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Sustainable Development Of Agriculture In Karst Areas, South China, Linhua Song

International Journal of Speleology

The exposed carbonate rocks aged from Sinian to Mid-Triassic Periods cover an area of 500,000 km² in south-west China. In karst areas with spectacular landscapes characterized by magnificent tower karst and conical karst, rare surface drainage systems and prevalent subsurface drainage systems, the environment is ecologically very fragile. The rapid increase of population, over deforested and cultivated lands, worsted the ecological system, causing a higher frequency of draught, flood and various disasters, backward economic development, low living standard of the people. In order to improve the sustainability of the agriculture the experience shows that the following operations should be …