Vegetation degradation assessment in the agricultural zone of Northern Mongolia

A significant portion of the Orkhon Valley Cultural Landscape, particularly in Northern Mongolia's Selenge province, exhibits severe vegetation degradation. Research reveals that 46.7% of the area is lightly degraded, while 30.4% faces very strong degradation, primarily due to intensive summer grazing in river valleys and mountainous regions. Moderate degradation (3.3%) often occurs in winter grazing lands or properly managed areas, whereas light degradation (13.9%) is more prevalent in forested sub-provinces like Eruu, Tushig, and Shaamar. However, these regions still grapple with mining and deforestation pressures. The study utilized vegetation community mapping to assess degradation patterns across sub-provinces such as Saikhan, Orkhon, Javkhlant, Sant, Orkhontuul, and Baruunburen, highlighting critical areas requiring conservation intervention.

Otgontseteg, D., Bayasgalan, D., Enerel, T., & Khaulenbek, A. (2021). Vegetation degradation assessment in the agricultural zone of Northern Mongolia. Проблемы Ботаники Южной Сибири И Монголии, 20(1), 531–537. https://doi.org/10.14258/pbssm.2021107