Editing Turpan Depression (section)

==Vegetation and agriculture==
[[File:Txu-oclc-6654394-nk-45-3rd-ed.jpg|left|thumb|Map including the Turfan Depression (labeled as T'U-LU-FAN P'EN-TI) (1975)]]
[[Image:Turpan-calles-d01.jpg|thumb|250px|Qingnian Lu, a [[Turpan]] city street shaded by grapevine [[Trellis (architecture)|trellises]] in China's [[Grape Valley]]]]
On the shores of [[Ayding Lake|Aydingkol Lake]], reeds, [[tamarix|tamarisks]], [[Haloxylon|saxauls]], as well as other shrubs and weeds can be found. Away from sources of water, the Turpan Basin is not covered by vegetation. Consequently, agriculture is limited to oasis and depends on a sophisticated irrigation system known as the ''[[Turpan water system|Karez System]]''. The irrigation water comes from the surrounding mountain ranges, in particular from the annual melting of the snow. The Karez System consists of wells, underground channels, ground canals, and small reservoirs, which use the natural slope of the terrain to sustain the water flow and guide the water right to the plants while minimizing evaporation all along the way. The historical record of the system extends back to the [[Han dynasty]]. The number of Karez systems in the area is slightly below one thousand and the total length of the canals is about {{convert|5000|km|abbr=on}} in length. The Karez System is therefore considered one of the three great ancient projects in China along with the [[Great Wall of China|Great Wall]] and the [[Grand Canal (China)|Grand Canal]]. Recently, development of groundwater through tubewells has led to a general fall in water tables, and many karez systems have failed. Farming in the Turpan Basin is particularly famous for its fruit. Because of the dry and hot conditions, the fruits grown in the depression have very high concentrations of sugar. They are traditionally processed by drying in open drying barns. The cultivated fruit include: [[Morus (plant)|mulberry]], [[peach]], [[apricot]], [[apple]], [[pomegranate]], [[pear]], [[ficus|fig]], [[walnut]], as well as [[grape]]s, [[watermelon]]s and [[true melon]]s. Among the fruit, the grapes stand out: more than 100 varieties of grape are cultivated in the area and it accounts for 90% of China's seedless grape crop. Other specialty agricultural products of the region are Donghu [[Hami melon]]s and [[Gossypium hirsutum|long-staple cotton]].