The Dendrochronological Potential of Some Shrub Species in Mongolian Dry Steppe

Abstract

Shrub expansion has been widely documented in Northern Hemisphere due to the climate change and land use impacts. The findings of some studies show that shrub expansion greatly corresponds with changes in temperature and precipitation in Arctic, whereas studies in Tibetan Plateau show that shrub expansion is more dependent on soil moisture. However, there has not been sufficient studies of shrub expansion in Central Asia, including our country. We carried out studies on 12 shrub species present in Khar Yamaat Natural Reserve Area (N47.645727, E112.043829) to determine the response of several shrub species to climate factors and disturbances. We were able to distinguish diverse pore arrangements, various growth patterns, climate-growth relationships and finally, pointer years were recorded as well. That being the case, shrubs in Mongolia have successfully been proven to have a high dendrochronological potential and it is practicable to apply it for rangeland and ecological assessments.

Keywords

• dendrochronology
• shrubs
• climate change
• vegetation shift