Geoecology and Sustainable Development in the Kunlun Mountains, China

The Kunlun is one of the most extensive of the high mountain ranges of the world. Located on the northern border of the Tibetan Plateau and sandwiched between warm temperate desert and Tibetan alpine desert, it has developed a special geoecological structure: patches of montane coniferous forest; coexistence of three types of desert at different altitudes; extensive distribution of montane desert; the high cold-arid core of the Tibetan Plateau, to list only a few of the major components. Reform of the grazing system is essential if sustainable development of these mountains is to be achieved. A nature reserve is proposed for the Uytag area in order to protect the rare montane forests of this section of the Kunlun. The mountains are closely interrelated to oases on the downstream piedmont plains; many aspects of their resources, ecology, economy, and administration form a remarkable highland-lowland interactive system. The mountains and plains must be considered together as a unit if any effective policy for sustainable mountain development is to be realized. This theme is closely related to the main recommendations contained in Chapter 13 of Agenda 21, the main publication of the Rio deJaneiro (UNCED) Earth Summit of 1992. RESUME Structure geocologique et diveloppement soutenable dans les montagnes du Kunlun. Le Kunlun constitue l'une des chaines de hautes montagnes les plus t coexistence de trois types de d6sert i' diff6rentes altitudes; grandes etendues de desert montagnard; partie centrale blevee, froide et aride du plateau tibetain, pour ne citer qu'une petite partie des composants principaux. La reforme du systeme pastoral est indispensable a l'accomplissement d'un d6veloppement soutenable de ces montagnes. Une reserve naturelle est proposee pour la region de l'Uytag afin de preserver les rares forets montagnardes de cette section du Kunlun. Les montagnes sont etroitement liees aux oasis des plaines du piedmond en aval; bien des aspects de leurs ressources, de leur ecologie, de leur economie, et de leur administration forment un systeme interactif hautes terres-basses terres remarquable. Les montagnes et les plaines doivent t effektive Verwaltungsmaf3nahmen ffir eine nachhltige Entwicklung werden ben6tigt. Diese Aufgabenstellung weist zahlreiche Parallelen zu den anlal3lich des Umweltgipfels in Rio de Janeiro (UNCED) im Jahre 1992 publizierten zentralen Vorschligen des Artikel 13 in der Agenda 21 auf

Archaeology · China · Earth science · Geography · Physical geography · Political science · Sustainable development · Geology and Paleoclimatology Research · Pacific and Southeast Asian Studies · Rangeland Management and Livestock Ecology · Geology

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