Research Progress

Soil Types and Their Distribution Pattern in the Kumtagh Desert

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The Kumtagh Desert is the last desert being broadly scientifically explored in China. The soil research subject was one of the nine subjects in the program of the Integrated Science Exploration in Kumtagh Desert, which was a China National Science & Technique Basic Work Program. The primary research result was described as below through two field explorations at the autumn in the year 2007 and 2008. The zonal soil type is the brow desert soil in the area of Kumtagh Desert. The vertical distribution pattern of the soil is very markedly. And there are many combinations of the zonal and azonal soil types in the small and middle land scales in the area of Kumtagh Desert. In the process of the soil forming and developing, many soil types show the character of turn-over process due to the heavy soil wind erosion and sand dune's movement. Many soil types in this area have heavy salinity in its whole section. The soil evolution is controlled mainly by the hydrological and hydrogeological conditions. The fertility in all of the soil types in this area is very lower due to the extreme arid climate and spare desert vegetation.

 

Monthly variations of climate factors in the area of Kumtagh Desert

(Picture/Journal of Desert Research)

 

Annual variations of climate factors in the area of Kumtagh Desert in the last 50 years

(Picture/Journal of Desert Research)

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