Characteristics and construction of landscape ecology in arid regions

• Published in: Chinese geographical science Vol. 10; no. 1; pp. 13 - 19
• Main Authors: Cheng, Guo-dong, Xiao, Du-ning, Wang, Gen-xu
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Dordrecht Springer Nature B.V 01.03.2000; State Key Laboratory of Frozen Soil Engineering, Cold and Arid Regions Environment and Engineering ResearchInstitute, the Chinese Academy of Sciences , Lanzhou 730000, P. R . China; Shenyang Institute of Applied Ecology , the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenyang 110015, P. R. China%State Key Laboratory of Frozen Soil Engineering, Cold and Arid Regions Environment and Engineering ResearchInstitute, the Chinese Academy of Sciences , Lanzhou 730000, P. R . China
• Subjects: Agriculture; Arid zones; Ecosystems; Heterogeneity; Landscape ecology; Spatial distribution; Sustainable development; Water resources; China, People's Rep; landscape planning; landscape ecology; ecological construction; arid regions
• ISSN: 1002-0063; 1993-064X
• DOI: 10.1007/s11769-000-0031-8

This paper analyzes the characteristics of the landscape structures and landacape ecological processes in arid regions of China. Landscape structure is simplicity and homogeneity with the pattern of desert-oasis-river and canal corridor. The spatial distribution of landscape heterogeneity mosaics is relatively dependent on water resources. In arid regions, the landscape changes rapidly and extensively because of the sensitive landscape ecosystems and fragile regional ecosystems. For the sustainable development of arid regions, the theories and methods for the eco-environmental construction and the strategies of ecological construction in the arid regions were proposed in the view of landscape ecology. Keynote subjects of landscape ecology were also discussed. The paper points out that protecting and increasing landscape diversity and heterogeneity are critical to control ecological safety in arid regions.[PUBLICATION ABSTRACT]