Environmental Changes in the Mongolian Altai During the Holocene

Edge and land-use effects on epiphytic lichen diversity in the forest-steppe ecotone of the Mongolian Altai

“…Annual precipitation in the study area is roughly assessed to amount to 250-300 mm at 2000 m a.s.l. (Rudaya et al, 2008) with a clear peak in summer. Mean July temperatures are in the range of 12-15 • C, whereas January temperatures are estimated to be around −24 to −25 • C (Rudaya et al, 2008).…”

“…(Rudaya et al, 2008) with a clear peak in summer. Mean July temperatures are in the range of 12-15 • C, whereas January temperatures are estimated to be around −24 to −25 • C (Rudaya et al, 2008). Geologically the Mongolian Altai is dominated by siliceous rock, including granite and schist.…”

“…Thus, vegetation has been subject to human land use since millennia. People in this region are thought to have started to make their living as pastoral nomads between 2000 and 3000 years ago (Novgorodova, 1989;Rudaya et al, 2008), a subsistence strategy that is pursued by most of the population until today. This lifestyle includes housing in traditional nomad tents (gers) and an extensive system of livestock breeding where different kinds of animals search appropriate pastures throughout the year by themselves without or with only little additional feeding even during winter (Bazargur, 2002;Janzen, 2005).…”

Ice records provide new insights into climatic vulnerability of Central Asian forest and steppe communities

“…The central position of the Altai Mountains between the vast Siberian Taiga forests in the north and the Gobi desert in the south results in a steep climatic and vegetation gradient with fragmented and diverse habitats including many rare and endemic species (Rudaya et al, 2008).…”

“…Their natural resources such as forests, productive grasslands, and fresh water sources have attracted Central Asian nomadic groups since centuries (Rudaya et al, 2008). In recent years, these ecotonal mountain steppe ecosystems experienced rapid degradation through overgrazing, systematic logging, dead wood collecting and human-set fires (Tsogtbaatar, 2004;Dulamsuren et al, 2014).…”