Annual temperature regime of dark-chestnut soils in plains of various altitudinal zones of Central Mongolia

Abstract

We have studied the annual temperature regime of dark chestnut soils by the example of three plots located at different altitudes in the Central Mongolia. It was shown that its altitudinal zonality is well pronounced in the air layer near the earth surface but is poorly seen in the soil horizons of well-lighted areas. The investigation of the annual temperature regime at different depths of soils located at various altitudes shows that the rise in the intensity of solar radiation and soil heating directly depends on the altitude. The study was performed as a part of a program of Joint Russian-Mongolian Comprehensive Biological Expedition and was supported by the Russian Geographical Society and the Russian Foundation for Basic Research, project Degradation of Landscapes in the Lake Baikal Region.