干旱区生态环境知识资源中心

Land deterioration and secondary salinisation produces a kind of salt desert in an agricultural oasis of arid regions. Because of intensive utilization and poor maintenance, many unproductive agricultural lands have been abandoned, greatly restricting agricultural development. However, it is now possible to manage this abandoned agricultural land. Using the Manas River valley in Xinjiang as an example, the succession of vegetation and soil characteristics of an abandoned agricultural land were investigated and analyzed. The results showed that vegetation consisted of mainly agricultural weeds, and its diversity was greatest after being abandoned for 8 - 10 years. After 20 years the weeds were replaced by desert vegetation, which is very well suited to the regional climate. Soil organisms increased while bulk density, water content and total salt content decreased gradually after the site had been abandoned for some years. Comprehensive soil quality analyses showed positive development, which provided good conditions for reclamation of secondary salinisation desert in an agricultural oasis.