A Case Study on the Eco-environmental degradation in the Source Region of the Yellow River, Northeast Qinghai-Xizang Plateau
黄河源区生态环境退化研究

Eco-environmental degradation in the source region of the Yellow River is a very serious ecological and socially economic problem. During the last half century, especially the last 30 years, the Eco-environment degraded very quickly influenced by natural factor together with human activities, in which water environmental changes, deglaciation, permafrost reduction, vegetation degeneracy and land degradation area the main aspects. The eco-environmental information system in the source region of the yellow river grassland is worked out supported by GIS and RS, as well as field investigation and indoor analysis, based on knowledge the classification is worked out and multi-source data is gathered. The result indicated that the total degraded land area has reached to 31646.8km2 in2000, occupied 34.4% of the whole region. Based on the analysis of the regional climate changes and human activities tendency in the future, the authors consider the eco-environment in the source region of the Yellow River will deteriorate continuously in the next 20~30 years. So, for environmentally and socially sustainable development in the study area and the middle and Lower River reaches, there is an urgent need to protect eco-environment of the source region of the Yellow River.