Uzbekistan: Rehabilitation of Desert Rangelands Affected by Salinity, to Improve Food Security, Combat Desertification and Maintain the Natural Resource Base - Combating Desertification in Asia, Africa and the Middle East - page 236

Chapter 13
Uzbekistan: Rehabilitation of Desert Rangelands
Affected by Salinity, to Improve Food Security,
Combat Desertification and Maintain
the Natural Resource Base
K.N. Toderich, E.V. Shuyskaya, T.F. Rajabov, Shoaib Ismail, M. Shaumarov,
Kawabata Yoshiko, and E.V. Li
Synopsis The chapter describes briefly the two key land degradation problems
faced by Uzbekistan (i) widespread loss of rangeland productivity and stability,
including loss of biodiversity and invasion by unpalatable and/or invasive species
and (ii) problems associated with rising saline water tables and land abandonment.
Results of research on vegetation distribution along salinity gradients, and
evaluation of some indicators of salt tolerance are reported. The outcome of the
screening of many plant species, herbs, shrubs and trees and the development of
agro-silvi pastoral systems as a means of rehabilitating degraded land and improving