VEGETATION CHANGES OF THE TAIHANG MOUNTAINS SINCE THE LAST GLACIAL

The vegetation of the Taihang Mountains was dominated by grass with less than 10% forested area during the last pleniglacial. During the period of 17000-10000 a B.P. the forested area reached to 20%-30% , and reached to 20%-40% during the Early Holocene in the period of 10000-8000 a B.P. followed by the temperature increasing rapidly. But the northern part had more forested area than that of the southern part. During the period of 8000-5000 a B.P. forests developed further to 50% or more. It was the highest period of the forest cover degree. After then, the forests began to be destroyed first in the southern part of the Taihang Mountains by people. Since 2500 a B.P. the forests were destroyed deadly. The forest cover decreased to less than 5% before 1949. Since 1949 , although the government hold the policy of close hillsides to facilitate afforestation, the forest cover of Taihang Mountains could not exceed 11.6% . So afforestation is an important work to keep economic and ecological sustainable development.