its name "gobi" which means
"arid land of flat, stony surfaces." The Gobi is a monotony of repeating
nearly barren mountains flanked by rough stony alluvium, colluvium,
plains, depressions, and gentle slopes. Restless sand and sand dunes are
scattered over about 20% of the desert. They are not as extensive as in
the Sahara or the adjacent Takla-Makan. The Gobi appears on some of
the highest desert elevations in the world with a range from 154 meters
(the Turfan Depression) up to 2791 meters in the Bei Shan low mountain
area (Petrov, 1966, Vol. 2). McGinnies (1967), in his review of major
deserts, has estimated the mean elevations of some deserts to be as follows:
Ordos, 1100-1400 meters; Ala Shan, 800-1600 meters; Bei Shan,
1000-2000 meters; and Tsaidam, 2700-3100 meters.
The principal developed soils of the Gobi Desert proper, belong to the
Brown Gobi type. These are fairly deep well-drained soils. Lime is present
throughout but accumulates in significant layers only in the subsoil. Unlike
the Turkestan soils, gypsum is scarce. In some areas, crusted saline depressions are numerous. Solonchak and Solonetz soils occur mostly as a result
of capillary rise of salts from areas of high water tables. Vegetation is
sparse and has long been overgrazed. Short shrubs dot the plains; grasses
appear on the sandy soils and stabilized dunes.
Soils of the Ordos are coarse textured. Along the Hsinchaoshan Range,
gravels dominate. The lower piedmont plateau plain is covered with gravelly-sandy debris. Coarse-skeletal, gray-brown carbonated soils predomi-