The prairie in northern China began to enter the withering period.

The grassland Supervision Center of the Ministry of Agriculture monitored and analyzed the withered and yellow forage grass in northern China by means of satellite remote sensing, ground observation and meteorological data analysis. The results show that as of September 20, about 60% of the grasslands in northern China have been withered and yellow.

I. vegetation status

According to satellite remote sensing monitoring and ground observation, with the decrease of air temperature and the increase of temperature difference between day and night since late August, grassland in China has entered the withering period of forage grass from north to south and from high altitude to low altitude. As of September 20, about 60% of the grassland vegetation in northern China has been withered and yellow, and the grassland vegetation in the high-altitude areas of the south has also shown a withered and yellow trend, and the withering period of forage grass is roughly the same as that of the whole year. Among them, the grass in northern Xinjiang and central and western Inner Mongolia entered the withering period 7-15 days earlier than usual, and in some parts of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, the withered period was delayed by 7-10 days. It is expected that most of the northern grasslands will completely enter the withering period in mid-late October.

From the perspective of the main pastoral areas: Xinjiang grasslands have entered the withering period one after another since late August. Due to the influence of summer drought and early cooling, the time for northern Xinjiang grasslands to enter the withering period is 10 to 15 days earlier than usual, and the withering rate of pasture vegetation near Tianshan has reached more than 80 percent. The grassland of Inner Mongolia has gradually entered the withering period from east to west since the beginning of September, the herbaceous herbage in the central and western regions entered the yellow withering period about 10 days ahead of schedule due to the early drought, and the shrub grassland is expected to enter the withering period in the middle of October. Sichuan grasslands began to turn yellow from north to south in early September, from high altitude to low altitude. At present, the withering rate of grasslands in high altitude areas of Aba Prefecture and northern Ganzi Prefecture is about 80%, and that of low sea pull areas is about 40%. Liangshan Prefecture began to wither and yellow one after another in mid-late September, with a yellowing rate of about 25%. The withered grassland in Gansu shows a pattern that the withered yellow in the west is obviously earlier than that in the east, and that in the Gannan Plateau is earlier than that in the Loess Plateau. The withering rate in the eastern part of the Hexi Corridor is about 30%, and the withered rate in the central and western grasslands is 50% and 90%. From the southwest to the northeast in early September, Qinghai grassland gradually entered the withering period from high altitude to low altitude, and the withering period was about 10 days later than usual. Xizang grassland gradually entered the withering period from high altitude to low altitude in early September. At present, the yellowing rate is more than 70% in high altitude areas and about 30% in low altitude areas. Generally speaking, the time of entering the withering period in low altitude areas in the east is 7-10 days later than usual.

II. Late situation analysis and suggestions

In October, with the rapid decrease of temperature, the grasslands in northern China will turn yellow one after another. It is suggested that according to the current situation of grassland forage, all localities should make rational arrangements for animal husbandry production, pay close attention to the work of forage reserve and transportation, reasonably arrange livestock out of the pen, ensure that livestock survive the winter safely, and that grassland forage grass is withered and dry, and the fire danger level of grassland is greatly increased. All localities should earnestly strengthen the work of grassland fire prevention.

Fig. 1 temperature anomaly from September 11 to September 20, 2014 (℃)

Fig. 2 withered and yellow grasslands in mid-September 2014

(the yellow area in the red circle is in advance, and the yellow area in the blue circle is delayed.)

Fig. 3 grassland in Wenquan County, Xinjiang

Fig. 4 grassland of Bole City, Xinjiang

Fig. 5 grassland in Gangcha County, Qinghai Province

Fig. 6 grassland in Tianzhu County, Gansu Province

Fig. 7 grassland of Hulunbuir City, Inner Mongolia

Fig. 8 grassland of Naiman Banner, Inner Mongolia

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