Vol 8, No 3 (2018)

The paper analyzes linear correlations between MODIS parameters, i.e., the albedo, surface temperature, NDVI, and evapotranspiration, and with annual livestock numbers on Mongolian pastures for June–August throughout 2000–2015. The degree of association between the annual livestock density and average spectral properties of pastures were determined at the level of the whole country, region (aimag), and district (sum). Linear trends were assessed in the annual livestock density and spectral properties of the pasture surface within the boundaries of the specified administrative units of Mongolia. The total density and density with consideration for a structure of the livestock population within the stated territories are weakly related to the average spectral parameters of the pasture surfaces for the territories. The exception is Gurvansaikhan district, in which the relationships are significant; an increase in livestock density increases the albedo, decreases NDVI, and eventually reduces the forage reserve. The R² coefficients of determination reveal insignificant linear trends in albedo, NDVI, and evapotranspiration as opposed to a significant positive trend in livestock density. A cooling trend and decreased precipitation was evident in 2000–2015. In the years of a sharp drop in livestock density (2000 and 2010), the spectral characteristics of pastures exhibit insignificant departures from the trend line, i.e. their sensitivity to a sharp drop in livestock numbers is minimal in the present situation.

The historical changes in animal distribution in the European territory of Russia have always attracted the interest of specialists. Therefore, the data contained in the Economic Notes to the General Land Survey of the Russian Empire at the turn of the 18th and 19th centuries is of great importance. This article presents the results of the analysis of data on the mammalian fauna of the southern provinces of European Russia sampled from the Economic Notes. The sample covers 15 governorates (guberniya), 102 uezds (a secondary level administrative division), and 1150 land holdings (dachas). There were 2395 references made to mammals, including 22 presumptive name references comprising 25 species, 11 families, and 5 orders. Based on the available data on historical changes in the ecological condition within this territory, a comparison with the current situation was made for those species that are the most significant and common in the study area.

A new original method for monitoring the morphological and morphometric characteristics of different types of reservoir shores using unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and the Agisoftphotoscan software tool is proposed. The application of this methodology is demonstrated based on the example of the shores of the Tsimlyansk Reservoir. The optimal parameters of UAVs for the monitoring of processes on abrasion, landslide, and accumulative shores have been established.

The botanical diversity of the steppe plains of the Suhbaatar and Dornogovi aimags (eastern Mongolia) is examined on the species and cenotic level and on the basis of the ecofloristic classification. The taxonomic diversity of vascular Embryophyta plants of the observed area is represented by 35 families, 104 genera, and 169 species, which is 51% of the total eastern Mongolia flora families, 36% of its genera, and 25% of its species. The species were assigned to ecocenotic groups by the characteristics of their zonal distribution as follows: 37% of all observed plant species fit into the “dry-steppe” category, 25% are in the “meadow steppe—dry steppe” category, 15% are in the “dry steppe—desertificated steppe” category, 16% are in the “dry steppe—desert” category, and 7% were “widespread.” The syntaxonomical diversity of the observed plains is established by processing geobotanical descriptions by the Braun-Blanquet method and is represented by one class, three alliances, and eight associations reflecting the features of the watershed plain “plakor” vegetation. The selected associations are distinguished by their higher vascular flowering plant species, genera and family diversity, species abundance, grass density, and position in the relief. An indirect indicator of the humidification conditions, which express the relation of plant species inhabiting the outer ranges on the humidification gradient, was developed: plants found in desertified steppes and deserts and plants found in forest steppes. Subzonal affiliations of associations were adjusted in accordance with the value of the indirect indicator.

Hydrological, hydrochemical, and hydrobiological data for five saline rivers of the arid Lake Elton region were analyzed. We found that interactions between plankton and benthic communities, in particular, between macrozoobenthos, meiobenthos and zooplankton, created mixed ecological groups of species. Abundances of plankton and bottom communities significantly correlated, which indicated that there is a close relationship between them due to biotic interactions and their similar responses to the effects of environmental factors. Multidimensional scaling and cluster analyses, the construction of hierarchical trees and species diversity models, the spatial correlation Mantel test, etc., were used to study the structure of communities in strongly disbalanced ecosystems of highly mineralized rivers. Indicator species were established by the TWINSPAN procedure. Our results demonstrated that plankton and bottom communities of the saline rivers can be represented as specific consortia or structural units of the river ecosystems.