新疆巴音郭楞蒙古自治州林业局的一项调查表明,具有“大漠英雄树”美誉的胡杨,近年来困干旱缺水和人为破坏等因素,每年枯死的面积在5万亩以上。 胡杨树具有很强的耐干旱、耐盐碱特性,是防沙治沙的优良树种。新疆胡杨林主要分布在塔里木河流域,面积在600万亩以上。新疆胡杨林之所以发生大面积死亡,是由于塔里木河的水量锐减造成的。从20世纪50年代开始,塔里木河上游大规模开荒造田,用水量猛增,致使中下游河道的来水量逐年减少,到1972年,下游 320公里河道彻底干涸。统计资料表明,1958年巴音郭楞蒙古自治州胡杨林面积为780万亩,1979年已减少到420万亩。 塔里木河下游的胡杨林带被喻为“绿色走廊”,阻挡着塔克拉玛干沙漠和库木塔格沙漠的合拢。自从河水断流后,胡杨林失去了水源的滋养,开始干枯死亡,“绿色走廊”面临危机。胡杨林等植被的大面积毁坏,使人们饱尝了风沙之苦。20世纪90年代以来,巴音郭楞蒙古自治州平均每年8级以上的大风就有30天左右,特大沙尘暴在20次以上,每年约有25万亩农田受灾。 According to a survey conducted by Xinjiang Bayinolin Mongol Autonomous Prefecture Forestry Bureau, Populus euphratica, known as the “desert hero tree”, has suffered from drought, water shortage and vandalism in recent years, with an area of ​​more than 50,000 mu each year. Populus has a strong resistance to drought, salt-resistant properties, is an excellent species of sand control. Populus euphratica forest in Xinjiang is mainly distributed in the Tarim River Basin, an area of ​​600 mu or more. The large area of ​​death of Populus euphratica in Xinjiang is caused by the sharp decrease of water volume in the Tarim River. Since the 1950s, a large-scale land reclamation in the upper reaches of the Tarim River has resulted in a drastic increase in water use. As a result, the water supply to the middle and lower reaches of the river has decreased year by year. By 1972, the 320-kilometer lower reaches of the river had completely dried up. Statistics show that in 1958 Bayingolin Mongolian Autonomous Prefecture Populus area of ​​7.8 million mu in 1979, has been reduced to 4.2 million mu. Populus euphratica forest in the lower reaches of the Tarim River has been hailed as a “green corridor”, blocking the closure of the Taklamakan Desert and the Kurumtag Desert. Since the river was cut off, Populus euphratica lost the nourishment of water, began to die dead, “Green Corridor” is facing a crisis. Populus euphratica and other vegetation destroyed in large areas, so that people tasted the hardships of the sand. Since 90s of the 20th century, the gust of Bayinguoleng Mongol Autonomous Prefecture has an average of more than 8 days per year, with a gigantic dust storms of more than 20 times. Each year, about 250,000 mu of farmland are affected.