Ecological Mapping and evaluation of Mongolian nature based on Remote Sensing Data
There is world watershed between rivers of Arctic ocean and indranaged regions of Central Asia, which cover 2/3 of the country area, in Mongolian lands. Mongolia is one of a few countries, in which due to natural and historical peculiarities many ecosystems keep natural function. The main ecological damage in the conditions of the traditional pasturage is the vegetation violation, but there are the local areas of soils urbanic territories and mining industry zones with intensive anthropogenic influence. Increase of anthropogenic pressure and its duration is extended in areas of transformed ecosystems. Regions with bad ecological conditions influencing on human health arise. Space photo information was used for developing operative cartographic model being made up as inventory of ecosystems in their modern condition. Comparison of data obtained in different ranges increases the degree of correct interpretation of ecological data of the photographs. Selected control of obtained results was carried out in expeditions during route inspection of area.
The object of exploration was ecosystem , i.e. region with certain nature conditions of existing of complex part. The subjects of exploration were properties of ecosystems and its parts, previously vegetation and soil defining the basis of ecosystems.
The map of ecosystems of 1:1 000 000 scale means zonal and altitude state of nature complexes. More that 300 types of ecosystems were determined on the map. These ecosystems were classified according to distribution of soil, vegetation and forms of relief.
Ecosystems were evaluated according to pressure of various anthropogenic factors: forestry, agriculture, pasturage, settlement-industry, transport and other. After analysis of informatively of some characteristics and indexes of ecosystem condition about 10 main degradation process criteria was chose and was used for inspection. For example, the soil violation was characterized by erosion, deflation, mechanical changes of structure, increasing of salt content and others. Vegetation violation was characterized by decreasing of plant viability, phytocenotic reorganization of system and global changing of phytocenonis. Integral indexes of ecosystem transformation were laid in the foundation of the map "Anthropogenic violation degree".
Two problems were resolved during the developing of synthetic cartographic model "Modern conditions of Mongolia ecosystems".
to show the influence of geographic characteristics on space differentiation of ecosystems and to she depending of anthropogenic transformation degree on type of land use.
Increasing of map informatively demands combination of various cartographic methods. Colour reflects zonal and altitudinal type of the ecosystems. To show zonal and altitudinal situation of depicted objects several colour patterns were used. The background ( 25 types ) shows geomorphologic conditions of the ecosystems. Every selected contours has received integral anthropogenic violation degree estimation in a 5-point scale:
most violated ecosystems are coloured lighter, less violated ecosystems have more intensive colour. With the help of various indexes and colours many factors of anthropogenic violation were shown: pasturage, sloughing, transport, and others. The key to the map, having more that 300 types of ecosystems, consists, of tables, combined in three main parts:
" Natural and natural - anthropogenic ecosystems", "Anthropogenic ecosystems" and "Anthropogenic violation degree of ecosystems". In addition to that the tendencies of natural and anthropogenic stimulated processes, geographical state are also shown by extra-scale conventional signs.
All the maps are elaborated on 14 sheets of 1:1 000000 scale and matrix key, which is a result of 20 years work of Joint Soviet - Mongolian complex biological expedition of Academy of sciences of the USSR and Academy of Sciences of Mongolia. The position of Mongolia in the bounds of sub continental structures of Central Asia, South Siberia, Far East, at the interface between several sub regions allows to forecast the consequences of different anthropogenic influences in these regions and to consider fulfilled investigation as an example for the corresponding regions. The map "Modern condition of ecosystems of Mongolia" on based remote sensing data is the new type of work. The method of its developing may be used for monitoring of local, regional and global environment.
