Variation in plant composition along a gradient of increasing distance from wells in a mountain steppe in southern Mongolia

Authors

  • Temuulen Ulziibadrakh National University of Mongolia, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
  • Bayarsaikhan Uudus National University of Mongolia, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1303-4739
  • Purevjav Lkhagvajav Snow Leopard Conservation Foundation, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
  • Justine Shanti Alexander Snow Leopard Trust, Seattle, USA and University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
  • Örjan Johansson Snow Leopard Trust, Seattle, USA and Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9977-0405
  • Koustubh Sharma Snow Leopard Trust, Seattle, USA and Snow Leopard Foundation, Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7301-441X
  • Gustaf Samelius Snow Leopard Trust, Seattle, USA and Nordens Ark, Hunnebostrand, Sweden https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1067-9796

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.56510/slr.v2.12904

Keywords:

desert steppe, livestock grazing, plant composition, South Gobi

Abstract

Habitat degradation and heavy grazing by livestock are common conservation challenges across the steppes of Mongolia and Central Asia. Livestock grazing patterns are generally not uniform and are typically greater near campsites and watering holes. In this study, we examined how plant composition in a mountain steppe in southern Mongolia varied along a gradient of increasing distance from wells. We found that the cover and average height of Ephedera prezewalskii increased with increasing distance from the wells whereas soil chemistry and the other variables of plant composition that we examined were similar along the gradient of increasing distance from the wells. These results suggest relatively limited impact of livestock grazing on plant composition in our study. However, our study was limited in space and time and further studies are needed to understand the impact of livestock grazing in this mountain steppe in southern Mongolia.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

Downloads

Published

2023-08-29

How to Cite

Ulziibadrakh, T., Uudus, B., Lkhagvajav, P., Alexander, J. S., Johansson, Örjan, Sharma, K., & Samelius, G. (2023). Variation in plant composition along a gradient of increasing distance from wells in a mountain steppe in southern Mongolia. Snow Leopard Reports, 2. https://doi.org/10.56510/slr.v2.12904

Issue

Section

Research Notes