Holocene vegetation, fire, climate dynamics and human impact in the upper Orkhon Valley of the Khangai Mountains, Mongolia

A continuous decline of tree species, favoring grassland expansion, has been observed in the Upper Orkhon Valley, Mongolia, over the past 7400 years. This shift coincides with changes in fire activity and human influence, with intense but infrequent fires during the mid-Holocene transitioning to more frequent, less severe fires around 5000 years ago. Evidence of human activity, such as pastoralism and grazing, emerges around 3200 years BP, though its impact remains minimal. The study leverages pollen analysis from a lacustrine sediment core to reconstruct vegetation dynamics, fire regimes, and early human presence in this UNESCO-listed forest-steppe landscape.

Barhoumi, C., Bliedtner, M., Zech, R., & Behling, H. (2024). Holocene vegetation, fire, climate dynamics and human impact in the upper Orkhon Valley of the Khangai Mountains, Mongolia. Quaternary Science Reviews, 334, 108713. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.quascirev.2024.108713