Assessment of biotic and abiotic factors controlling herbaceous biodiversity in Mongolian steppes |
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| Affiliation: | 1. Institute of Botany, Mongolian Academy of Sciences, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia;2. Department of Environmental Science, Kangwon National University, Chuncheon, Republic of Korea;3. Department of Forest Environmental Systems, Kookmin University, Seoul, Republic of Korea;1. Assistant Professor, Graduate School of Frontier Sciences, University of Tokyo, Kashiwa, Chiba 277-8653, Japan;2. Postdoctoral Researcher, Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, University of Tokyo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8657, Japan;3. Assistant Professor, Graduate School of Agricultural Science, Tohoku University, Osaki, Miyagi 989-6711, Japan.;1. U.S. Geological Survey, Southwest Biological Science Center, Rm. 123, University of Arizona, 1110 E. So. Campus Drive, Tucson, AZ 85719, United States;2. U.S. Geological Survey, Core Science Analytics and Synthesis, Denver Federal Center Bldg. 810, Lakewood, CO 80225, United States;3. U.S. Geological Survey, USA National Phenology Network, 1955 E 6th St., Tucson, AZ 85721, United States;4. NOAA Fisheries Service, Office of Science and Technology, 1315 East West Highway, Silver Spring, MD 20910, United States;1. Office of Environment and Heritage New South Wales, PO Box 5336, Wagga Wagga, NSW 2650, Australia;2. Fenner School of Environment and Society, The Australian National University, Frank Fenner Building, Linnaeus Way, Acton, ACT 2601, Australia;3. Office of Environment and Heritage New South Wales, University of New England, PO Box U221, Armidale, NSW 2351, Australia;4. School of Environmental and Rural Science, University of New England, Armidale, NSW 2351, Australia |
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| Abstract: | Spatial patterns of herbaceous biodiversity in Mongolia steppe were examined and explained with biotic and abiotic factors including climate, livestock grazing, and fire disturbance. Vegetation data were collected from 63 sites across different steppe types (i.e., semi-desert, typical, and forb steppes) in 2012 and 2013. Three categorical (three steppe types, burned or not, grazed or not) and three continuous variables (precipitation, vegetation productivity, site-camp distance) were developed from national climate and GIS database of Mongolia and two satellite sensor products: Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) precipitation and June-to-August accumulated Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVIJJA). The prescribed factors were utilized to examine single- and multiple-factor effects on biodiversity and community structure, by using correlation, stepwise multiple regression analysis, and ordination. Our results indicate the positive effect of precipitation and fire but negative effect of grazing on biodiversity in our study region. Localized herding effect was recognized to areas less than 1.5 km away from the herder's camp sites. Fire, precipitation and productivity (NDVIJJA) were identified as important factors affecting biodiversity of remote regions. Based on the results, we infer that pastureland biodiversity of Mongolia is controlled by region-scale variations of climate and vegetation productivity, but locally modified by intensive livestock grazing pressure with different grazing sensitivity for different steppe types. |
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