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“Desertification” environmental sciences and applications
Agro-Ecosystems, Elsevier
7 (1982) 343--359
343
Scientific Publishing Company~ Amsterdam - - P r i n t e d in T h e N e t h e r l a n d s
Book Reviews DESERTIFICATION
"Desertification " Environmental Sciences and Applications. Vol. 12. Margaret R. Biswas and Asit K. Biswas, Pergamon Press, Oxford, 1980, 523 pp., US $75.00, £33.50 (hardback), ISBN 0-08-023581-6.
The preparations for the United Nations Conference on Desertification (1977) were characterised by a wealth of scientific studies that gave support and credibility to the proposed plan of action to c o m b a t desertification. These studies included a series of case studies that were meant to survey within limited areas the history of social and technical actions and environmental interactions that resulted in: ecological deterioration of productive land (desertification), long term sustenance of the productivity of land (conservation), or regaining the productivity of land (reclamation). These case studies were in t w o groups to be published in two volumes. One group comprised six case studies from Chile, Niger, Tunisia, [raq, Pakistan and India carried out under the aegis of, and will be published by, UNESCO. The other group of nine case studies contained in this volume, were presented by: Australia, China, [ran, Israel, U.S.A. and U.S.S.R. Australia presented the case s t u d y 'The Gascoyne Basin'. This is a river basin in Western Australia, with an average annual rainfall of 200 mm; it was settled by European pastoralists some 100 years ago. It is characterised by the flooding o f irrigated lands downstream, heavy sheep grazing, desertification in the upper catchment and inherent ecological vulnerability. The study reports on extensive surveys and assessment of the conditions of range and its carrying capacity within the sections of the area. The survey presents a wealth of relevant information in the text and the five appendices and concludes with a n u m b e r of recommendations and lessons learned that are operational guidelines applicable in the Gascoyne Basin and in other parts of arid and semi-arid Australia. The first part of the three reports from China, 'Combating Desertification in China' describes the deserts that cover over one million square kilometres (about 11.4% of the total land area of China) mostly sand dunes (59%) and gravel (41%). The study outlines three basic strategies for desertification control: (a) Protect oases with forest belts, (b) In areas of stabilized sand dunes use a mix of grass and shrubs to maintain stability and to provide pasture, (c) Along river and lake basins conserve water and develop irrigation. This is followed by detailed descriptions of achievements in implementation of thede strategies. The results are impressive and underline the importance of mobilization of masses. The second report, 'Control the Deserts and Create Pastures' describes in some detail projects o f sand dune fixation and success in gradual re-vegetation
344 and controlled pasture management. The third report, 'Tame the Wind, Harness the Sand and Transform Gobi' describes combating desertification in a wind-eroded part of the Turfan Depression. This is a basin in the Tienshan mountain range extending to Lake Aidin (154 m below sea level). This oasis is largely an alluvial plain of silt and gravel. Desert control here combines stabilization of drifting sand and extensive afforestation depending on supplementary irrigation. At present 70% of croplands is protected by shelterbelts. Iran's case study 'The Turan Programme' describes a part of the central desert of Iran. It was initiated in the early seventies as an integrated ecological research programme covering the Turan Biosphere Reserve. The main body of the study and the nine appendices provide a detailed description of vegetation, present and past land use and related technologies, diagnosis of desertification, economics, etc. The study shows that desertification is old, that native experiences in managing stresses of desert habitat are most valuable, and that socio-economic and natural factors must be treated together. The case study from Israel 'The Negev -- a Desert Reclaimed' aims at describing policies and technologies that have made possible the development of land resources in this arid territory. The study gives a general ecological description of the Negev; geomorphology, climate, biota, water resources and innovative means of their development and rational use, agricultural technologies appropriate to arid habitat, sedentarization of bedouins, etc. The case study shows that careful planning and integrated development make possible the restoration of economic viability of desertified semi-arid lands. Reclamation of the Negev involved the integration of agricultural, industrial and tourist development, and use of innovative technologies for resource development and for human settlements that are ecologically sound. The U.S.A. case study 'The Vale Rangeland Program - - t h e Desert Repaired in Southern Oregon' deals with a plateau (elevation: 600--2400 m) dissected by tributaries of the Snake River. The study gives a comprehensive description of the area: topography, climate, soils, vegetation and economic profile. It describes the history of land use prior to 1934, between 1934 and 1962, and the rehabilitation programme that followed. It gives an evaluation of recovery that resulted from this programme by comparing plant and animal life in managed and untreated areas. The success of the programme underlines the special importance of public participation and the value of education and demonstration, and the balance between improvement of pasture and grazing management including livestock and wildlife. Two case studies represent experiences in the U.S.S.R. 'The Golodnaya Steppe: A Case Study of Desertification' describes a plain that extends between the Turkestan Range and the Syr Darya River with a semi-arid climate (annual rainfall of 230--350 mm). Irrigation development started 100 years ago, but~modern schemes were initiated in 1921. From 1920 to 1930 irrigated land increased from 23 000 to 73 000 ha; by 1956, due to
345
excessive mechanization and c o t t o n cultivation the irrigated area was 250 000. A second phase of large-scale development started in 1961. This study shows that irrigation is a m o s t important means for reclaiming desert lands. The second U.S.S.R. s t u d y 'Integrated Desert Development and Desertification Control in Turkmenian SSR' describes other desert irrigation schemes made possible by the man-made river, the Karakum Canal and its distribu t o r y canals. Here, irrigation is used to develop farmlands and pasture. These nine case studies present a c o m p e n d i u m of experiences in combating desertification and in reclaiming arid lands, and provide valuable information and useful guidelines that m a y be applicable to various parts of the worlds arid lands. This is an especially welcome publication. M. KASSAS
(Cairo, Egypt)
LAND AND WATER MANAGEMENT
Research Digest 1980, Institute for Land and Water Management Research. E.W. Schierbeek (Editor), Tech. Bull. 117, Instituut voor Cultuurtechniek en Waterhuishouding, Wageningen, The Netherlands, 1980, vi + 229 pp., 28 tables, 118 figures. This b o o k is n o t what its title implies -- a summary of the research carried o u t in 1980 at the Institute for Land and Water Management Research (ICW). It was compiled on the occasion of the 25 year anniversary of the ICW in order to present the research carried o u t at the ICW and its accomplishments during this period. After a short introduction b y the current director of the Institute, Ir. G.A. Oosterbaan (the name of the founder of the Institute and its director for more than 20 years, Dr. C. van den Berg, is n o t mentioned in the book), a short summary on the present research and development is given b y the heads of the six main departments. This section already gives the reader some idea of the extremely wide scope Of the research carried out at the ICW in the fields o f water management, water quality, soil technology, land use planning, economic evaluation and mathematical and statistical analyses of research data. The main part of the b o o k is dedicated to short articles on 34 research projects carried o u t at the ICW -- a b o u t one third of the current projects. Some of these are mere summaries, giving only a listing of objectives and methods, while some are presented in more detail, also showing some results. It is a pity that the Editor has n o t been more selective in choosing the projects for detailed presentation in the form of review articles with proper documentation.
7 (1982) 343--359
343
Scientific Publishing Company~ Amsterdam - - P r i n t e d in T h e N e t h e r l a n d s
Book Reviews DESERTIFICATION
"Desertification " Environmental Sciences and Applications. Vol. 12. Margaret R. Biswas and Asit K. Biswas, Pergamon Press, Oxford, 1980, 523 pp., US $75.00, £33.50 (hardback), ISBN 0-08-023581-6.
The preparations for the United Nations Conference on Desertification (1977) were characterised by a wealth of scientific studies that gave support and credibility to the proposed plan of action to c o m b a t desertification. These studies included a series of case studies that were meant to survey within limited areas the history of social and technical actions and environmental interactions that resulted in: ecological deterioration of productive land (desertification), long term sustenance of the productivity of land (conservation), or regaining the productivity of land (reclamation). These case studies were in t w o groups to be published in two volumes. One group comprised six case studies from Chile, Niger, Tunisia, [raq, Pakistan and India carried out under the aegis of, and will be published by, UNESCO. The other group of nine case studies contained in this volume, were presented by: Australia, China, [ran, Israel, U.S.A. and U.S.S.R. Australia presented the case s t u d y 'The Gascoyne Basin'. This is a river basin in Western Australia, with an average annual rainfall of 200 mm; it was settled by European pastoralists some 100 years ago. It is characterised by the flooding o f irrigated lands downstream, heavy sheep grazing, desertification in the upper catchment and inherent ecological vulnerability. The study reports on extensive surveys and assessment of the conditions of range and its carrying capacity within the sections of the area. The survey presents a wealth of relevant information in the text and the five appendices and concludes with a n u m b e r of recommendations and lessons learned that are operational guidelines applicable in the Gascoyne Basin and in other parts of arid and semi-arid Australia. The first part of the three reports from China, 'Combating Desertification in China' describes the deserts that cover over one million square kilometres (about 11.4% of the total land area of China) mostly sand dunes (59%) and gravel (41%). The study outlines three basic strategies for desertification control: (a) Protect oases with forest belts, (b) In areas of stabilized sand dunes use a mix of grass and shrubs to maintain stability and to provide pasture, (c) Along river and lake basins conserve water and develop irrigation. This is followed by detailed descriptions of achievements in implementation of thede strategies. The results are impressive and underline the importance of mobilization of masses. The second report, 'Control the Deserts and Create Pastures' describes in some detail projects o f sand dune fixation and success in gradual re-vegetation
344 and controlled pasture management. The third report, 'Tame the Wind, Harness the Sand and Transform Gobi' describes combating desertification in a wind-eroded part of the Turfan Depression. This is a basin in the Tienshan mountain range extending to Lake Aidin (154 m below sea level). This oasis is largely an alluvial plain of silt and gravel. Desert control here combines stabilization of drifting sand and extensive afforestation depending on supplementary irrigation. At present 70% of croplands is protected by shelterbelts. Iran's case study 'The Turan Programme' describes a part of the central desert of Iran. It was initiated in the early seventies as an integrated ecological research programme covering the Turan Biosphere Reserve. The main body of the study and the nine appendices provide a detailed description of vegetation, present and past land use and related technologies, diagnosis of desertification, economics, etc. The study shows that desertification is old, that native experiences in managing stresses of desert habitat are most valuable, and that socio-economic and natural factors must be treated together. The case study from Israel 'The Negev -- a Desert Reclaimed' aims at describing policies and technologies that have made possible the development of land resources in this arid territory. The study gives a general ecological description of the Negev; geomorphology, climate, biota, water resources and innovative means of their development and rational use, agricultural technologies appropriate to arid habitat, sedentarization of bedouins, etc. The case study shows that careful planning and integrated development make possible the restoration of economic viability of desertified semi-arid lands. Reclamation of the Negev involved the integration of agricultural, industrial and tourist development, and use of innovative technologies for resource development and for human settlements that are ecologically sound. The U.S.A. case study 'The Vale Rangeland Program - - t h e Desert Repaired in Southern Oregon' deals with a plateau (elevation: 600--2400 m) dissected by tributaries of the Snake River. The study gives a comprehensive description of the area: topography, climate, soils, vegetation and economic profile. It describes the history of land use prior to 1934, between 1934 and 1962, and the rehabilitation programme that followed. It gives an evaluation of recovery that resulted from this programme by comparing plant and animal life in managed and untreated areas. The success of the programme underlines the special importance of public participation and the value of education and demonstration, and the balance between improvement of pasture and grazing management including livestock and wildlife. Two case studies represent experiences in the U.S.S.R. 'The Golodnaya Steppe: A Case Study of Desertification' describes a plain that extends between the Turkestan Range and the Syr Darya River with a semi-arid climate (annual rainfall of 230--350 mm). Irrigation development started 100 years ago, but~modern schemes were initiated in 1921. From 1920 to 1930 irrigated land increased from 23 000 to 73 000 ha; by 1956, due to
345
excessive mechanization and c o t t o n cultivation the irrigated area was 250 000. A second phase of large-scale development started in 1961. This study shows that irrigation is a m o s t important means for reclaiming desert lands. The second U.S.S.R. s t u d y 'Integrated Desert Development and Desertification Control in Turkmenian SSR' describes other desert irrigation schemes made possible by the man-made river, the Karakum Canal and its distribu t o r y canals. Here, irrigation is used to develop farmlands and pasture. These nine case studies present a c o m p e n d i u m of experiences in combating desertification and in reclaiming arid lands, and provide valuable information and useful guidelines that m a y be applicable to various parts of the worlds arid lands. This is an especially welcome publication. M. KASSAS
(Cairo, Egypt)
LAND AND WATER MANAGEMENT
Research Digest 1980, Institute for Land and Water Management Research. E.W. Schierbeek (Editor), Tech. Bull. 117, Instituut voor Cultuurtechniek en Waterhuishouding, Wageningen, The Netherlands, 1980, vi + 229 pp., 28 tables, 118 figures. This b o o k is n o t what its title implies -- a summary of the research carried o u t in 1980 at the Institute for Land and Water Management Research (ICW). It was compiled on the occasion of the 25 year anniversary of the ICW in order to present the research carried o u t at the ICW and its accomplishments during this period. After a short introduction b y the current director of the Institute, Ir. G.A. Oosterbaan (the name of the founder of the Institute and its director for more than 20 years, Dr. C. van den Berg, is n o t mentioned in the book), a short summary on the present research and development is given b y the heads of the six main departments. This section already gives the reader some idea of the extremely wide scope Of the research carried out at the ICW in the fields o f water management, water quality, soil technology, land use planning, economic evaluation and mathematical and statistical analyses of research data. The main part of the b o o k is dedicated to short articles on 34 research projects carried o u t at the ICW -- a b o u t one third of the current projects. Some of these are mere summaries, giving only a listing of objectives and methods, while some are presented in more detail, also showing some results. It is a pity that the Editor has n o t been more selective in choosing the projects for detailed presentation in the form of review articles with proper documentation.