Hulunbuir Grassland Research Articles

Grid based dynamic risk assessment for grassland fire disaster in Hulunbuir

Grassland fire disaster is one of the most destructive grassland disasters, which is sudden, destructive, and hard to handle. It caused a great threat to the humanity and property in pastoral. In this study, a dynamic risk assessment model was built based on the data of prairie fire statistics and related meteorological data from 1994 to 2005 in the six livestock counties of Hulunbuir grassland. Logistic regression model was used in the identification of the key factors influence grassland fire disaster risk. In the calculation of the weight of individual indicators, analytic hierarchy through scoring by experts was used. Grid GIS technology combined with regression analysis was used in the spatial distribution of indicators which has higher resolution than counties. Assessment factors of endogenous and exogenous sources of warning signs of grassland fires were analyzed through weighted comprehensive analysis. Fire disasters from 1994 to 2004 were taken as the sample cases to determine the threshold of risk level by using optimal partition method. Taking the grassland fires in 2005 as examples to validate the dynamic risk assessment model, results shown high risk areas coincide well with the distribution of fire points, this proved the accuracy of the model. The dynamic risk assessment results could be used to guide and manage the mitigation of grassland fire disaster and rescue goods distribution.

Research on Integration of Mining and Reclamation of Opencast Mining Area in Hulun Buir Grassland

Environment arround the vast Hulun Buir Grassland is susceptible to mining production, especially coal mining often leads to ecological structure and function damage of mining area or causes the ecological system to change in the direction that is not conducive to the survival of mankind. However, the grassland vegetation restoration engineering, whoes practice needs urgent theoretical guidance, is necessary to be systematically included in mining engineering. In order to prepare for further research on grassland restoration of mining area, this paper systematically analysised the damage on grassland due to mining, as well as the dependence on grassland of sustainable development of Hulun Buir regional economic, and explained that grassland ecological restoration is the economic ecological engineering that closely connects to regional social development.

Grassland degradation caused by tourism activities in Hulunbuir, Inner Mongolia, China

The recent increase in the number of tourists has raised serious concerns about grassland degradation by tourism activities in Inner Mongolia. Thus, we evaluated the effects of tourism activities on the vegetation and soil in Hulunbuir grassland. We identified all the plant species, measured the number and height of plant and plant coverage rate, and calculated species diversity, estimated above-ground biomass in use plot and non-use plot. We also measured soil hardness, and collected soil samples for physical and chemical analysis in both plots. The obtained results were as follows: a) the height of the dominant plants, plant coverage rate, species diversity, and above-ground biomass were significantly lower in use plot than in non-use plot, b) Carex duriuscula C.A.Mey., indicator plant for soil degradation, was dominant in use plot, c) soil hardness was significantly higher in use plot than in non-use plot, and spatial dependence of soil hardness was only found in the use plot, d) CEC, TC, TN and pH in the topsoil were significantly lower in use plot than non-use plot. On the basis of the results, we concluded that the tourism activities can be another major cause of the grassland degradation in Inner Mongolia.

Study on Ecological Restoration of Abolished Strip Mine of Hulunbuir Grassland

Influenced by mining production, the ecological structure and function within the mine area of Hulunbuir grassland has been destroyed. Shut-in strip mine is a typical waste land with degenerated ecological system; therefore, it is necessary to process some ecological restoration projects on vegetation. Theoretical guidance is being badly needed for practice of land-reclamation. This article tries to analyze soil structure and vegetational form in mine area by examples, and adapt method of separately administering different areas which give a good solution of the conflict between strip mine exploitation and ecological restoration in Hulunbuir, provide foundation for further research in this area, as well as have some leading significance to mining development in pasture land area of our nation.

Integrating models to evaluate and map grassland fire risk zones in Hulunbuir of Inner Mongolia, China

Grassland fire is a cause of major disturbance to ecosystems and economies throughout the world. This paper investigated the disruptive effects of grassland fire on the Hulunbuir grassland of the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region of China. The study selected variables for fire risk assessment using a combination of data collection and evaluation methods: geographic information systems, remote sensing, and statistical yearbook data. The data evaluation resulted in eleven input variables, which were classified into five categories: fuel, fire climate, accessibility, human–social factors, and topography. All of the explanatory variables were integrated into a model and used to estimate the grassland fire risk index. Within the index, four categories were created, based on spatial statistics, to adequately assess respective fire risk: extreme, high, moderate, and low. Approximately half (54.33%) of the study area was predicted to fall within the extreme or high risk zones. The percentages of actual fires in each fire risk zone were as follows: extreme, 46.49%; high, 23.66%; moderate, 17.06%; and low, 12.79%. The mean correct prediction from the model was 76.30%. The model and results could aid in spatial decision making practices and in preventative grassland management strategies.

A time-dependent stochastic grassland fire ignition probability model for Hulun Buir Grassland of China

Grassland fire is one of the most important disturbance factors in the natural ecosystems. This paper focuses on the spatial distribution of long-term grassland fire patterns in the Hulun Buir Grassland located in the northeast of Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region in China. The density or ratio of ignition can reflect the relationship between grassland fire and different ignition factors. Based on the relationship between the density or ratio of ignition in different range of each ignition factor and grassland fire events, an ignition probability model was developed by using binary logistic regression function and its overall accuracy averaged up to 81.7%. Meanwhile it was found that daily relative humidity, daily temperature, elevation, vegetation type, distance to county-level road, distance to town are more important determinants of spatial distribution of fire ignitions. Using Monte Carlo method, we developed a time-dependent stochastic ignition probability model based on the distribution of inter-annual daily relative humidity and daily temperature. Through this model, it is possible to estimate the spatial patterns of ignition probability for grassland fire, which will be helpful to the quantitative evaluation of grassland fire risk and its management in the future.

Temporal and Spatial Variations of Vegetation Cover in Hulun Buir Grassland of Inner Mongolia, China

We map temporal-spatial variation of vegetation cover in the grassland of Hulun Buir in northern China by analyzing remotely sensed data from MODIS. Results from our study indicate that vegetation cover in the grassland steadily decreased during 2000–09, with relatively high variations in both spatial and temporal dimensions. Average vegetation fractional cover (PV) was 0.56 for this period, with a maximum of 0.64 in 2002 and a minimum of 0.43 in 2007 when a massive drought occurred. In the early 2000s, the cover was approximately ∼0.60, dropping to ∼0.52 in 2007–09. The percentage of both dense (0.50 ≤ PV < 0.70) and very dense (PV ≥ 0.70) categories of grass gradually decreased by 6.58% during 2000–09, while the area of grasslands following into the bare surface (PV < 0.15) and very sparse (0.15 ≤ PV < 0.25) categories expanded up to 3.84 × 106 square kilometers over these ten years. The western part of the grassland where temperate steppe prevails had lower vegetation cover than the eastern part where lowland meadow and mountain meadow dominate. This variation of vegetation helps to understand ecosystem degradation on the grassland discussed in several studies though precipitation shortage and intensive grazing activities are the driving forces for the vegetation variation. Therefore, monitoring of vegetation change on the grassland is imperative for making sound environmental policies.

Responses of grassland vegetation to climatic variations on different temporal scales in Hulun Buir Grassland in the past 30 years

Global warming has led to significant vegetation changes especially in the past 20 years. Hulun Buir Grassland in Inner Mongolia, one of the world’s three prairies, is undergoing a process of prominent warming and drying. It is essential to investigate the effects of climatic change (temperature and precipitation) on vegetation dynamics for a better understanding of climatic change. NDVI (Normalized Difference Vegetation Index), reflecting characteristics of plant growth, vegetation coverage and biomass, is used as an indicator to monitor vegetation changes. GIMMS NDVI from 1981 to 2006 and MODIS NDVI from 2000 to 2009 were adopted and integrated in this study to extract the time series characteristics of vegetation changes in Hulun Buir Grassland. The responses of vegetation coverage to climatic change on the yearly, seasonal and monthly scales were analyzed combined with temperature and precipitation data of seven meteorological sites. In the past 30 years, vegetation coverage was more correlated with climatic factors, and the correlations were dependent on the time scales. On an inter-annual scale, vegetation change was better correlated with precipitation, suggesting that rainfall was the main factor for driving vegetation changes. On a seasonal-interannual scale, correlations between vegetation coverage change and climatic factors showed that the sensitivity of vegetation growth to the aqueous and thermal condition changes was different in different seasons. The sensitivity of vegetation growth to temperature in summers was higher than in the other seasons, while its sensitivity to rainfall in both summers and autumns was higher, especially in summers. On a monthly-interannual scale, correlations between vegetation coverage change and climatic factors during growth seasons showed that the response of vegetation changes to temperature in both April and May was stronger. This indicates that the temperature effect occurs in the early stage of vegetation growth. Correlations between vegetation growth and precipitation of the month before the current month, were better from May to August, showing a hysteresis response of vegetation growth to rainfall. Grasses get green and begin to grow in April, and the impacts of temperature on grass growth are obvious. The increase of NDVI in April may be due to climatic warming that leads to an advanced growth season. In summary, relationships between monthly-interannual variations of vegetation coverage and climatic factors represent the temporal rhythm controls of temperature and precipitation on grass growth largely.

Sandy grassland blowouts in Hulunbuir, northeast China: geomorphology, distribution, and causes

A sandy grassland blowout consists of an aeolian depression formed in top soil and the underlying sand deposit underlie, and the adjoining redeposit of sand derived from the depression. Research based on field survey and topographic mapping combined with aerophotograph interpretation reveals that: (1) All the three sand land tracts in Hulunbuir Grasslands are composed of blowout depressions and adjoining dunes, with interlaying remnants of sandy grasslands as background; (2) blowout depressions and their adjoining dunes can be classified according to their morphometric characteristics, development stages, and initiating factors; (3) blowouts develop mostly in the upper parts of sidelong aweather and sunward slopes inclining southwestward when west wind prevails; (4) initiation of blowouts is closely related with the coupling of extreme droughts and wide spread intense human disturbance to the fragile topsoil layer. The investigations indicate that key factors to prevent desertification are to protect grassland vegetation and topsoil.

Seasonal Variations in Foods and Digestion of Mongolian Gazelles in China

Data on feeding ecology of wild animals is essential for effective wildlife management and conservation. We studied the feeding ecology of the Mongolian gazelle (Procapra gutturosa) in the Hulun Buir Grassland, Inner Mongolia, China. The Hulun Buir Grassland is characterized by food shortage due to long, cold winters. Concentration of crude protein in forage decreased from 18.2 to 29.6% during spring to 2.5 to 5.6% during the dormant season. The diets of the animals shifted seasonally: forb leaves and flowers made up 56.9% of their diet during spring, but graminoids increased during other seasons. Mongolian gazelles can digest fibrous food more efficiently during autumn and winter than during spring. These results suggest that the Mongolian gazelle is an intermediate feeder. To provide high-quality and abundant forage in Mongolian gazelle habitat, the grazing of livestock should be reduced. It is necessary to maintain grasslands at moderate or light grazing for Mongolian gazelle management.