Assessment of land degradation in Inner Mongolia between 2000 and 2020 based on remote sensing data

Achieving land degradation neutrality(LDN)worldwide is a significant target of the Sustainable Development Goal(SDG15.3).Inner Mongolia,as a typical dryland region in northern China,has carried out several large-scale ecological restoration programs to combat land degradation.However,there is a lack of comprehensive assess-ment of its land degradation situation after ecological programs implementation,which is of great significance to supporting SDG15.3 in China.This study analyzed the land degradation situation using the improved SDG15.3.1 calculation framework based on fine resolution data in Inner Mongolia from 2000 to 2020,and finally compre-hensively evaluated the land status of the whole region and those subject to ecological programs.The results show that net land restoration proportion of various ecological project regions and whole region continues to increase.The scope of the Grain for Green Program(GGP)had the largest proportion of net land restoration while the Natural Reserve Program(NRP)had the lowest proportion from 2000 to 2020.The net land restoration area of Inner Mongolia during 2000-2010 and 2010-2020 was 35,800 km 2 and 65,300 km 2,respectively.Overall,Inner Mongolia has achieved statistically zero growth in land degradation under the governance of ecological restora-tion programs.Therefore,reasonable planning,well monitoring,and timely assessment of ecological restoration programs are crucial to support SDG15.3.

Enhanced soil moisture improves vegetation growth in an arid grassland of Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, China

Climate change impacts on grasslands that cover a quarter of the global land area, have become unprecedented during the 21~(st) century. One of the important ecological realms, arid grasslands of northern China, which occupy more than 70% of the region's land area. However, the impact of climate change on vegetation growth in these arid grasslands is not consistent and lacks corresponding quantitative research. In this study, NDVI(normalized difference vegetation index) and climate factors including temperature, precipitation, solar radiation, soil moisture, and meteorological drought were analyzed to explore the determinants of changes in grassland greenness in Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region(northern China) during 1982–2016. The results showed that grasslands in Inner Mongolia witnessed an obvious trend of seasonal greening during the study period. Two prominent climatic factors,precipitation and soil moisture accounted for approximately 33% and 27% of grassland NDVI trends in the region based on multiple linear regression and boosted regression tree methods. This finding highlights the impact of water constraints to vegetation growth in Inner Mongolia's grasslands. The dominant role of precipitation in regulating grassland NDVI trends in Inner Mongolia significantly weakened from 1982 to 1996, and the role of soil moisture strengthened after 1996. Our findings emphasize the enhanced importance of soil moisture in driving vegetation growth in arid grasslands of Inner Mongolia, which should be thoroughly investigated in the future.

Responses of vegetation yield to precipitation and reference evapotranspiration in a desert steppe in Inner Mongolia,China

Drought,which restricts the sustainable development of agriculture,ecological health,and social economy,is affected by a variety of factors.It is widely accepted that a single variable cannot fully reflect the characteristics of drought events.Studying precipitation,reference evapotranspiration(ET_(0)),and vegetation yield can derive information to help conserve water resources in grassland ecosystems in arid and semi-arid regions.In this study,the interactions of precipitation,ET_(0),and vegetation yield in Darhan Muminggan Joint Banner(DMJB),a desert steppe in Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region,China were explored using two-dimensional(2D)and three-dimensional(3D)joint distribution models.Three types of Copula functions were applied to quantitatively analyze the joint distribution probability of different combinations of precipitation,ET_(0),and vegetation yield.For the precipitation–ET_(0)dry–wet type,the 2D joint distribution probability with precipitation≤245.69 mm/a or ET_(0)≥959.20 mm/a in DMJB was approximately 0.60,while the joint distribution probability with precipitation≤245.69 mm/a and ET_(0)≥959.20 mm/a was approximately 0.20.Correspondingly,the joint return period that at least one of the two events(precipitation was dry or ET_(0)was wet)occurred was 2 a,and the co-occurrence return period that both events(precipitation was dry and ET_(0)was wet)occurred was 5 a.Under this condition,the interval between dry and wet events would be short,the water supply and demand were unbalanced,and the water demand of vegetation would not be met.In addition,when precipitation remained stable and ET_(0)increased,the 3D joint distribution probability that vegetation yield would decrease due to water shortage in the precipitation–ET_(0)dry–wet years could reach up to 0.60–0.70.In future work,irrigation activities and water allocation criteria need to be implemented to increase vegetation yield and the safety of water resources in the desert steppe of Inner Mongolia.

Spatial changes and driving factors of lake water quality in Inner Mongolia, China

Lakes play important roles in sustaining the ecosystem and economic development in Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region of China,but the spatial patterns and driving mechanisms of water quality in lakes so far remain unclear.This study aimed to identify the spatial changes in water quality and the driving factors of seven lakes(Juyanhai Lake,Ulansuhai Lake,Hongjiannao Lake,Daihai Lake,Chagannaoer Lake,Hulun Lake,and Wulannuoer Lake)across the longitudinal axis(from the west to the east)of Inner Mongolia.Large-scale research was conducted using the comprehensive trophic level index(TLI(Σ)),multivariate statistics,and spatial analysis methods.The results showed that most lakes in Inner Mongolia were weakly alkaline.Total dissolved solids and salinity of lake water showed obvious zonation characteristics.Nitrogen and phosphorus were identified as the main pollutants in lakes,with high average concentrations of total nitrogen and total phosphorus being of 4.05 and 0.21 mg/L,respectively.The values of TLI(Σ)ranged from 49.14 to 71.77,indicating varying degrees of lake eutrophication,and phosphorus was the main driver of lake eutrophication.The lakes of Inner Mongolia could be categorized into lakes to the west of Daihai Lake and lakes to the east of Daihai Lake in terms of salinity and TLI(Σ).The salinity levels of lakes to the west of Daihai Lake exceeded those of lakes to the east of Daihai Lake,whereas the opposite trend was observed for lake trophic level.The intensity and mode of anthropogenic activities were the driving factors of the spatial patterns of lake water quality.It is recommended to control the impact of anthropogenic activities on the water quality of lakes in Inner Mongolia to improve lake ecological environment.These findings provide a more thorough understanding of the driving mechanism of the spatial patterns of water quality in lakes of Inner Mongolia,which can be used to develop strategies for lake ecosystem protection and water resources management in this region.

The Influence of Plant Diversity and Functional Composition on Ecosystem Stability of Four Stipa Communities in the Inner Mongolia Plateau

The main purpose of this study was to examine the effects of plant species diversity and functional composition (the identity of the plant functional groups) on ecosystem stability of Stipa, communities in the Inner Mongolia Plateau. The research work was based on a 12-year study (from 1984 to 1995) of species abundance, diversity, and primary productivity of four Stipa communities, i.e. S. baicalensis Roshev., S. grandis P. Smirn., S, krylovii Roshev., and S. klemenzii Roshev. respectively. The Shnnon-Wiener index was used as a measurement of plant diversity, while functional composition was used to differentiate the functional groups that were included in the communities. The plant species of four Stipa communities were classified into functional groups based on the differences in life forms and ecological groups, which influence their performance in resource requirements, seasonality of growth, tolerance to water stress, and life history. Plant species were classified into five functional groups based on their differences in life form, shrubs and half shrubs, perennial bunch grasses, perennial rhizome grasses, forbs, annuals and biennials. Based on their differences in water requirement these species were classified into four functional groups: xerads, intermediate xerads, intermediate mesophytes, and mesophytes. The results showed: 1) Plant species diversity stabilized ecosystem processes. Shannon-Wiener index were 2.401 4, 2.172 0, 1.624 8, 0.354 3 from S. baicalensis community to S. grandis, S. krylovii and S. klemenzii community, respectively. The dynamics of the aboveground net primary productivity (ANPP) for a 12-year's period showed a reverse pattern, the coefficients of variation of the four communities were 21.94%, 20.63%, 29.21% and 39.72% respectively. 2) The Life form functional group component of diversity was a greater determinant of the ecosystem processes than the species component of diversity. The effects of perennial bunch grasses, perennial rhizome grasses and forbs on community stability were highly significant. 3) The ecological group component of diversity was also a great determinant of the ecosystem processes. The effects of xerads, intermediate xerads, and mesophytes on community stability were also very strong.

Temporal-spatial Changes in Inner Mongolian Grassland Degradation during Past Three Decades

[Objective] This study aimed to analyze the temporal-spatial variation of Inner Mongolian grassland degradation during past three decades. [Method] The dis- tribution characteristics of grassland were described by land use types supervised classification with TM/ETM. Then, temporal-spatial changes of grassland coverage were quantified by the mean of maximum vegetation coverage in last 30 years. Lastly, the grassland degradation reasons were explored through statistic analysis between the grassland coverage and precipitation, temperature and grazing intensity. [Result] The grassland degradation index of Inner Mongolia was increased from 1.38 to 1.68, and the smallest was 1.28 in 2005s. Grassland degradation and improve- ment were concurrent after 1980s, but grassland degradation was the major change trend for Inner Mongolia grassland. The area of grassland degradation was enlarged from 18.08×10^4 km2 in 1980s to 22.47×10^4 km2 in 2010s on the whole and distribu- tion range was shifted from central-eastern to west in Inner Mongolia that mainly distributed on Hulun Buir and Xilin Gol grassland in 1980s and Ordos and Alax grassland in 2010s. The grassland area of degradation had a rising trend form 1980s to 1995s, then reduced to 10.8x104 km2 in 2005s, and decreased in 2010s, which mainly speared in the west of Xilin Gol grassland. [Conclusion] Inner Mongo-lian grassland degradation were become more seriously in last 30 years because that temperature, precipitation and graze intensities change, which not performance on decreasing coverage but grassland areas.

Storage of biomass and net primary productivity in desert shrubland of Artemisia ordosica on Ordos Plateau of Inner Mongolia, China

Biomass and net primary productivity （NPP） are two important parameters in determining ecosystem carbon pool and carbon sequestration. The biomass storage and NPP in desert shrubland of Artemisia ordosica on Ordos Plateau were investigated with method of harvesting standard size shrub in the growing season （June-October） of 2006. Results indicated that above- and belowground biomass of the same size shrubs showed no significant variation in the growing season （p〉0.1）, but annual biomass varied significantly （p〈 0.01）. In the A. ordosica community, shrub biomass storage was 699.76-1246.40 g.m^-2 and annual aboveground NPP was 224.09 g-m^-2·a^-1. Moreover, shrub biomass and NPP were closely related with shrub dimensions （cover and height） and could be well predicted by shrub volume using power regression.

Analysis of Heavy Metal Content in Food Crops Planted Along the Shaanxi Inner Mongolia Expressway

To understand the effect of the running of Shaanxi Inner Mongolia Expressway on food crops planted along the sides, we determined the heavy metal contents(Zn, Pb, Cu and Cb) in the digestion solutions of the root, stem and leaf from rice and corn. The results showed that highway promoted the accumulation of heavy metal elements in corn and rice. Compared with the CKs(crops produced where no highway extend), contents of heavy metal elements in two crops tested from two sampling sites were both over standard. This indicates that food crops planted within 100 m away from the highway are been polluted by heavy metals, which is directly related with the running of Shaanxi Inner Mongolia Expressway. Based on this, the areas within 100 m away from the highway are not suggested to cultivate food crops.

Relationships between bird communities and vegetation structure in Honghuaerji, northern Inner Mongolia

The survey on bird communities was conducted by the belt-style method in six different sample plots in the Honghua抏rji Forests area in the northern Inner Mongolia in June 2001 and totally 28 bird species were recorded. Vegetation investigation was carried out in five 10 m×10 m quadrats at each plot. The asymptotic regression function formulae were adopted to identify the relationships between the vegetation coverage and the numbers of bird species and individuals. The analytical results showed that the changes of species number and density of bird as well as the formation of bird communities follow the changes of forest type and the total foliage. Both the number of bird species and their density decreased with the de-crease of total foliage. The similarity of bird community was very low at the breeding time. In the same classification of cluster, no similarity was higher than 0.65, which indicated that the composition of species had a great difference between all the bird communities. The bird breeding density was closely related to forest growth stage. From the bare grassland ecosystem to cli-max ecosystem, the density of bird species showed a gradually increasing trend.

New ratite eggshell material from the Miocene of Inner Mongolia,China

Some Miocene ratite eggshell fragments from Gashunyinadege (about 17.5 Ma) and Baogedawula (7.11 ± 0.48 Ma), Inner Mongolia, China, are described. The outer surfaces of eggshell fragments from Gashunyinadege are smooth with a sting pore pattern, while their entire thickness is around 2.12 mm. In a cross-sectional view, the surface crystal layer is very thin and the ratio of cone layer to the those from Gashunyinadege, but seem much thinner and have a lower pore density. Both characteristics fit aepyornithid-type eggshells, implying that the distribution of aepyornithid-type eggshells can be extended to East Asia. The sediments at Gashunyinadege date to approximately 17.5 Ma, implying that the specimens from this locality are relatively early examples of aepyornithid-type eggshells. Aepyornithidtype eggshells seem to have appeared in Eurasia much earlier than struthionid-type eggshells. The faunal compositions in the two localities reflect gradual drying of the Mongolian plateau during the Miocene. A reduction in the number of pores 10 Ma ago, probably occurred in response to this drying process.

Preview of the No.1148 Ramsar Site on the Ordos upland of western Inner Mongolia

The Taolimiao-Alashan Nur (T-A Nur), of about 10 km2 a brackish lake located on the Ordos upland of western Inner Mongolia, northern China, used to

Analysis on Climate Change Features of East of Inner Mongolia in Recent 40 Years

The trend analysis method was adopted to study the spatial distribution and change trend of temperature,rain,rain days,extreme rain case and extreme temperature based on meteorology data of 48 ground stations in east of Inner Mongolia from 1951 to 2005.The results showed that temperature of east of Inner Mongolia was improving,and improving degree of extremely minimum temperature was higher than extremely maximum one.Rain of east of Hulunbuir and southwest of Chifeng was more markedly improving and was most markedly decreasing in Tongliao.Rain days were decreasing at majority area,while increasing at southwest,east and north of Hulunbuir.The one which was above 25 mm showed an increasing tendency.

Genetic Analysis on the Lambing Effects of Ewe Inner Mongolia Cashmere Goat

[Objective] The aim of this study was to explore the genetic law of litter size of Inner Mongolia Cashmere Goat.[Method] A total of 22 721 litter records from 3 044 mothers were statistically analyzed.[Result] As shown by the least square variance analysis,the sex,parity and birth type had significant effect on lamb birth weight.As indicated by restricted maximum likelihood method,the parity,population and maternal effect influenced litter size significantly.The birth weight heritability of single lamb,twins and total was 0.16,0.40 and 0.17,respectively.[Conclusion] The study provided a certain basis for the establishment of Inner Mongolia Cashmere Goat line with superior reproductive performance.

Radiometric Dating of Ignimbrite from Inner Mongolia Provides no Indication of a Post-Middle Jurassic Age for the Daohugou Beds

Lacustrine deposits exposed at Daohugou, Inner Mongolia, China, have yielded superbly preserved vertebrate fossils. The fossil beds were first misinterpreted as of Early Cretaceous age, based on alleged occurrences of key fossils of the Jehol Biota. Compelling evidence revealed by more rigorous research involving regional biostratigraphy, radiometric dating, and paleontology supports the Middle Jurassic age of the fossil beds. Despite the awesome evidence for the Middle Jurassic age of the Daohugou beds, the age dispute has been resurrected recently by invoking an overturned stratigraphic sequence. A careful review of the data, however, found no evidence that this sequence has been overturned. In addition, many of the assumptions, on which the conjecture of the fossil beds being post- Middle Jurassic is imprudently based, are self-contradictory or otherwise misleading. Thus, the post- Middle Jurassic age of the Daohugou beds as an unfounded conclusion can readily be dismissed.

Carboniferous-Permian Stratigraphy and Sedimentary Environment of Southeastern Inner Mongolia,China:Constraints on Final Closure of the Paleo-Asian Ocean

In this paper we discuss the timing of final closure of the Paleo-Asian Ocean based on the field investigations of the Carboniferous-Permian stratigraphic sequences and sedimentary environments in southeastern Inner Mongolia combined with the geology of its neighboring areas. Studies show that during the Carboniferous-Permian in the eastern segment of the Tianshan-Hinggan Orogenic System, there was a giant ENE-NE-trending littoral-neritic to continental sedimentary basin, starting in the west from Ejinqi eastwards through southeastern Inner Mongolia into Jilin and Heilongjiang. The distribution of the Lower Carboniferous in the vast area is sparse. The Late Carboniferous or Permian volcanic-sedimentary rocks always unconformably overlie the Devonian or older units. The Upper Carboniferous-Middle Permian is dominated by llttoral-neritic deposits and the Upper Permian, by continental deposits. The Late Carboniferous-Permian has no trace of subduction-collision orogeny, implying the basin gradually disappeared by shrinking and shallowing. In addition, it is of interest to note that the Ondor Sum and Hegenshan ophiolitic melanges were formed in the pre-Late Silurian and pre-Late Devonian respectively, and the Solonker ophiolitic melange formed in the pre-Late Carboniferous. All the evidence indicates that the eastern segment of the Paleo-Asian Ocean had closed before the Late Carboniferous, and most likely before the latest Devonian （Famennian）.

A New Species of Cathayornis from the Lower Cretaceous of Inner Mongolia,China and Its Stratigraphic Significance

An incomplete postcranial avian skeleton is described from the Lower Cretaceous Jingchuan Formation of Otog Banner of western Inner Mongolia and referred to a new species of Cathayornis, C. chabuensis sp. nov. This is the first report of a Cathayornis from outside Liaoning Province. The new discovery indicates that Cathayornis coexisted with Otogornis genghisi, and a more detailed comparison between these two enantiornithine genera shows that Otogornis represents a more primitive genus than Cathayornis. Our analyses further indicate that Cathayornis is an arboreal bird. The discovery of a Cathayornis from this region also confirms that the avian fossil-bearing Jingchuan Formation is comparable to the Jiufotang Formation of the upper Jehol Group in western Liaoning, and should be referred to the middle-late Early Cretaceous.

Sporopollen Assemblages from the Cretaceous Yimin Formation of the Hailar Basin,Inner Mongolia,China

Three sporopollen assemblages are recognized for the first time from the Cretaceous Yimin Formation in the Hailar Basin of eastern Inner Mongolia. They are （in ascending order）： the lmpardecispora-Aequitriradites- Clawttipollenites assemblage; the Triporoletes-Pilosisporites-Asteropollis assemblage; and the Appendicisporites- Asteropollis-Tricolpites assemblage, distributed in Members 1, 2 and 3 of the Yimin Formation respectively. Recognition of this biostratigraphic sequence is very important for the division and correlation of the Yimin Formation in the basin. Meanwhile, the age of the Yimin Formation is considered to be Barremian to Early Albian based on the palynological data.

Ginkgo Huolinhensis sp.nov.from the Lower Cretaceous of Huolinhe Coal Field,Inner Mongolia,China

A new species, Ginkgo huolinhensis sp. nov., with well-preserved cuticle from the Lower Cretaceous, Huolinhe Formation of Huolinhe Coal Field in Inner Mongolia, China, was studied morphologically and anatomically. The main characters of the new species are found in the leaves which are deeply dissected with narrow lobes, trichomes developed on both upper and lower epidermal cells, a media papilla developed on the periclinal walls for each cell in upper cuticle, and no trichomes on the cuticle of the petioles. These characters of G. huolinhensis sp. nov. distinguish from the known species of Ginkgo previously reported. This study of the new species is beneficial for the taxonomic research of fossil Ginkgo, and should be helpful for a better understanding the paleoenvironment of Ginkgo living in northeastern China during the Early Cretaceous.

A New Protoceratopsid (Dinosauria: Neoceratopsia) from the Late Cretaceous of Inner Mongolia, China

An almost complete skull, which was collected from the Upper Cretaceous of the Bayan Mandahu area in Inner Mongolia, China by the Sino-Canadian Dinosaur Project, is described and assigned to a new genus of protoceratopsid dinosaur, Magnirostris dodsoni gen. et sp. nov. This new taxon is distinguished from other protoceratopsids by the robust rostral bone and the existence of incipient orbital horn cores. The existence of an additional antorbital fenestra indicates a close relationship between Magnirostris and Bagaceratops.

Environmental change inferred from Rb and Sr of lacustrine sediments in Huangqihai Lake,Inner Mongolia

Based on the geochemical elements Rb and Sr in sediments with three different grain size fractions from profile H3 on the northern lacustrine bottomland 13 m above the Huangqihai Lake surface in 1986,the paper investigates the record of palaeolake stand state, sedimentary environmental evolution,and winter monsoon change.First,these samples are separated into three different grain size fractions,i.e.,total sediments,77-20μm and〈20μm. Second,the chemical elements-Rb and Sr-of the grain size separation were tested and analyzed systematically in this paper.Then the elements compositions of these samples are measured using VP-320 mode fluorescence spectrum instrument,respectively.The magnetic susceptibility of these samples is measured using Kappabridge KLY-3 mode instrument made in Czech AGICO Company.The results showed the elements and the ratios varied regularly with the grain size.But the ratio of Rb/Sr in the sediments〈20μm correlates positively with the magnetic susceptibility of these samples.Therefore,the ratio of Rb/Sr in the fraction〈20 μm from the lake sediments reflected the strengthening of the weathering in the deposition sites.It is a good indicator of the summer monsoon-induced weathering and pedogenesis fluctuations and can be used to reconstruct the conditions of the paleoclimate and paleoenvironment.