February 19, 2013

MONGOLIA’S ECOREGIONS

from: Encyclopedia of Earth:

<<An ecoregion is a contiguous area characterized by well-defined similarity in flora and fauna as well as geomorphology, climate and soils; ecoregions are generally relatively large geographic units on the order of 50,000 square kilometers or more. Ecoregions may be terrestrial or marine, and do not recognize any political boundaries or landscape alterations by humans. Generally an ecoregion is depicted by a geographic descriptor coupled with a biome identity, further articulating one or more specific climatic or dominant plant community appellations: for example, Chilean Mattoral or Madagascar Dry Deciduous Forests.

There are several alternative formal naming schemes for the Earth's ecoregions; one of the most widely used, developed by the World Wildlife Foundation, recognizes 867 separate ecoregions. Because of the very large scale of an ecoregion, the landscape is not monolithic, but may have pockets of ecological diversity; however, the ecoregion is defined by its preponderant vegetative, geological and meteorological composition. Correspondingly boundaries between regions are sometimes diffuse, resulting in a broad ecotone.>>

Encyclopedia of Earth. Eds. Cutler J. Cleveland (Washington, D.C.: Environmental Information Coalition, National Council for Science and the Environment). [First published in the Encyclopedia of Earth February 21, 2010; Last revised Date July 4, 2012; Retrieved January 12, 2013 http://www.eoearth.org/article/Ecoregion?topic=49597


example: Alashan Plateau semi-desert.

Here is a list of most ecoregions which cover parts of Mongolia. The list is also linked in the sidebar, so that it is easily accessible later, too.


TEMPERATE BROADLEAF & MIXED FORESTS

ecoregion: Manchurian mixed forests
This ecoregion lies almost completely outside Mongolia, and touches it border in the easternmost part of the country only (in Nömrög).


TEMPERATE CONIFEROUS FORESTS

ecoregion: Altai montane forest and forest steppe

ecoregion: Khangai Mountains conifer forests

ecoregion: Sayan montane conifer forests


BOREAL FORESTS/TAIGA

ecoregion East Siberian taiga
This ecoregion lies immediately to the north of Mongolia, but shows several features which are typical for the northernmost forests of the country.


TEMPERATE GRASSLANDS & SHRUBLANDS

ecoregion Daurian forest steppe

ecoregion Mongolian-Manchurian grassland

ecoregion Selenge-Orkhon forest steppe


MONTANE GRASSLANDS & SHRUBLANDS

ecoregion Altai alpine meadow and tundra

ecoregion Khangai Mountains alpine meadow


DESERTS & XERIC SHRUBLANDS

ecoregion Alashan Plateau semi-desert

ecoregion Eastern Gobi desert steppe

ecoregion Gobi Lakes Valley desert steppe

ecoregion Great Lakes Basin desert steppe


Encyclopedia of the Earth: Ecoregion

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