Study on Utilization Status of Soil Resources in Shangri-la Gorge,Southwest Yunnan

The characteristics and utilization status of the soils,and the impacts of different utilization on ecosystem in Shangri-la Gorge were discussed.The results showed that there was a rich diversity of soil types in the gorge area with high clay and nutrient contents.The present soil formation in Shangri-la is mainly in organic matter accumulation process under cold alpine environment.The average content of organic matter is high and this index of the subsoil below 20 cm still reaches 7.3%.The average content of organic matter in surface soil dropped to 2.9% from 12.1% after cropping though the utilization of the land is limited by the cold climate in the gorge area.The same index of abandoned cropland dropped to about 20% of the contrast.Overgrazing,natural disturbance such as forest fire also caused reduction of nutrient content of the soil.Some protective measures and related tactics for sustainable utilization of the soil fertility in Shangri-la Gorge area are put forward based on understanding of the soil degradation and the ecological fragility of the soil.