Abstract
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Article number | e57599 |
| Journal | PLoS ONE |
| Volume | 8 |
| Issue number | 2 |
| Early online date | 25 Feb 2013 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 2013 |
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Changing Climate and Overgrazaing Are Decimating Mongolian Steppes. / Liu, Y.Y.; Evans, J.P.; McCabe, M.F.; de Jeu, R.A.M.; van Dijk, A.I.J.M.; Dolman, A.J.
In: PLoS ONE, Vol. 8, No. 2, e57599, 2013.Research output: Contribution to Journal › Article › Academic › peer-review
TY - JOUR
T1 - Changing Climate and Overgrazaing Are Decimating Mongolian Steppes
AU - Liu, Y.Y.
AU - Evans, J.P.
AU - McCabe, M.F.
AU - de Jeu, R.A.M.
AU - van Dijk, A.I.J.M.
AU - Dolman, A.J.
PY - 2013
Y1 - 2013
N2 - Satellite observations identify the Mongolian steppes as a hotspot of global biomass reduction, the extent of which is comparable with tropical rainforest deforestation. To conserve or restore these grasslands, the relative contributions of climate and human activities to degradation need to be understood. Here we use a recently developed 21-year (1988-2008) record of satellite based vegetation optical depth (VOD, a proxy for vegetation water content and aboveground biomass), to show that nearly all steppe grasslands in Mongolia experienced significant decreases in VOD. Approximately 60% of the VOD declines can be directly explained by variations in rainfall and surface temperature. After removing these climate induced influences, a significant decreasing trend still persists in the VOD residuals across regions of Mongolia. Correlations in spatial patterns and temporal trends suggest that a marked increase in goat density with associated grazing pressures and wild fires are the most likely non-climatic factors behind grassland degradation. © 2013 Liu et al.
AB - Satellite observations identify the Mongolian steppes as a hotspot of global biomass reduction, the extent of which is comparable with tropical rainforest deforestation. To conserve or restore these grasslands, the relative contributions of climate and human activities to degradation need to be understood. Here we use a recently developed 21-year (1988-2008) record of satellite based vegetation optical depth (VOD, a proxy for vegetation water content and aboveground biomass), to show that nearly all steppe grasslands in Mongolia experienced significant decreases in VOD. Approximately 60% of the VOD declines can be directly explained by variations in rainfall and surface temperature. After removing these climate induced influences, a significant decreasing trend still persists in the VOD residuals across regions of Mongolia. Correlations in spatial patterns and temporal trends suggest that a marked increase in goat density with associated grazing pressures and wild fires are the most likely non-climatic factors behind grassland degradation. © 2013 Liu et al.
U2 - 10.1371/journal.pone.0057599
DO - 10.1371/journal.pone.0057599
M3 - Article
VL - 8
JO - PLoS ONE
JF - PLoS ONE
SN - 1932-6203
IS - 2
M1 - e57599
ER -