Rejuvenation promotes greater diversity across mountain slopes

Ten years ago, a lack of grass on the lower slopes of Qilian Mountain in Qinghai province meant herder Majig had to drive all his sheep and yaks to higher ground.

The local people, residents of Yeniugou village, Qilian county, called the sandy, almost barren, low-lying land the "black soil shoal". Rat holes could be seen everywhere, but few other animals inhabited the environmentally fragile area.

Now, the pastures are expanding and livestock numbers are rising. That is thanks to central government efforts to restore the deserted dune, which was mostly lush grassland before widespread environmental degradation began in the 1950s.