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Since 1962 the Desert Institute of the former Academy of Science of the USSR has been conducting research work in the arid and semi-arid zones of central Asia. This outstanding experience in desert and desertification problems, and the possibilities of sustainable land use under difficult environmental conditions is summarized here. The book also gives an overview of the Institute´s consulting work within the framework of international projects. This is the first publication allowing readers outside the Russian-speaking world to obtain concise information about the specific constraints and development possibilities of central Asian drylands.

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Introduction.- The Natural Conditions of Central Asian Deserts.- People in Deserts.- Population and Settlement.- Desertification, its Consequences and Control Strategy.- The Monitoring and Forecast of Desertification Processes.- Genetic Types of Deserts of Central Asia.- The Mapping of Desertification Processes.- The Technology of Desert Pasture Improvement.- Agrometeorological Foundations for Predication of Pasture Yields.- Modeling the Development of Desert-Pastural Cattle Breeding.- Plant Growing on Near-Oasis Sands.- The Fixation of Drifting Sands.- Plant Development of Takyr Soils.- The Reclamation of Saline Soils.- Precipitation Use.- Technology of Making Lenses of Fresh Underground Water in Desert.- The Use of Drainage Waters.- The Drinking Water Supply.- The Application of Solar and Wind Energy.- The Problems of the Aral and Caspian Seas.- The Repetek International Biosphere Reserve.- International Cooperation in Desertification Control.- The Consulting Experience of the Desert Institute.

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