Eco-Geo-Environment of Rocky Desertification and Its Driving Mechanism--A Typical Example in Karst Mountainous Areas of Guizhou Province

As a main form of land desertification, rocky desertification is developing drastically in karst mountainous areas of Southwest China.As a main result of interactions between irrational human activities and the vulnerable eco geo environmental settings,rocky desertification has become one of the most serious environmental,social and economic problems in Guizhou Province.Various endogenic processes in the geological history created the characteristics and geomorphic features of the surface rocks that are responsible for the vulnerability of the eco geo environmental settings.The resultant extensively distributed steep slopes and gullies offer potential energy for water erosion.The pure carbonate rock,accounting for 44 66% of the total land area of the province,provides an abundant material basis for rocky desertification. External disturbances resulting mostly from rapid population growth, poverty, irrational human activities and unreliable social factors, help trigger and accelerate development of the rocky desertification.It could be concluded that rocky desertification is the final result of a vicious cycle of social economic stress and environmental deterioration.