The Daurian forest steppe ecoregion (WWF ID: PA0804) is a band of grassland, shrub terrain, and mixed forests in northeast Mongolia and the region of Siberia, Russia that follows the course of the Onon River and Ulz River. The region has been described as a “sea of grass that forms the best and most intact example of an undisturbed steppe ecosystem and is also one of the last areas in the Palearctic that still supports stable herds of larger vertebrates” in a semi-mountainous area. The area also has flat wetlands that are important to migratory birds. The ecoregion is in the Palearctic realm, with a dry-winter

subarctic climate The subarctic climate (also called subpolar climate, or boreal climate) is a climate with long, cold (often very cold) winters, and short, warm to cool summers. It is found on large landmasses, often away from the moderating effects of an ocean, ge ...

( Köppen ''Dwc'') that borders on a very cold semi-arid climate (''BSk'') in its southwestern parts. It covers .

Location and description

The ecoregion circles around half of the Khentii Mountains, then stretches over 1,000 kilometers east of

Ulan Bator Ulaanbaatar (; mn, Улаанбаатар, , "Red Hero"), previously anglicized as Ulan Bator, is the capital and most populous city of Mongolia. It is the coldest capital city in the world, on average. The municipality is located in north cen ...

into northeasteastern Mongolia through the semi-arid region south and east of Chita, Zabaykalsky Krai, Russia. A prominent feature is the Onon River flowing east through mid-sized mountains (1,400 - 1,800 meters in height) to the

Amur River The Amur (russian: река́ Аму́р, ), or Heilong Jiang (, "Black Dragon River", ), is the world's List of longest rivers, tenth longest river, forming the border between the Russian Far East and Northeast China, Northeastern China (Inne ...

Climate

Because of its altitude, distance from the ocean, and proximity to the cold Siberian High, the ecoregion has a

( Köppen climate classification ''Dwc''), bordering on a very cold semi-arid climate (''BSk'') in the southwest. This indicates a continental climate characterized by short, pleasant summers, and very dry, long and frigid winters, with wide differences between day and night temperatures. Mean temperatures range from (January) to (August). Average annual precipitation is between in the west and in the east, with almost all falling in the warmer months between May and September.

Flora and fauna

The steppe lands of the ecoregion are characterized by sedges (genus '' Carex'') and grasses (family

Poaceae Poaceae () or Gramineae () is a large and nearly ubiquitous family of monocotyledonous flowering plants commonly known as grasses. It includes the cereal grasses, bamboos and the grasses of natural grassland and species cultivated in lawns an ...

), forming meadow steppe, herbs steppe and sandy saltmarsh steppe. Along the lake shores are salt-dependent plants and reed beds. The forests of the area are mostly Asian black birch (''Betula dahurica''), Scots pine (''Pinus sylvestris''), and Siberian larch (''Larix sibirica''). Aspen groves are found in some mountain areas. Herds of Mongolian Gazelle (''Procapra gutturosa'') roam the grasslands of the region, which is at the northern edge of their territory. The broken terrain of mountains and ravines support small mammals, including the

Lesser white-toothed shrew The lesser white-toothed shrew (''Crocidura suaveolens'') is a tiny shrew with a widespread distribution in Africa, Asia and Europe. Its preferred habitat is scrub and gardens and it feeds on insects, arachnids, worms, gastropods, newts and sm ...

(''Crocidura sauveolens''),

Eurasian harvest mouse The harvest mouse (''Micromys minutus'') is a small rodent native to Europe and Asia. It is typically found in fields of cereal crops, such as wheat and oats, in reed beds and in other tall ground vegetation, such as long grass and hedgerows. It ...

(''Micromys minutus''), and

Maximowicz's vole Maximowicz's vole (''Microtus maximowiczii'') is a species of rodent in the family Cricetidae. It is found in northeastern China, Mongolia, and eastern Russia. Description Maximowicz's vole is one of the largest voles in the genus ''Microtus''. ...

(''Microtus maximowiczii''). Predators include the wolf, polecat, Eurasian badger, and Pallas's cat (''Otocolobus manul'').

Protections

The federally protected areas in the region are: *

Alkhanay National Park Alkhanay National Park (russian: Национальный парк «Алханай») encompasses the area around Mt. Alkhanai, a central focus and sacred mountain to the Buryats people, who today are the largest indigenous group in Siberia. M ...

. An IUCN class II National Park located in the Zabaykalsky Krai region of southern Siberia, covering a forested, mountainous area surrounded by steppe terrain. (Area: 1,382 km2). * Daursky Nature Reserve. An IUCN class Ia "strict ecological reserve" (a Zapovednik) located on the border of Russia and Mongolia, protecting wetlands and lakes. It is part of a World Heritage Site named "The Landscapes of

Dauria Transbaikal, Trans-Baikal, Transbaikalia ( rus, Забайка́лье, r=Zabaykalye, p=zəbɐjˈkalʲjɪ), or Dauria (, ''Dauriya'') is a mountainous region to the east of or "beyond" (trans-) Lake Baikal in Far Eastern Russia. The steppe an ...

". (Area: 84,290 km2).

References

{{reflist Ecoregions of China Ecoregions of Mongolia Ecoregions of Russia Geography of Siberia Palearctic ecoregions Temperate grasslands, savannas, and shrublands

Location and description

Climate

Flora and fauna

Protections

See also

References