Human Factors Affecting Grassland Degradation in Alpine Pasturing Area——A Case of Maqu County in Gannan Pasturing Area

Based on TM images available of degrading grassland,grassland degradation surveys,and socio-economic statistic,efforts were made to study qualitatively and quantitatively human factors in grassland degradation in Maqu County,South Gansu.The results of qualitative analysis showed that grassland degradation was closely related to population growth,economic development,overgrazing,herdsmen management activities,low efficiency of the operation,and so on,and these factors strongly affected grassland degradation in Maqu.Quantitative analysis was intended to verify the findings of qualitative analysis.Its results revealed that the grassland degradation in Mqqu was mainly attributed to the following three factors,i.e.population and economic development,overgrazing,and readjustment of the animal husbandry structure.However,they vary in the effect.