Applying a dryland degradation framework for rangelands: the case of Mongolia

Abstract

Abstract. Livestock-caused rangeland degradation remains a major policy concern globally and the subject of widespread scientific study. This concern persists in part because it is difficult to isolate the effects of livestock from climate and other factors that influence ecosystem conditions. Further, degradation studies seldom use multiple plant and soil indicators linked to a clear definition of and ecologically grounded framework for degradation assessment that distinguishes different levels of degradation. Here, we integrate two globally applicable rangeland degradation frameworks and apply them to a broad-scale empirical data set for the country of Mongolia. We compare our assessment results with two other recent national rangeland degradation assessments in Mongolia to gauge consistency of findings across assessments and evaluate the utility of our framework. We measured livestock-use impacts across Mongolia's major ecological zones: mountain and forest steppe, eastern steppe, steppe, and desert steppe. At 143 sites in 36 counties, we measured livestock-use and degradation indicators at increasing distances from livestock corrals in winter-grazed pastures. At each site, we measured multiple indicators linked to our degradation framework, including plant cover, standing biomass, palatability, species richness, forage quality, vegetation gaps, and soil surface characteristics. Livestock use had no effect on soils, plant species richness, or standing crop biomass in any ecological zone, but subtly affected plant cover and palatable plant abundance. Livestock effects were strongest in the steppe zone, moderate in the desert steppe, and limited in the mountain/forest and eastern steppes. Our results aligned closely with those of two other recent country-wide assessments, suggesting that our framework may have widespread application. All three assessments found that very severe and irreversible degradation is rare in Mongolia (1-18% of land area), with most rangelands slightly (33-53%) or moderately (25-40%) degraded. We conclude that very severe livestock-induced rangeland degradation is overstated in Mongolia. However, targeted rangeland restoration coupled with monitoring, adaptive management and stronger rangeland governance are needed to prevent further degradation where heavy grazing could cause irreversible change. Given the broad applicability of our degradation framework for Mongolia, we suggest it be tested for application in other temperate grasslands throughout Central Asia and North America.

Plant community change in three Mongolian steppe ecosystems 1994–2013: applications to state‐and‐transition models

“…Our results are consistent with Jamsranjav et al. 's ( In press ) findings that grazing plays a more important role in determining plant species composition in the ST compared to other zones. In the ST, several communities associated with higher grazing intensities existed in 1994 or 1995 (Fig.…”

“…Although recent nation‐wide rangeland assessments (NAMEM and MEGDT ) and observational studies (Jamsranjav et al. In press ) have shed light on the current status of Mongolia's rangelands, little long‐term monitoring exists across ecological zones to clarify the interacting effects of grazing and climate change on these systems. This 20‐yr observational study of plant community composition and change helps distinguish states that are associated with heavy grazing, and which have persisted for over 20 yr (e.g., ST communities 3 and 5), from those that represent potential reference conditions (e.g., ST communities 1 and 2), and have shifted in composition due to increasing temperature, declining moisture for plant growth (SPEI), high grazing intensity, or a combination of these factors.…”

“…Jamsranjav et al. (In press) found that grazing plays a more important role in determining vegetation composition in the ST zone compared to other zones. These findings from Mongolia's MS and ST zone mirror those from similar systems globally, including the STs of Inner Mongolia (Zhang et al.…”

Opportunities to integrate herders’ indicators into formal rangeland monitoring: an example from Mongolia

“…, Jamsranjav et al. ). ST herders’ observations align with these findings, as they saw rainfall as the main cause of healthy rangelands, and perceived overgrazing as the main driver of degradation.…”

“…, NAMEM and MEGDT , Jamsranjav et al. ), though much of the affected area could recover within 5 yr with improved grazing management and typical rainfall (NAMEM and MEGDT ). The combined effects of increased grazing pressure, changing spatial patterns of grazing, and decreased plant‐available moisture suggest that Mongolian rangelands are at risk and rangeland assessment and monitoring tied to local, regional, and national rangeland management decision‐making is urgently needed.…”