Climate change impact of land cover changes in the Kharhiraa-Turgen mountain region
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.5564/mgs.v30i61.3866Keywords:
grassland, bare soil, wetland, precipitation, temperatureAbstract
The study region experiences marked seasonal climatic contrasts, primarily influenced by the Central Asian anticyclone during winter and the South Asian continental depression in summer. The Mongolian Altai Mountains serve as a significant orographic barrier, further shaping local climatic patterns. Although spatial variability in precipitation is relatively limited, the steady increase in temperature-exacerbated in recent decades by global climate change - has intensified climatic differentiation across the region. This warming trend contributes to growing heterogeneity in environmental conditions and landscape processes, underscoring the area’s heightened sensitivity to ongoing climatic shifts. The aim was to illustrate climate and land cover shifts in the Kharkhiraa-Turgen mountain region using Landsat satellite data at a spatial scale. Temporally, changes were assessed between 2002 and 2021 at five-year intervals. By 2021, grassland coverage dominated the landscape, occupying 46.1% of the land cover, an increase of 1.9% from 2015. Conversely, bare land decreased from 37.2% in 2000 to 30.2% in 2021, while wetlands along riverbeds expanded from 14.35% in 2000 to 17.5% in 2021. In January 2000, the average air temperature was -20.5°C, compared to -18°C in January 2021, reflecting a 2.5°C increase. July temperatures rose from 16.2°C in 2000 to 17.4°C in 2021, a 1.19°C change. Summer precipitation in 2021 (151 mm) surpassed that of 2015 (70.1 mm), 2010 (118.3 mm), 2005 (106.9 mm), and 2000 (96.5 mm), indicating a relative increase in precipitation in the area. The prevalence of bare soil in the region is closely associated with the mountainous terrain, steep slopes, and patterns of soil erosion. Harsh climatic conditions further exacerbate rock exposure and hinder soil stabilization. Rainfall predominantly runs off the surface rather than infiltrating, which, in turn, facilitates the development of wetlands and water bodies in certain areas.
Downloads
91
References
Amarjargal, S., Sainbuyan, B., HugejliteTu, J., Narangerel, B., Sainbayar, D., Shiirev-Adiya, S. 2017. Land cover change in Mongolia-2001, 2015. Geography and Geoecological issue in Mongolia, Special edition, vol. 2017(1), p. 186-194. (in Mongolian)
Batkhishig, O. 2016. Soil classification of Mongolia-2016. Mongolian Journal of Soil Science, Vol 3(1), p. 18-31 (in Mongolian)
Burkett, V.R, Suarez, A.G, Bindi, M., Conde, C., Mukerji, R., Prather, M.J., St. Clair, A.L., Yohe, G.W. 2014. Point of departure. In: Field, C.B., Barros, V.R., Dokken, D.J., Mach, K.J., Mastrandrea, M.D., Bilir, T.E., Chatterjee, M., Ebi, K.L., Estrada, Y.O., Genova, R.C., Girma, B., Kissel, E.S, Levy, A.N., MacCracken, S., Mastrandrea, P.R., White, L.L. (eds) Climate change 2014: impacts, adaptation, and vulnerability. Part A: Global and sectoral aspects. Contribution of working group II to the fifth assessment report of the intergovernmental panel on climate change. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, UK/New York, p. 169-194. https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9781107415379.006
Caballero, I., Roman, A., Tovar-Sanchez, A., Navarro, G. 2022. Water quality monitoring with Sentinel-2 and Landsat-8 satellites during the 2021 volcanic eruption in La Palma (Canary Islands). Science of The Total Environment, vol. 822, 153433. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.153433
Cabello, J., Paruelo, J.M. 2009. Remote sensing in ecological studies. Ecosystems, vol. 17(3), p. 1-3. (in Spanish)
Dash, D. 2009. The place of the Mongolian Altai in the system of physical geographical zoning of Mongolia and the features of its differentiation: International conference on natural conditions, history and culture of western Mongolia and adjacent regions, 9th, Khovd. Proceedings, p. 65-71 (In Mongolian)
Dash, D. 2015. Landscape-ecological problems of Mongolia. 3rd edition, Ulaanbaatar, Admon Print LLC, https://www.geoforum.mn/mn/103/0/15
Davis, E., Trant, A., Hermanutz, L., Way, R.G., Lewkowicz, A.G., Collier, L.S., Cuerrier, A., Whitaker, D. 2020. Plant–Environment Interactions in the Low Arctic Torngat Mountains of Labrador. Ecosystems vol. 24, p. 1038–1058. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10021-020-00577-6
Doljin, D and Yembuu, B. 2021. Division of the physiographic and natural regions in Mongolia. In: Yembuu, B. (eds) The Physical Geography of Mongolia. Geography of the Physical Environment. Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-61434-8_10
Duyck, P.F., Dortal, E., Tixier, P., Vinatier, F., Loubana, P.M., Chabrier, C., Queneherve, P. 2012. Niche partitioning based on soil type and climate at the landscape scale in a community of plant-feeding nematodes. Soil Biology and Biochemistry, vol. 44(1), p. 49-55. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.soilbio.2011.09.014
Enkhbold, A., Khukhuudei, U., Seong, Y.B., Gonchigjav, Y., Dingjun, L., Ganbold, B. 2024. Geomorphological study of the origin of Mongolian Altai Mountains Lake depressions: implications for the relationships between tectonic and glacial processes. Mongolian Geoscientist, vol. 29(58), p. 1-18. https://doi.org/10.5564/mgs.v29i58.3237
Hartmann, D.L., Klein Tank, A.M.G., Rusticucci, M., Alexander, L.V., Brönnimann, S., Charabi, Y., Dentener, F.J., Dlugokencky, E.J., Easterling, D.R., Kaplan, A., Soden, B.J., Thorne, P.W., Wild, M., Zhai, P.M. 2013. Observations: Atmosphere and Surface. In: Stocker, T.F., Qin, D., Plattner, G.-K., Tignor, M., Allen, S.K., Boschung, J., Nauels, A., Xia, Y., Bex, V., Midgley, P.M. (eds.) Climate Change 2013: The Physical Science Basis. Contribution of Working Group I to the Fifth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, United Kingdom and New York, NY, USA, p. 159-254. https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9781107415324.008
Jia, G., Shevliakova, E., Artaxo, P., De Noblet-Ducoudré, N., Houghton, R., House, J., Kitajima, K., Lennard, C., Popp, A., Sirin, A., Sukumar, R., Verchot, L. 2019. Land–climate interactions. In: Shukla, P.R., Skea, J., Calvo Buendia, E., Masson-Delmotte, V., Pörtner, H.-O., Roberts, D.C., Zhai, P., Slade, R., Connors, S., van Diemen, R., Ferrat, M., Haughey, S., Luz, S., Neogi, M., Pathak, J., Petzold, J., Portugal Pereira, P., Vyas, E., Huntley, E., Kissick, K., Belkacemi, M., Malley, J. (eds.) Climate Change and Land: an IPCC special report on climate change, desertification, land degradation, sustainable land management, food security, and greenhouse gas fluxes in terrestrial ecosystems. 118 p. https://doi.org/10.1017/9781009157988.004
Johnson, D.L., Lewis, L.A. 2007. Land Degradation: Creation and Destruction. Second edition. New York, USA: Rowman and Littlefield publishers, p. 318. https://books.google.mn/
Lars, H. 2007. Assessing the Costs of Land Degradation: A Case Study for the Puentes Catchment, Southeast Spain. Land Degradation and Development, vol. 18(6) p. 631-642 https://doi.org/10.1002/ldr.802
Minelli, S. 2018. Default data: methods and interpretation-A guidance document for 2018 UNCCD reporting. United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification. France. https://policycommons.net/artifacts/1983874/default-data/2735639/
Namkhaijantsan, G. 2009. Climate zones of Mongolia. In: Dorjgotov, D. (ed.) National Atlas of Mongolia, Institute of Geography, Mongolian Academy of Sciences, Ulaanbaatar, p. 110-111.
Perminova, T., Sirina, N., Laratte, B., Baranovskaya, N., Rikhvanov, L. 2016. Methods for Land Use Impact Assessment: A Review. Environmental Impact Assessment Review, vol. 60, p. 64–74. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eiar.2016.02.002
Tsedevdorj, S. 2019. Main characteristics of the landscape of the Mongol Altai Mountain Ridge and issues of its conservation and use. Ph.D. thesis, Mongolian National University of Education, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, p. 78-91 (in Mongolian)
Tsedevdorj, S. 2021. Glaciers of Mongolia. In: Yembuu, B. (eds) The Physical Geography of Mongolia. Geography of the Physical Environment. Springer, p. 101-117. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-61434-8_6
Tsegmid, Sh. 1969. Physical Geography оf Mongolia. State Publisher Committee, Ulaanbaatar, 405 p.
Tsogtbaatar, J., Khudulmur, S. (eds.) 2013. Desertification Atlas of Mongolia. Institute of Geoecology, Mongolian Academy of Sciences and Environmental Information Centre, Ministry of Environment and Green Development, Admon Printiung, Ulaanbaatar. p. 10-13. (English and Mongolian).
Vlek, P.L.G, Le, Q.B., Tamene, L. 2010. Assessment of Land Degradation, Its Possible Causes and Threat to Food Security in Sub-Saharan Africa. In: Lal, R., Stewart, B.A. (eds) Food Security and Soil Quality, 30 p. https://doi.org/10.1201/EBK1439800577-4
Yembuu, B. 2021. Climate and climate change of Mongolia. In: Yembuu, B. (eds) The Physical Geography of Mongolia. Geography of the Physical Environment. Springer, pp. 51-76 https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-61434-8_4
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2025 Ser-Od Tsedevdorj, Tsogbadral Khurelbaatar, Uuganbat Ganbold, Gansukh Yadamsuren, Amgalan Avkhinsukh, Battulga Erkhembayar, Weiqing Zhang, Altanbold Enkhbold
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Copyright on any research article in the Mongolian Geoscientist is retained by the author(s).
The authors grant the Mongolian Geoscientist a license to publish the article and identify itself as the original publisher.
Articles in the Mongolian Geoscientist are Open Access articles published under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License CC BY.
This license permits use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
