Mongolian-Manchurian grassland

• Category: Grassland, Tundra, and Human Biomes.
• Geographic Location: Asia.
• Summary: This large ecosystem once was a home for large populations of wild ungulates. Today, intensive pastoralism and global warming threaten its ecological integrity.

The Mongolian-Manchurian Grassland biome is the largest remaining block of the once-endless grasslands of Asia. It is found in the eastern third of the Eurasian steppe belt. This area is covered with diverse grassland communities, supporting small populations of wild ungulates such as the Mongolian gazelle and the reintroduced Przewalski’s horse. At the same time, species such as the Bactrian camel and Przewalski’s gazelle have become extinct because of human activity. Hunting and grazing by large numbers of domestic sheep and goats threaten this ecosystem.

The Mongolian-Manchurian steppe spreads from the inland side of northeastern China’s coastal hills toward the boreal forests of southern Siberia and to the desert regions of southern Mongolia and north-central China. It forms a large crescent around the Gobi Desert, extending across central and eastern Mongolia into the eastern portion of Inner Mongolia, and eastern and central Manchuria. The main part of this ecosystem, which covers more than 386,102 square miles (1 million square kilometers), consists of nearly flat or undulating grasslands and river basins. The climate is extreme continental, with warm summers and cold, windblown winters.

Biodiversity

The dominant flora consists of medium to tall grasslands. Grassland communities include feather grass and sheep’s fescue grass. Areas closer to the Gobi Desert are desert steppes that have lower productivity. Dominant plant species on the steppes include drought-resistant grasses; forbs; and small, spiny shrubs that are well adapted to arid conditions. The southwestern slopes of the Greater Khingan range support pockets of broadleaf deciduous forest as well.

Several threatened mammal species may be found on the Mongolian-Manchurian grasslands; these are remnant populations, small and fragmented. The Asiatic wild ass, or kulan, is still found along the Mongolian border regions, but other species are extinct as a result of overhunting and competition with domestic ungulates. Przewalski’s horse may be found on the steppes today, thanks to several international efforts to reintroduce this species to its historic homeland; small groups of these wild horses can be seen again grazing in the Mongolian turf. Other mammals characteristic of the biome include the Mongolian and goitered gazelle, and Hangai and Gobi wild sheep.

Carnivores also roam the steppes; marbled polecats, Pallas’s cat, red fox, corsac, wolf, and brown bear are found in the Mongolian-Manchurian grasslands. As usual in steppe ecosystems, many rodent species, such as ground squirrels, marmots, pikas, hamsters, numerous species of voles, gerbils or jirds, and jerboas, dwell among the grasses. Subterranean rodents, including numerous species of zokors, also are typical members of these steppe communities.

The brown-eared pheasant is an endemic bird of the Mongolian marshes, and reed beds provide breeding shelter for the great-crested grebe, Oriental white stork, Japanese crane, and relict gull. Many rare birds breed on the plains of the Mongolian-Manchurian grassland, such as the great bustard and Oriental plover.

Environmental Threats

Sheep and goat grazing are the dominant activities in the Mongolian-Manchurian Grassland biome. In the past decade, the number of livestock has increased dramatically, and overgrazing is the greatest danger for the remaining natural values of this ecosystem. Factors that are exacerbating this danger include mining activity and global warming. Heavy metal pollution in the soil from mining activities contaminates groundwater and poses a danger to humans and animals. Water scarcity, lower productivity of various plant communities, soil loss, and desertification are some problems already being measured here as impacts of climate change—largely driven by faster evapotranspiration due to higher temperatures. Solutions will entail cooperative approaches to sustainable grazing, water conservation, and related practices.

Bibliography

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Qin, Muhan; Jin, Yuanliang; et.al. “Heavy Metal Pollution in Mongolian-Manchurian Grassland Soil and Effect of Long-Range Dust Transport by Wind.” Environment International, vol. 177, 2023, doi.org/10.1016/j.envint.2023.108019. Accessed 21 Nov. 2024.

Scholtz, Rheinhardt and Dirac Twidwell. "The Last Continuous Grasslands on Earth: Identification and Conservation Importance." Conservation Science and Practice, vol. 4, no. 3, 20 Jan. 2022, doi.org/10.1111/csp2.626. Accessed 21 Nov. 2024.

Zhao, J., Z. Guangmei, W. Huadong, and X. Jialin. The Natural History of China. New York: McGraw-Hill, 1990.