The Black Gobi Desert baseline survey expedition team successfully completed the comprehensive investigation on the geology and landform, meteorology, water resources, soil, flora and fauna and remote sensing in the major Black Gobi Desert regions of Gansu Province, Xinjiang Autonomous Region and Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region on October 23rd 2011 after 13 days of 3,300 km field voyage. The expedition is composed of 32 experts from 7 institutions i.e. Institute of Desertification Study, CAF; Cold and Arid Region Environmental and Engineering Research Institute, CAS; Beijing Forestry University; National Meteorological Center of China Meteorology Administration; Shandong Agriculture University as well as CAF’s Research Institute of Forestry and that of Forest Ecology, Environment and Protection.

It has been the first scientific expedition for China to launch such systematic and comprehensive ecological baseline survey in the Black Gobi Desert regions. The survey team consists of several research subjects groups, namely, the geology and landform, remote sensing, meteorology, water resources, soil, zoology, plant and the general coordination group. Each group took samples from the typical distribution areas. The basic characteristics and the rules of distribution of geology and landform, climate, water resources, hydrology, soil and the flora and fauna had been inclusively generated

The Black Gobi Desert baseline survey expedition has laid a solid foundation to set up the Gobi classification reference and to delineate the connotation and definition as well as to deepen the Gobi research. Moreover, it has provided scientific data for West Region Development and ecological environment improvement decision-making. Meanwhile, the expedition will reinforce the rational use of regional resources in Dunhuang Region of Gansu Province and the nature and culture conservation to strive for a sustainable development. Particularly, the baseline survey provides valuable information for the protection of Dunhuang oasis and that of Mogao Grottoes, which is the world culture heritage.

Gobi desert is the main landform type in China’s northwest arid region. According to the fourth desertification monitoring data by the State Forestry Administration, it scatters in an area of 661,000 km2, which accounts for 6.9% of the national territories.

China had not carried out any comprehensive and systematic ecological baseline survey until the present expedition due to the abominable nature conditions and desolation. It was impeding to do so. The Black Gobi Desert refers to an 200,000 km2 areas that covers to the East from Ejina River bordering Gansu Province and Xinjiang Autonomous Region, to the North of China and Mongolia demarcation mountain, to the South of the west section of the corridor west of Yellow River and to the West of east section of Tianshan Mountain. The Black Gobi is one of the main Gobi desert type and distributed in the desolation region where has been the significant district for railways, highways and mineral excavations.

China Black Gobi Desert Field Survey Expedition Routes