科尔沁沙化-自然因素
科尔沁地区很多沙地本身早就存在。当雨水丰沛的时候，呈现为草地的形式；严重干旱的时候，以沙地的形式存在。在生物的作用下，始终保持着动态平衡。
土
内蒙古草原地区（如科尔沁）的土壤母质大多数都是河湖沉积物，特点为砂质，颗粒较大，结构松散。而地表的一层富含有机质的土壤，就是在偏沙的母质上发育而来的，很薄，也很脆弱。这种质地的土壤，本身就极容易沙化。
水
内蒙古地区大部分年降水少于400mm，分布非常不均衡，导致土壤表层无法快速的形成生物保护，自身也无法形成稳固粘连的结构。
风
风是沙化的主要侵蚀动力，大风会把土壤中的颗粒从土壤结构中剥离，颗粒在运动过程中产生的力量，会进一步溅射起更多的颗粒，然后逐步形成大面积的运动。内蒙古几乎是全年季风，尤其是3-5月的春季风速最大。
科尔沁沙化-社会因素
农业文化北上，导致内蒙古在农耕与过牧的双重打击下不断沙化。从大历史角度看，在以规模为基准的农业文明模式下，内蒙古地区地沙化是浪潮下的必然。
游牧 vs 半定居
清朝立国以来，对蒙古采用了旗县形式的分割，并严格禁止跨旗游牧，使牧民固定居住的进程加快。同时过多的贵族及关联的寄生人口，迫使底层牧民在粗放的技术条件下，进一步在小区域内过度放牧。
垦荒
建国以来，在经历了人民公社及文革的冲击下，垦荒起到了毁灭性的破坏作用，这依然是农业式的发展思路。
土地改革
1989年土地改革后，虽然牧民拥有了草场使用权，但面对市场化大潮和激烈的竞争，牧民无法短期内提高生产技术，只能简单地扩大规模，造成更大面积地开垦。
Background
About the organization, project and area
Desertification in Korqin - Natural Factors
Sandy lands have existed in Korqin area for a long time. When rainfall was sufficient, they were grasslands; when climate was dry, they turned into sand dunes. The natural factors played an important role in the dynamic changes.
Soil
Most of the soil parent materials in Inner Mongolia grassland (i.e. Korqin) is lake sediments, typically sandy, granular and loosely structured. On the surface of land, the layer containing organic matter is developed from these sandy soil parent materials. The layer is thin and fragile. This type of soil is naturally prone to desertification.
Water
The rainfalls in most area of Inner Mongolia is below 400 mm, and extremely unevenly distributed. This affects the soil surface, holding it back from forming biological shield or turning to solid and adhesive structure.
Wind
Wind is the main source of soil erosion dynamic. Soil particles are taken from soil structure by wind. The motion produces force, and the force splashes more particles. It becomes large scale. In Inner Mongolia, monsoon is almost all year around, especially in spring from March to May, when the wind speed is at highest level.
Desertification in Korqin-Social Factors
The agriculture came to the northern areas. Inner Mongolia is burdened by farming and overgrazing, leading to desertification. From macro historical perspective, desertification is inevitable in Inner Mongolia, since agriculture model depends on scales.
Nomadism vs Semi-nomadism
In Qing dynasty, the kingdom divided Mogolia into Qixian, and forbade residents to graze across Qi. This urged normads to settle down in one place. Meanwhile, the population of lords and relatives was growing. With poor technical conditions, the normads were forced to to graze in limited areas.
Land Reclamation
After 1949, land reclamation exploded during People's Commune and Culture Revolution. Reclamation damaged the land. The development back then was still agriculture model.
Land Revolution
After 1989 land revolution, the nomads have the right to use the grassland. But with competitive marketing, normads were not able to develop technology in short term. They had to simply extensively cultivate the land.
