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Afforestation practices are useful tools for rehabilitating degraded lands in many parts of the world, as well as in Mongolia for protecting soil, water resources, and the potential of carbon sequestration to mitigate climate change. And so, regular investigation was conducted to determine the response and adaptation of Populus sibirica, Ulmus pumila, and Hippophae rhamnoides in terms of growth characteristics and leaf morpho-physiological traits to suggest and select effective and sustainable afforestation methods to suit Mongolia’s conditions. We measured the root collar diameter (RCD), height growth, leaf area (LA), specific leaf area (SLA), leaf biomass (LB), chlorophyll concentration and leaf water potential (ψ) of the selected species. Results showed that P. sibirica (135.3±6.81cm) height growth, stem, root and total biomass were higher among the studied species, but leaf and branch biomass was higher in U. pumila (93.46±5.10cm). However, leaf morphological parameters and chlorophyll content was higher for P. sibirica (330.56±56.81µg/ml) compared with other species. Leaf water potential was found lower for U. pumila and higher in H. rhamnoides. Therefore, we suggest that U. pumila is more adaptable to low mean annual precipitation regions, requiring less water and H. rhamnoides provide good financial source for local community as they yield fruits. Our findings are relevant to ensuring the sustainability of afforestation programs in semiarid conditions in Mongolia.

Diverse environmental gradients in Central Asia and Mongolia, from high mountain forests to semi-desert lowlands salinized by past agriculture and water withdrawals, pose challenges to restoring degraded forests and landscapes. Technical approaches in dryland forestry and agroforestry methods are available to overcome these challenges, but to be fully effective, require policy and institutional changes. Climate variability and natural hazards are features of the region and the future is projected to become more arid with more intense rainfall. Closed forests, open woodlands, and shrublands are features of the dryland landscape, and provide a variety of ecosystem functions and services to be restored. In this work, steps in the restoration process are discussed, including halting degradation, conserving and rehabilitating existing forests, restoring dryland forests and agroforestry where trees are lacking, and adapting to climate change.

In this study, we assessed the functional and architectural traits in the coarse roots of

Climate challenges impose the need for successful afforestation strategies which will increase the amount of carbon sequestered from the atmosphere. In practice, this means evaluation of suitable p...

Desertification is impeding the implementation of reforestation efforts in Mongolia. Many of these efforts have been unsuccessful due to lack of technical knowledge on water and nutrient management strategies, limited financial support, and short-lived rainfall events. We investigated the effects of irrigation and fertilization on the morpho-physiological traits of Populus sibirica Hort. Ex Tausch and Ulmus pumila L. and to suggest irrigation and fertilization strategies for reforestation. Different irrigation and fertilizer treatments were applied: no irrigation, 2 L h-1, 4 L h-1 and 8 L h-1 of water; no fertilizer, 2 L h-1 + NPK, 4 L h-1 + NPK, and 8 L h-1 + NPK; and no compost, 2 L h-1 + compost, 4 L h-1 + compost, and 8 L h-1 + compost. The leaf area (LA) and specific leaf area (SLA) of both species responded positively to 4 L h-1 and/or 8 L h-1. Results also showed that the addition of either NPK or compost to 4 L h-1 and/or 8 L h-1 irrigation resulted in a higher LA, SLA, and leaf biomass (LB). Total chlorophyll content decreased with irrigation in both species. The same pattern was detected when a higher amount of irrigation was combined with fertilizers. Lastly, we found that both diurnal and seasonal leaf water potential of plants grown in 4 L h-1 and/or 8 L h-1 were significantly higher than in control plots. Therefore, 4 L h-1 and/or 8 L h-1 with either NPK or compost has shown to be the optimal irrigation and fertilization strategy for the species in an arid and semi-arid region of Mongolia. Results should provide us with a better understanding of tree responses to varying amounts of irrigation with or without fertilizer in pursuit of sustainable forest management in arid and semi-arid ecosystems.

A floristic study of Eastern Mongolian Steppes has been conducted during the growing season of 2014 and continued in 2017, when we focused more on the Numrug Strictly Protected Area. Major objectives of this study were to assess floristic diversity of Eastern Mongolian Steppes and to review the conservation status of some endangered, rare, and very rare species. A total of 488 taxa of vascular plants, which belong to 254 genera of 75 families, including three endemic and 16 subendemic species were sampled. Among these were three endangered, three vulnerable, five near threatened, 16 very rare, and 39 rare species. Remarkably, Myriophyllum sibiricum and Typha latifolia are newly recorded for the flora of Mongolia. Moreover, new distribution records of some species were noted in four phytogeographical regions of Eastern Mongolia, such as Foothills of Great Khingan (30), East Mongolia (12), Mongolian Dauria (11), and Middle Khalkha (3). Finally, we assessed regional conservation status of the five species (two endangered and three vulnerable) from the East Mongolia using the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List criteria and categories. Keywords: Conservation status, Floral diversity, New records, Numrug SPA

Nursery practices are considered major factors influencing seedling quality, which are likely to be maintained in the early establishment phase in the field. Here, we investigated the effects of container depth and substrate heterogeneity on the growth of Populus sibirica nodal seedlings to suggest an effective nursery practice for producing quality seedlings appropriate for forest establishment in a dry environment. We used two substrate heterogeneities (homogeneous and heterogeneous) and two container depth treatments (30 and 60 cm). Variations in root collar diameter (RCD) growth, height growth, stem and root biomass, root to stem ratio, and root mass in the first 15 cm depth from the soil surface across the treatments were computed. Results revealed that both substrate heterogeneity and container depth had no significant effects on the RCD and height growth of P. sibirica seedlings but significantly improved their root and stem biomass. Seedlings in the 60 cm containers generally accumulated higher root biomass than those in the 30 cm containers. There was an interaction effect of container depth and substrate heterogeneity treatments on root and total dry mass, such that seedlings grown in the 60 cm container using heterogeneous substrate resulted in the highest root and total biomass. Analyses of proportional root growth in the upper 15 cm of the containers compared to the total indicated that both the main effects of deeper containers (60 cm) and heterogeneous substrate have fewer roots at this depth, indicating a greater root density in the bottom of the deeper containers. Therefore, deeper containers and heterogeneous substrate may be used as an effective nursery practice to produce seedlings with root traits potentially suitable for harsh conditions, such as arid and semi-arid environments. However, further studies using other seedling morphological traits in conjunction with field-trial tests are needed for a definitive assessment of the effectiveness of deeper containers and heterogeneous substrate in producing good quality seedlings potentially suitable in a dry environment.

Desertification of the semi-arid steppe of Mongolia is advancing very rapidly, motivating afforestation efforts. The “Green Belt” joint project (Government of Mongolia and Republic of Korea), which aims to mitigate soil degradation and develop agroforestry activities through the planting of a forest shelterbelt, is one such response. In these plantations, tree growth has been supported by different watering regimes (no watering, 2, 4, and 8 L h−1) and by two types of soil fertilization (NPK and Compost). The present paper analyses the effect of these techniques on soil chemistry and root biomass partitioning of Populus sibirica (Horth ex Tausch) and Ulmus pumila (L.) tree species. In July 2019, at the plantation site in Lun Soum, Tuv province (Mongolia), six trees were excavated by hand in each treatment, the root system was divided into taproot and five diameter classes (0–2; 2–5; 5–10; 10–20; > 20 mm), and the biomass was measured. Soil organic matter, macronutrients, and pH were also measured. The addition of fertilizers in the long-term did not enhance the soil chemical properties. The build-up of root biomass in both species correlated positively with increasing levels of the watering, while the application of fertilizers led to root growth suppression. For most of the root classes and both species, an irrigation level of 4 L h−1 was sufficient to yield the highest biomass and could be recommended for afforesting the semi-arid steppe of Mongolia. The root biomass of P. sibirica was more dependent on the watering regimes and of U. pumila was more negatively influenced by the application of fertilizers, indicating that U. pumila, due to the its lower water need, could be suitable for afforesting semi-arid environments. Our experiments suggest that afforestation practices in the semi-arid steppe of Mongolia should be supported by a prior analysis of plants' needs, soil type, dose, and type of fertilizers to be applied. Knowledge of the root response to the supporting techniques is necessary for choosing the best one for the plantation and, thus, to develop a sustainable and successful strategy to restore these degraded lands.

Desertification of the semi-arid steppe of Mongolia is advancing very rapidly, motivating afforestation efforts. The “Green Belt” joint project (Government of Mongolia and Republic of Korea), which aims to mitigate soil degradation and develop agroforestry activities through the planting of a forest shelterbelt, is one such response. In these plantations, tree growth has been supported by different watering regimes (no watering, 2, 4, and 8 L h−1) and by two types of soil fertilization (NPK and Compost). The present paper analyses the effect of these techniques on soil chemistry and root biomass partitioning of Populus sibirica (Horth ex Tausch) and Ulmus pumila (L.) tree species. In July 2019, at the plantation site in Lun Soum, Tuv province (Mongolia), six trees were excavated by hand in each treatment, the root system was divided into taproot and five diameter classes (0–2; 2–5; 5–10; 10–20; > 20 mm), and the biomass was measured. Soil organic matter, macronutrients, and pH were also measured. The addition of fertilizers in the long-term did not enhance the soil chemical properties. The build-up of root biomass in both species correlated positively with increasing levels of the watering, while the application of fertilizers led to root growth suppression. For most of the root classes and both species, an irrigation level of 4 L h−1 was sufficient to yield the highest biomass and could be recommended for afforesting the semi-arid steppe of Mongolia. The root biomass of P. sibirica was more dependent on the watering regimes and of U. pumila was more negatively influenced by the application of fertilizers, indicating that U. pumila, due to the its lower water need, could be suitable for afforesting semi-arid environments. Our experiments suggest that afforestation practices in the semi-arid steppe of Mongolia should be supported by a prior analysis of plants' needs, soil type, dose, and type of fertilizers to be applied. Knowledge of the root response to the supporting techniques is necessary for choosing the best one for the plantation and, thus, to develop a sustainable and successful strategy to restore these degraded lands.

The Munkhkhairkhan mountain area is a unique highland ecosystem with a diverse regional alpine flora. This mountain habitat is located at the overlap of different floristic regions: on its western side KazakhstanâTuran flora is dominating, and on the eastern side East Asian flora is observed. It is known that the whole area has a large number of endemics and rare plant species, because of its specific, harsh habitat conditions. Therefore, the flora of different habitats in the Munkhkhairkhan mountain needs to be investigated and properly protected. Munkhkhairkhan National Park has been founded in 2006, and our survey concentrated on the protected area as well as the surrounding areas of the mountains. All recorded species in this study were based on the collected voucher specimens. Conservation status for remarkable species was also reviewed based on the literature. As a result, we recorded 40 families, 150 genera, and 267 species of vascular plants, including four endemic and 34 subendemic species and 15 species' new distribution notes. Around the Munkhkhairkhan mountain, 16 very rare, 21 rare, eight endangered, and two near threatened species are growing, indicating the high conservation value of this area and the necessity for research. Keywords: Conservation status, Mongolia, Munkhkhairkhan national park, Vascular flora

The environmental restoration of the semi-arid steppe of Mongolia is currently being addressed by creating new plantations able to protect the soil from the advancement of desertification and to im...

The objective of this study was to determine the variation of seed and cone characteristics of Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) from different seed collection sites in the Tujiin nars region of the Selenge province in Northern Mongolia. The cones and seeds of P. sylvestris showed significant differences in size and color. There were three major groups in seed coat color, black, brown and light, respectively, that were tested for seed quality. Seed quality was examined by the weight of 1000 seeds, germination energy, and germination capacity. Study results showed considerable disparities in seed quality among the seed color groups. At 92.3 percent, germination of black colored seeds was higher than brown (81.2 percent) and light (60.7 percent) colored seeds. Based on weight of 1000 seeds, average weight of black colored seed was 7.2 g while the weight of brown and light colored seed was 6.4 g and 5.7 g. The highest seed germination energy was observed in the black colored seeds 78.7 percent, and then brown colored seeds 74.3 percent, the lowest germination energy were in light colored seed 46.0 percent, respectively. These findings suggest that seed color group can be considered as one of the crucial indicators for selecting qualified seeds.

The rehabilitation of degraded forests in Mongolia showed a very low success and the total reforested area represented only 5% of the country's total degraded forest. One of the reasons for such poor results may be attributed to the low quality of planting stock due to the poor quality of seeds. The objectives of this study were to examine growth, biomass allocation, and water‐use efficiency of two‐year‐old Siberian larch (Larix sibirica Ldb.) seedlings from diverse seed sources in Mongolia. Siberian larch seedlings from eight geographically different seed sources were grown at an open nursery and in greenhouse nursery conditions for two growing seasons. Seedlings were subjected to growth, biomass allocation and water‐use efficiency measurements at the end of the second growing season. It was found that there were significant differences in seed quality, growth, biomass allocation and water‐use efficiency among the seed sources in the two growing conditions. Source No.6 (Huvsgul) and No.8 (Turag) showed h...