758
Y. Sun
First, the climate is becoming warmer, snow lines retreating, and glaciers
shrinking. With global warming, the Qilian Mountains has seen greatly retreated
snow lines and glaciers, grassland and forest degradation, and reduced rare, precious
wildlife. According to data from the Gansu Meteorological Bureau, over the past five
decades, the average annual temperature in the Qilian Mountains has been rising at
rate above the national level. From 1956 to 2013, glaciers and ice reserves in the Hexi
Inner Flow Region decreased by 12.6% and 11.5% respectively. Moreover, glacier
shrinkage, from the mid-1980s onwards, has been the worst since 1956. What’s
worse, while the glaciers are decreasing, they are becoming thinner, with an average
thinning of 5–20 meters, and the fluctuation of the snow line reaches 100–140 m as
well. Since 1999, the amount of snow and ice melting in June and July has increased
sharply, and the snow line keeps moving upwards. In recent years, the snow line in
the Qilian Mountains has been rising at an average annual rate of 2–6 meters, and
the snow line in some areas has been rising even by 12.5–22.5 m per year.
Second, the edge of forests is moving up, grasslands are degrading, and soil erosion
is becoming more and more serious. Many people live in the Qilian Mountains, or
even at the heart of the reserve. In the national reserve alone, there are 35 villages and
towns with 142,000 people, and more than 10,000 households of over 39,000 people
living in the core area and buffer zones all year round. The problem of “forestry
right and grassland right certificates” issued for one place at the same time is pretty
common, with apparent conflicts between agriculture and animal husbandry, as well
as forestry and animal husbandry. Moreover, deforestation, land reclamation, and
overgrazing are banned but still present. In recent years, hydropower and mineral
resources have been rapidly tapped into in the Qilian Mountains, resulting in indiscriminate mining and digging; tourism and road construction have increased sharply,
making it impossible to stop deforestation and grassland destruction. The conflict
between tapping into resources and conserving the ecological environment is the
main culprit for the deterioration of the Qilian Mountains. Meanwhile, the forests
and grasslands are extremely fragile and susceptible and thus are very difficult to
restore. Years of efforts have been made to curb ecological degradation, but the trend
of “partial improvement yet overall deterioration” is yet to be reversed. Restoration is obviously way behind degradation. The “three challenges”—grassland degradation, desertization and salinization—are intensifying, resulting in increased bare
lands, deteriorating and accelerating soil erosion, and decreased capacities of water
conservation.
Third, the increasing population and social progress have caused water shortages.
Since the reform and opening up, the Hexi Corridor has seen substantial economic
and social development contributing to a greatly increased economic volume and
population. With a decline in water conservation capacities of the Qilian Mountains and the continued decrease in the total amount of water, water shortages are
becoming more and more serious. The per capita water resources along the Hexi
Corridor is 1,270 cubic meters, representing one-half of the national average, and
the per mu of arable land is 475 cubic meters, or one-third of the national average.
There exists an apparent conflict between supply and demand of water, and the way
water is used is poorly arranged with low efficiency. There is intense competition of
Y. Sun
First, the climate is becoming warmer, snow lines retreating, and glaciers
shrinking. With global warming, the Qilian Mountains has seen greatly retreated
snow lines and glaciers, grassland and forest degradation, and reduced rare, precious
wildlife. According to data from the Gansu Meteorological Bureau, over the past five
decades, the average annual temperature in the Qilian Mountains has been rising at
rate above the national level. From 1956 to 2013, glaciers and ice reserves in the Hexi
Inner Flow Region decreased by 12.6% and 11.5% respectively. Moreover, glacier
shrinkage, from the mid-1980s onwards, has been the worst since 1956. What’s
worse, while the glaciers are decreasing, they are becoming thinner, with an average
thinning of 5–20 meters, and the fluctuation of the snow line reaches 100–140 m as
well. Since 1999, the amount of snow and ice melting in June and July has increased
sharply, and the snow line keeps moving upwards. In recent years, the snow line in
the Qilian Mountains has been rising at an average annual rate of 2–6 meters, and
the snow line in some areas has been rising even by 12.5–22.5 m per year.
Second, the edge of forests is moving up, grasslands are degrading, and soil erosion
is becoming more and more serious. Many people live in the Qilian Mountains, or
even at the heart of the reserve. In the national reserve alone, there are 35 villages and
towns with 142,000 people, and more than 10,000 households of over 39,000 people
living in the core area and buffer zones all year round. The problem of “forestry
right and grassland right certificates” issued for one place at the same time is pretty
common, with apparent conflicts between agriculture and animal husbandry, as well
as forestry and animal husbandry. Moreover, deforestation, land reclamation, and
overgrazing are banned but still present. In recent years, hydropower and mineral
resources have been rapidly tapped into in the Qilian Mountains, resulting in indiscriminate mining and digging; tourism and road construction have increased sharply,
making it impossible to stop deforestation and grassland destruction. The conflict
between tapping into resources and conserving the ecological environment is the
main culprit for the deterioration of the Qilian Mountains. Meanwhile, the forests
and grasslands are extremely fragile and susceptible and thus are very difficult to
restore. Years of efforts have been made to curb ecological degradation, but the trend
of “partial improvement yet overall deterioration” is yet to be reversed. Restoration is obviously way behind degradation. The “three challenges”—grassland degradation, desertization and salinization—are intensifying, resulting in increased bare
lands, deteriorating and accelerating soil erosion, and decreased capacities of water
conservation.
Third, the increasing population and social progress have caused water shortages.
Since the reform and opening up, the Hexi Corridor has seen substantial economic
and social development contributing to a greatly increased economic volume and
population. With a decline in water conservation capacities of the Qilian Mountains and the continued decrease in the total amount of water, water shortages are
becoming more and more serious. The per capita water resources along the Hexi
Corridor is 1,270 cubic meters, representing one-half of the national average, and
the per mu of arable land is 475 cubic meters, or one-third of the national average.
There exists an apparent conflict between supply and demand of water, and the way
water is used is poorly arranged with low efficiency. There is intense competition of