What are the hazards of desertification?

It worsens the ecological environment, destroys living conditions, intensifies natural disasters, restricts economic development, deepens poverty, seriously affects social stability, and is extremely harmful to China's national economic and social development. According to estimates, the direct economic loss caused by land desertification in China reaches 54 billion yuan every year, which is equivalent to three times the annual fiscal revenue of five provinces (regions) in northwest China. The annual loss of soil organic matter, nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium in sandy areas is 55.9 million tons, equivalent to 270 million tons of chemical fertilizer, which is endangered by sandstorms. China raises more than 50 million animals every year, and the annual grain output is reduced by more than 3 billion tons. More than 24,000 villages and towns in China are often threatened by sandstorms. At present, there are more than 300 kilometers of railways/KLOC-0, 30,000 kilometers of highways, thousands of reservoirs and more than 50,000 kilometers of irrigation canals. Of the 654.38+0.6 billion tons of sediment imported into the Yellow River every year, 654.38+0.2 billion tons come from sand areas. Xinhua News Agency (Reporter Dong Jun) Some data show that land desertification is drastically reducing the land that we can effectively use. In many places, the trend of desertification leads to land degradation, soil structure destruction and soil nutrient loss. The natural recovery of soil fertility takes decades, hundreds or even thousands of years. If artificial measures are taken to restore soil fertility, it is difficult to calculate the required investment. Desertification is particularly harmful to agriculture. April to May is the spring sowing season every year. In desertification areas, seeds and fertilizers are often blown away, seedlings are uprooted, soil moisture is lost, and seedlings are blown to death or buried. In some places, folk remedies have to be repeated and even the farming season has been missed. Grassland degradation caused by desertification gradually reduces or even completely loses the dominant grass species suitable for livestock growth. Pasture becomes low and sparse, the yield is obviously reduced, and the livestock carrying capacity of grassland is greatly reduced. Desertification has blocked rivers, reservoirs and canals. The Yellow River transports 654.38+0.6 billion tons of sand every year, of which 654.38+0.2 billion tons comes from desertification areas. More than 50,000 kilometers of irrigation canals in China are harmed by sandstorms all the year round. In some areas, desertification has destroyed railway subgrade, bridges and culverts, made road subgrade and pavement desertification, forced road traffic to be interrupted, and even abandoned roads. The dusty weather caused by desertification affects the normal take-off and landing of aircraft. Sandstorm activities destroy communication and transmission lines and facilities, and the resulting disasters threaten the safety of residents.

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