Northern Mongolia Research Articles

Occurrence and insecticide susceptibility of the grain aphid Sitobion avenae in northern Mongolia

A survey was carried out to determine the prevalence of Sitobion avenae (S. avenae) in the central agriculture zone of northern Mongolia (including Darkhan-Uul, Selenge, Tuv, and Erdenet aimags). Bioassays were used to assess the pest's susceptibility to three regularly used insecticides (deltamethrin, fenvalerate, and imidacloprid). DNA sequencing was used to look into the genotypes of codons 918 and 1014 of the Voltage-gated sodium channel (VGSC) gene in S. avenae. The findings revealed that in 2019, the population density of S. avenae was low in 159 fields and medium in 31, and the infestation rate was low in 73 fields, medium in 117 fields. Even at a concentration of 0.005%, high mortality rates (>84 per cent) of S. avenae nymphs were detected after 72 hours of exposure to the three insecticides, indicating that this pest was susceptible to all three insecticides tested. In our grain aphid samples, the pyrethroid resistance-causing mutations (M918L and L1014F) in the voltage-gated sodium channel were not detected.

FOCAL MECHANISMS OF EARTHQUAKES OF SOUTHERN BAIKAL REGION AND NORTHERN MONGOLIA

The paper presents previously unpublished earthquake focal mechanism solutions for earthquakes which occurred in South Pribaikalye, Transbaikalia, Tuva and Northern Mongolia derived from the first-motion polarities of P-waves recorded by the Baikal, Buryat, Altai-Sayan networks of the Geophysical Survey RAS and Mongolian national network.

Doushantuo-Pertatataka—Like Acritarchs From the Late Ediacaran Bocaina Formation (Corumbá Group, Brazil)

Acritarchs, a polyphyletic group of acid-resistant organic-walled microfossils, dominate the eukaryotic microfossil record in the Proterozoic (2500–541 Ma) yet exhibit significant reduction in diversity and size at the transition to the Phanerozoic (541–520 Ma). Despite the difficulty of tracing phylogenetic relationships among acritarchs, changes in their complexity and diversity through time have allowed their use in paleoecological and biostratigraphic schemes. The Doushantuo-Pertatataka Ediacaran acritarch assemblage, for example, is usually considered as restricted to the early Ediacaran between 635 and 580 Ma. But similar, diverse acritarchs have been recovered from younger rocks in Mongolia and Arctic Siberia and are now reported here from phosphatized horizons of the upper Bocaina Formation (ca. 555 Ma), Corumbá Group, SW Brazil. In the overlying black limestones and shales of the latest Ediacaran Tamengo Formation (542 Ma) acritarch diversity is low, but the skeletal metazoans Cloudina and Corumbella are abundant. The Bocaina acritarch assemblage shares forms referable to the genera Leiosphaeridia, Tanarium, Asseserium and Megasphaera with the Doushantuo-Pertatataka assemblage, but also includes specimens similar to the Phanerozoic genus Archaeodiscina in addition to two new complex acritarchs. The first is covered by rounded low conical bumps, similar to Eotylotopalla but differs in having a distinct opening suggestive of greater (multicellular?) complexity. The second, identified here as Morphotype 1, is a double-walled acanthomorph acritarch with scattered cylindrical processes between the walls. The contrast in acritarch diversity and abundance between the Bocaina and Tamengo formations is likely due in part to paleoenvironmental and taphonomic differences (absence of the phosphatization window in the latter), as well as to the appearance of both suspension-feeding skeletal metazoans (Cloudina and Corumbella). The occurrence of Doushantuo-Pertatataka acritarchs in SW Brazil, northern Mongolia, and Arctic Siberia extend the biostratigraphic range of this assemblage up to the terminal Ediacaran Cloudina biozone.

Dynamic Lake Ice Movement on Lake Khovsgol, Mongolia, Revealed by Time Series Displacements from Pixel Offset with Sentinel-2 Optical Images

As one of the most sensitive indicators of global climate change, seasonal ice-covered lakes are attracting gaining attention worldwide. As a large seasonal ice-covered lake located in Northern Mongolia, Lake Khovsgol not only provides important freshwater resources for the local population but also serves as a means of water transportation in summer and an important land-based activity for residents in winter. In this study, we used the sub-pixel offset technique with multi-temporal Sentinel-2 optical images to estimate the time-series displacement of lake ice in Lake Khovsgol from 7 December 2020 to 17 June 2021. With the processing of 112 Sentinel-2 images, we obtained 27 pairs of displacement results at intervals of 5, 10, and 15 days. These lake ice movement results covered three stages from ice-on to ice-off. The first stage was the lake ice growth period, which lasted 26 days from 7 December 2020 to 3 January 2021. Ice formation started from the south and extended northward, with a displacement of up to 10 m in 5 days. The second stage was the active phase of the ice cover, which took place from 3 January 2021 to 18 April 2021. Maximum displacement values reached 12 m in the east and 11 m in the north among all observations. The value of the lake ice movement in the north–south direction (NS) was found to be larger than in the east–west direction (EW). The third stage was the melting period, which closed on 17 June 2021. In comparison to the freezing date of November in past years, our results demonstrate the ice-on date of Lake Khovsgol has been delayed to December, suggesting a possible reason that the seasonal ice-covered lake located at the middle latitude has been affected by global warming. In addition, the lake ice movement of our results can reveal the regional climate characteristic. This study is one of the few cases to reveal the distribution characteristics and changing trends of lake ice on the Mongolia Plateau, providing a rare reference for lake ice research in this region.

The Anti-Social Contract: Injurious Talk and Dangerous Exchange in Northern Mongolia, written by Lars Højer

The Anti-Social Contract: Injurious Talk and Dangerous Exchange in Northern Mongolia, written by Lars Højer

The Biostratigraphy and Lithological Features of the Lower Carboniferous Urmugteyul Formation (Orkhon Trough, Northern Mongolia)

The Biostratigraphy and Lithological Features of the Lower Carboniferous Urmugteyul Formation (Orkhon Trough, Northern Mongolia)

The taxonomic structure of the fauna of ground beetles (Coleoptera, Carabidae) in the south of Eastern Siberia and Northern Mongolia

The taxonomic composition of the fauna has 577 species (608 subspecies) from 76 genera, representing 1% of the total fauna of the world and 5% of the Palearctic fauna. Most genera of ground beetles in the region have a predominantly Holarctic distribution, less often – Palearctic, tropical, or worldwide distribution. The fauna of the ground beetles of the region is based on the genera Amara, Bembidion, Pterostichus, Harpalus, and Carabus. The following genera are important for the fauna of ground beetles in the study region: Dyschirius, Agonum, Nebria, Cymindis, Dicheirotrichus, Poecilus, Trechus, Notiophilus, Elaphrus, Cicindela, Cylindera, Pogonus, Chlaenius, Pseudotaphoxenus.

Building the Proterozoic basement of the western Xing'an-Airgin Sum Block in the eastern Central Asian Orogenic Belt and its implications for the Nuna breakup and Rodinia assembly

The Xing’an-Airgin Sum Block (XAB) is located in central and northern Inner Mongolia, North China, and belongs to one of the oldest blocks in the Central Asian Orogenic Belt (CAOB). Previous studies have shown that there are Mesoproterozoic granites in the XAB; however, the formation process of the Precambrian basement, and also the tectonic evolution and origin of the block are unclear. In this work, the Mesoproterozoic and early Neoproterozoic stratigraphic sequences, ages and the related sedimentary basin types of the western XAB are reported for the first time. Our study reveals that the Mesoproterozoic to early Neoproterozoic stratigraphic sequence contains the Baoyintu Group and Airgin Sum Group with respective depositional ages of 1516–1392 Ma, and 1237–921 Ma. Sedimentation analysis suggests that the Baoyintu Group and the Airgin Sum Group formed in the coastal marine environment with clastic and carbonate provenances and the shallow marine clastic sedimentary environment, respectively. The age distribution patterns of detrital zircons indicate that there were two different types of sedimentary basins, including two convergent basins formed in ∼ 1400 and ∼ 930 Ma, and a collisional basin developed in ∼ 1237 Ma. However, the 1392–1379 Ma syenogranites and alkali-feldspar granites, which are geochemically similar to A-type granites, were generated by the partial melting of mixed Paleo- and Mesoproterozoic crustal materials in an extensional setting. The newly identified early Neoproterozoic I-type granite (921 Ma) was derived from reworking of the Paleo- to Mesoproterozoic crustal source in a hydrous, garnet-free and plagioclase residual condition. These geochemical signatures, coupled with the three sedimentary stages included on the block, suggest that the 1.4–1.3 Ga period recorded an extensional regime at a convergent continental margin (e.g., back-arc basin), whereas the early Neoproterozoic period was likely controlled by a continental arc setting. In summary, the tectonic evolution process of the XAB documented by three sedimentary and two magmatic events could be its response to the supercontinent cycle from the Nuna breakup to the Rodinia assembly.

Individual variation and vulnerability to angling: No apparent behavioral differences among fish captured using different fishing gears

AbstractIt is well known that fishing is size‐selective, but harvest may also inadvertently target certain behavioral types or personalities. Changes in the abundance of behavioral types within a population have implications for fisheries management, including affecting catch rates, individual growth, and food web dynamics. Using streamside behavioral assays, we quantified the repeatability of behaviors in a population of Baikal grayling (Thymallus baicalensis) in northern Mongolia, a popular sport fish and important local predator. We assessed whether different angling techniques (i.e., fly or spinning gear) collected different behavioral types and whether variation in behavior was associated with body condition or diet (i.e., using stable isotope analysis). Surprisingly, we found no evidence for consistent individual differences in several behaviors within this population. Furthermore, differences in mean behaviors were not predicted by angling gear, body condition, or carbon and nitrogen isotopic signatures. We suggest that since this is a fished population, the range of behavioral variability in the population may have been reduced through previous behaviorally selective harvest. This might explain both the lack of difference in mean behaviors between fish caught by both gear types and the lack of evidence for consistent individual differences in behavior within the sampled population.

Decoupled heatwave-tree growth in large forest patches of Larix sibirica in northern Mongolian Plateau

Semiarid forests are experiencing unprecedented hotter drought, which could have a profound impact on tree growth. In addition to increasing temperature, the warming climate may cause more frequent and intense heatwaves further increasing the stress on tree growth. In this study, we measured tree ring width of 1139 cores collected from 12 Siberian larch (Larix sibirica) forest patches in the northern Mongolian Plateau to investigate how heatwaves affect tree growth. Our results showed a coupled relationship between tree growth and heatwaves that indicated by the extreme-hot days before 1996. After 1996, there was an increased frequency of heatwaves, which has strongly reduced tree growth, with an 8.4% growth decline in large forest patches (> 10 ha), 48.1% decline in medium patches (3–10 ha), and 39.2% decline in small patches (< 3 ha), respectively. The tree growth-heatwave relationship remained in medium and small forest patches after 1996, however, it became decoupled in large forest patches (p > 0.05), potentially through the effects of decoupled soil water-heatwave relationship in large forest patches that mostly located on thick soils. Our observations indicated that current climate warming and frequent heatwaves may have exceeded the favorable growth conditions of Siberian larch, but landscape heterogeneity (patch size and slope position) can alleviate the pressure of temperature warming and reduce tree growth rapid decline under high-frequency heatwaves climate in Mongolia Plateau.

Navigational Atlas of the Selenga River section within Mongolian People’s Republic, 1925

The article provides information on the manuscript atlas of the Selenga and Orkhon rivers within the Mongolian People’s Republic (MPR), compiled on the basis of data from 1924-1925. It was developed for the Selenga Technical Section of the Ministry of the River Fleet to guide navigation along the rivers of Mongolia. The shooting was carried out on a steam boat “Shilka”. The atlas is of interest for the dynamics of river channel processes in northern Mongolia. The materials provide information on where and how to carry out technical work to improve navigation. In addition to information on navigation, it provides economic and geographical information on the north of Mongolia in the 1920s.

Social-Ecological Change on the Mongolian Steppe:\xa0Herder Perceptions of Causes, Impacts, and Adaptive Strategies

Pastoral people in rangelands worldwide are experiencing uncertainty due to a combination of climatic, economic, and political stressors. Our study seeks to create a full view of the drivers, impacts, and adaptations to change for livestock herders in rural Mongolia, making use of herder traditional knowledge and select instrumental data. Interview respondents described undesirable trends in livestock herds, pasture, wildlife, and their livelihoods in three sites in northern, central, and eastern Mongolia from 1995 to 2015, including decreased lake levels. There was more agreement for precipitation trends than for temperature. We developed a systems model based on herder descriptions of the sequence and prominence of interacting drivers of change. Finally, we describe measures herders are taking to adapt to these changes, such as more frequent livestock movement. We present a transdisciplinary view of social-ecological change and applications for more regionally focused governance in an era of climate uncertainty.

Global earthquakes in the 2021 first half according to the GS RAS

Data on the 2021 first half Earth seismicity at the level of strong earthquakes with magni-tudes mb6.0 according to the Alert Service of the Geophysical Survey RAS are given. The review also includes information on 81 earthquakes in Russia and adjacent territories, felt in the settlements of the Russian Federation. For 14 strong earthquakes, within one or two days after their occurrence, Informational messages were published, and information about the focal mechanisms was giving. The strongest earthquake of the Earth with MS=7.8 (Mw=8.1) occurred on March 4 at the Kermadec Islands, New Zealand. The largest human casualties and material damage during the study period were caused by catastrophic earth-quakes with MS=5.1 (Mw=5.8) and MS=5.9 (Mw=6.3), which occurred on January 14 at the Sulawesi Island, Indonesia. As a result of the earthquakes, 81 people died, 826 were injured. The strongest earthquake in Russia was the March 16 earthquake with MS=6.7 (Mw=6.6) off the eastern coast of Kamchatka. The maximum shaking intensity in Russia (I=6) was manifested by the strong Khuvsgul earthquake with MS=7.2 (Mw=6.8), which took place on January 11 in the Northern Mongolia, near the border with Russia. The position of the main shock and its aftershocks indicate the intensification of the seismic process in the north-western part of the Khuvsgul rift zone. According to the focal mechanisms of the main shock and two strong aftershocks, the stress of the northwest/southeast extension prevails in this zone, and the predominant slip type along the faults of the northeast strike is a nor-mal fault. The global seismic energy released in the 2021 first half remains, as in the previ-ous two years, at a reduced level, relative to the average for the last 11.5 years, which indi-cates a continuing seismic calm.

Mapping the Medieval Wall System of China and Mongolia: A Multi-Method Approach

The Medieval Wall System of China and Mongolia is one of the longest wall systems in the world, but its specific chronology, function, and purpose remain ambiguous. Constructed at various points throughout the 10th to 13th centuries CE, this network of walls, forts, and enclosures covers an estimated 4000 km and spans a wide range of ecozones, from the deserts of western China to the steppes of northern Mongolia and the Khingan mountain range. In this article we used historical atlases, topographic maps, and an array of different kinds of data derived from satellite remote sensing, to produce one of the first accurate maps of the Medieval Wall System. Through this large-scale mapping program, we are now able to evaluate previous work that estimates the length of the wall system and different areas of construction. By measuring the structures associated with the wall and the length of the wall itself, we identified at least three different areas of construction along the Medieval Wall System. Future studies may be able to use similar tools to develop more accurate maps of other wall systems throughout Eurasia to further advance the comparative study of ancient wall systems.

Wormwoods (Artemisia L.) of Southern Siberia

The article presents the data on the species composition and geographical distribution of the genus Artemisia L. in Southern Siberia, which were revealed in the process of studying the literature, critical revision of the P. N. Krylov Herbarium, Tomsk State University (TK), as well as field research by the authors in Gorny Altai, Khakassia, Sayan,Tuva. Several species from this territory are questionable in a taxonomic review (Artemisia viridis Willd., A. sacrorumLedeb., A. marschalliana Spreng. and species of the subgenus Seriphidium (Besser ex Less.) Fourr.). It was determined thaton the territory of Southern Siberia there are 88 species of wormwood belonging to 3 subgenera (Artemisia Less., Dracunculus Besser, Seriphidium (Besser ex Less.) Fourr.), 7 sections and 20 subsections. A chorological analysis was carried out,during which 36 endemic taxa were identified on the territory of Southern Siberia. The authors also identified a separategroup of South Siberian endemics, including narrowly endemic, subendemic taxa and South Siberian species that have anarea of distribution from Altai to Northern Mongolia.

Vegetation degradation assessment in the agricultural zone of Northern Mongolia

We conducted research to assess vegetation degradation in Selenge province described as the agricultural zone.Our research results based on the vegetation community map showed that 46.7 % of the total area is light, 3.3 % is moderate,13.9 % is strong, and 30.4 % is very strong degraded. Vegetation degradation was mostly observed in river valleys, lowerplains, hills and small mountains and mountain slopes due to the intensity of summer grazing. The moderately degraded areawas often winter places using as rotate or properly managed grazing land and light degradation has occurred in the forest area.Very strong degradation was revealed mainly in Saikhan, Orkhon, Javkhlant sub-provinces and strongly degraded in Sant,Orkhontuul, Baruunburen. Light degradation of vegetation were observed in sub-provinces adequately covered by forestincluding Eruu, Tushig, Shaamar, Khuder, but there are still problems related to mining and deforestation.

A comparative study of the seedling production technology of Picea obovata L. in the forest-steppe ecotone of northern Mongolia

The success of reforestation largely depends on the quality of the seedling. This study focuses on comparative assessments of the experimental planting of Picea obovata seedlings under various growing conditions, including in a greenhouse and open field. The objectives were to carry out a comparative study of the effect of different care regimes on the growth of seedling, and to choose the most optimal treatment that accelerates the growth of seedlings on the basis of the results taken from the comparative analysis. The study was carried out in the Experimental Forest Nursery of the Institute of Geography and Geoecology, MAS in the period between 2018 and 2020. The experimental planting design included four treatments with varying irrigation norms, air temperatures, air relative humidity, shading rates. Two of these experiments were put in greenhouses, and the remaining two treatments were in the open field. Repeated measurements and sampling were performed at the end of each growing season. The results showed high variation in seedling height (p &lt; 0.0001; F = 38.6) and diameter (p &lt; 0.0001; F = 43.2) growth and biomass accumulation (p &lt; 0.0001). These variables therefore, positively corresponded to the air temperature, air relative humidity and moisture sufficiency in the soils. We found that the seedlings had faster growth in height (52.4%) and diameter (62.3%), and there was more biomass accumulation (128.1%) under greenhouse conditions than outdoors. With regard to the biomass allocation, a three-year observation showed a greater proportion of stem biomass in the total biomass, and, conversely, the predominant proportion of needle biomass accounted for open field treatments. However, the creation of stable condition in the greenhouse with a high relative humidity (more than 75%; daily watering norm of 20 liters per day) and an internal temperature of 25°C (40% shading) had the most positive effect on the growth and accumulation of biomass of seedlings. Consequently, we conclude that to meet the existing needs for seedlings for the restoration of natural Picea obovata forests, seedling production in greenhouses should be recommended.

From anatomic analogies to arrhythmic timescapes: roads and development in northern Mongolia

ABSTRACT This paper is concerned with the intertwinement of the timescapes of roads and rural life within the context of infrastructural development in northern Mongolia’s Khövsgöl region. With reference to ethnographic fieldwork, it explores how visions of incorporating roads into state development conflict with the landscapes and temporalities these very roads cross. By looking at infrastructural promise formulated in phrases such as ‘development follows the road’, this paper investigates what happens at the end of the road that connects Khatgal, a touristic village, with the provincial centre Mörön and the capital Ulaanbaatar. In this context, anatomic analogies are questioned as a leitmotif for road construction. In concert with the notion of timescapes, anatomic analogies offer a useful tool to critically analyse the spatial and temporal entanglements of infrastructural development in Mongolia.

Phytochemical characteristics of some plants of Northern Mongolia

The article presents the results of determining the content of pectin substances, organic acids and freesugars in 7 species (8 samples) of plants collected in the steppe regions of Northern Mongolia. These are: Armeniaca sibirica(L.) Lam. – siberian apricot, leaves; Artemisia adamsii Bess. – Adams wormwood, aboveground part; Betula fusca Pallasex Georgi - brown birch, leaves; Iris lactea Pallas, milky white iris, leaves; Polygonatum (Aconogonon) divaricatum L. –spreading knotweed (battering ram), leaves and flowers; Thermopsis dahurica Czefr. – Daurian thermopsis, abovegroundpart; Veronica incana L. – gray-haired Veronica, aboveground part. The studied species comprise a significant amountof pectin substances, citric, acetic, lactic and other organic acids, as well as free sugars: glucose, fructose, sucrose. Thequantitative content of these substances has been determined.

Prediction of Biome-Specific Potential Evapotranspiration in Mongolia under a Scarcity of Weather Data

We propose practical guidelines to predict biome-specific potential evapotranspiration (ETp) from the knowledge of grass-reference evapotranspiration (ET0) and a crop coefficient (Kc) in Mongolia. A paucity of land-based weather data hampers use of the Penman–Monteith equation (FAO-56 PM) based on the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) guidelines to predict daily ET0. We found that the application of the Hargreaves equation provides ET0 estimates very similar to those from the FAO-56 PM approach. The Kc value is tabulated only for crops in the FAO-56 guidelines but is unavailable for steppe grasslands. Therefore, we proposed a new crop coefficient, Kc adj defined by (a) net solar radiation in the Gobi Desert (Kc adjD) or (b) leaf area index in the steppe region (Kc adjS) in Mongolia. The mean annual ETp obtained using our approach was compared to that obtained by FAO-56 guidelines for forages (not steppe) based on tabulated Kc values in 41 locations in Mongolia. We found the differences are acceptable (RMSE of 0.40 mm d−1) in northern Mongolia under high vegetation cover but rather high (RMSE of 1.69 and 2.65 mm d−1) in central and southern Mongolia. The FAO aridity index (AI) is empirically related to the ETp/ET0 ratio. Approximately 80% and 54% reduction of ET0 was reported in the Gobi Desert and in the steppe locations, respectively. Our proposed Kc adj can be further improved by considering local weather data and plant phenological characteristics.