Quantitative evaluation of anthropogenic impacts during the course of sandy desertification in arid inland river basin of northwestern China: the case of Zhangye Region

Sandy desertification is defined land degradation characterized by wind erosion mainly resulted from the excessive human activities in arid, semiarid and part of sub- humid regions in northern China, especially in the oasis zone distributed along inland rivers or in the lower reaches of inland rivers in northwestern China. During the sandy desertification anthropogenic factors play an important role and are one of key issues, thereby indicating that anthropogenic factors are the important reason of sandy desertification. The objective of this contribution is quantitatively assessed the impacts of anthropogenic influences on sandy desertification from another new aspect based socioeconomic and meteorological data collected in the Zhangye Region of Gansu Province, located in the middle reaches of Heihe River Basin of arid northwestern China, which could provide theoretical basis for the government to regulate human economic activity.