Current status and treatment of rocky desertification in key eastern areas of the Nandong subterranean river system

To determine the current status and treatment of rocky desertification in eastern focus areas in the Nandong subterranean river system, the locations and causes of the rocky desertification, as well as the quality of the eco-environment quality in the regional forest, were analyzed via remote sensing interpretation and field investigation. Research revealed that rocky desertification areas account for 17.2% of the area of karst regions in the study sites. The rocky desertification was predominately mild, and it was mainly located in the northwest Dazhuang basin. The problems of soil erosion were particularly serious in conjunction with rocky desertification. The quality of the eco-environment of the forest land in the karst area was mainly grade three and four, accounting for 53.77% of the study area. The quality of the eco-environment was relatively low, and obviously lower than that in non-karst areas. The primary factors affecting the formation and intensity of rocky desertification were farming methods and extensive animal husbandry. To ensure that the regional ecological agriculture, economic development and the underground water environment improve, something must be done to stop deforestation by farmers and to prohibit reclamation of wasteland. It is very important and necessary to recover vegetation and rehabilitate burnt slopes. Moreover, further research into rocky desertification in the eastern focus areas of the Nandong subterranean river system is needed to study not only the relationship between rocky desertification and the natural environment, but also special engineering and biological measures in karst areas, particularly methods of natural rehabilitation of karst rocky desertification.