UTILIZATION AND PROTECTION OF THE LICORICE GRASSLAND RESOURCE IN THE ARID REGION OF CHINA
我国干旱地区甘草草地资源的利用与保护

There are thirteen species of licorice in the world. China has eight of them. Five species are commonly seen in the desert region. They are Glycyrrhiza uralensis,Glycyrrhiza inflata,etc. , They form various licorice grasslands. These grasslands distribute in various ecological environment. The distribution of Glycyrrhiza uralensis grassland is the widest. The Licorice grassland can be utilized for many aims,for example, grazing, cutting grass,gathering drugs,reclaiming wasteland and afforestation. At present, it has been utilized extensively. Grazing and gathering drugs are most common.It is a pity that there are serious problems existing in the way of utilization. For example, there is great area of licorice grassland destroyed seriously owing to digging licorice disorderly,not a few licorice grasslands have become waste fields and desertified lands owing to reclaiming the wasteland unsuitably,some licorice grasslands have deteriorated obviously owing to the habitat's becoming droughty ,and soil salinization has made some licorice grasslands develop poorly so as to be succeeded by salt-enduring vegetation.If people want that this multi-purpose natural resources,the licorice grassland,can be utilized lastingly, they have to pay attention to the protection of its soil and environment. This includes preventing wind and water erosion of soil, controlling soil salinization, preventing the ecological environment from becoming droughty,making efforts to plant trees and herbs and so on.