GENERAL SURVEY OF THE HABITAT OF WATERBIRDS IN WETRANGELAND OF CHINA
中国湿草地中的水禽栖息地及其水禽资源

etrangeland refers to natural rangeland perennially or seasonally accumula.ted with water. According to the First National Rangeland Resources Survey,veral types of wetrangeland including marsh,marsh-meadow,lowland meadowand alpine marsh--meadow are identified as habitats and reproduction places formigratory and water birds.Of the total 24 million ha of wetrangeland in China,the majority are inhabited by waterbirds.Of them 18 species are categoried asthe first grade national protected birds and over 40 species as the second gradenational protected birds. About 100 species of birds are listed on the Sino--Japanese or Sino--Australian Agreements on the Protection of Migratory Birds inhabitedand reproduced in these wetrangelands.Wetrangelands are among those with thehighest hay yield,highest carrying capacity,and highest utilization rate in China.Most of them are mowing rangeland or important winter and spring rangelandfor livestocks overwintering.With increase of both population and livestock density,the utilization rate of these wetrangelands is increasing.Morever,the areaof the waterbirds inhabited places is decreasing due to human interference andinvasion of the rangeland.Suggestions concerning the strengthening rational utilization of the rangeland and wetrangelans,rational utilization and management ofwetrangelands and eco-environmental protection are raised accordingly.