| The ecological environment is deteriorating in the arid areas of northwest China.However, the speed and degree of ecological environment deterioration in Heihe River Basin are particularly obvious. The paper analyzes the present status and main characteristics of ecological environment deterioration in Heihe River Basin, that is, the desertification of land is aggravating, the oasis is shrinking, the rivers and lakes are drying up;the underground water table becomes lowered, the water quality becomes worsened, etc.It is suggested that water condition is the major driving factor of causing ecosystem change in Heihe River Basin, and simultaneously, the climate changes aggravate the process and severity of ecological environment deterioration to some extent.Therefore, in order to protect the fragile eco-environment in Heihe River Basin, more attentions should be paid to the research of water problems.The most important aspect is to bring forth new ideas of solving water problems and implement virtual water strategy besides adjusting the planting structure, vigorously developing water-saving agriculture, enhancing the management of water resources, popularizing water-saving awareness and so on. |