The Analysis and Evaluation of Desertification in Xinjiang

The land desertification in Xinjiang was monitored and analysed on the basis of RS and GIS. The method for drawing samples was used for obtaining the desertification condition throughout Xinjiang and interpreting satellite data in combination with ground investigations. The PCI software has been used to deal with remote sensing data such as image enhancement, classification, auto-classification and so on. Meanwhile the interpretation symbols about desertification type and land type were identified based on ground investigations. According to interpretation symbol, the computer processing and disposition have been used to explain investigation factors. The result was imported with the form of VFP database table, and the attributive database was established. By integrating attributive database, the geographic information data were obtained by using ARC/INFO software, statistical and calculated data have been summarized for the present situation of desertification of Xinjiang. According to the monitoring result, Xinjiang is a widely desertified region, in which desertified area occupies 77.08% of the whole monitored area. For the desertified land type: the desertified farmland is 1.92%; desertified woodland is 4%; desertified grassland is 45%; and unused land is 49%. For the desertification degree: non-desertification is 22.92%; weak desertification is 5.69%; moderate desertification is 16.58%; serious desertification is 33.19%; and extremely serious desertification is 21.61%. Based on the main factors of desertification, wind-erosion desertification is 58.23%; water-erosion desertification is 8.69%; saltation-desertification is 6.52%; and freezing-thawing desertification is 3.64%.