Historical changes in the environment of the Chinese Loess Plateau

Historical records from the past 2000 years indicate that the vegetative cover of the Loess Plateau has declined significantly with time. The decline in vegetative cover seems closely related to increased rates of soil erosion as well as the increased frequency of natural disasters such as floods, droughts and dust storms. The condition of the environment and its relationship with development is a serious problem as the Chinese government searches for ways to improve the living standard of people in the region. The purpose of this study is to outline historical changes in the vegetation and environmental conditions of the Loess Plateau. Although we believe that current population pressure of the Loess Plateau is becoming unsustainable, our objective is not to be overly pessimistic in regards to the future development of the region. Instead, our purpose is to increase the awareness of environmental conditions in the region and to encourage the implementation of policies that will promote sustainable development of the Loess Plateau. (c) 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.